Download Rufus 3.20: The Ultimate Guide to the Most Reliable Bootable USB Creator When it comes to creating bootable USB drives, no name stands out quite like Rufus . For years, IT professionals, system administrators, and casual users have trusted this lightweight utility to burn ISO files onto flash drives. Among its many versions, Rufus 3.20 holds a special place as a stable, feature-rich release that bridged the gap between legacy BIOS systems and modern UEFI requirements. If you are searching for "download Rufus 3.20," you likely need a specific, reliable version rather than the latest beta. This article explains everything you need to know: why Rufus 3.20 is still relevant, how to download it safely, how to use it step-by-step, and why this particular version might be the perfect choice for your next Windows or Linux installation.
Why Choose Rufus 3.20? (Key Features) Before clicking any download link, it is important to understand what makes version 3.20 special. Released in early 2022, Rufus 3.20 struck an excellent balance between modern compatibility and rock-solid stability. 1. Full Windows 11 Support (Bypass TPM) Rufus 3.20 was one of the first versions to officially support Windows 11 installation on "unsupported" hardware. It includes an option to remove the TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and RAM requirements—making it invaluable for users with older PCs. 2. ISO Download Integration Unlike older versions, Rufus 3.20 allows you to directly download official Windows ISO files from Microsoft’s servers. No more hunting for trustworthy ISO mirrors. 3. Persistent Partition for Linux For Linux users (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora), version 3.20 improved persistent storage creation. You can save files and settings directly on the bootable USB, making it a portable operating system. 4. Faster Write Speeds The 3.20 release optimized USB write performance, reducing the time needed to burn large ISOs (like Windows 10/11) by up to 30% compared to earlier versions. 5. UEFI & GPT Refinements Rufus 3.20 handles the complexities of UEFI boot, GPT partitions, and Secure Boot signatures better than many competitors. It automatically selects the correct partition scheme based on your ISO.
Is Rufus 3.20 Still the Best Version in 2025? While newer versions exist (3.22, 3.23, etc.), many advanced users deliberately seek out Rufus 3.20 for three reasons:
No bloatware: Later versions introduced additional dialogs and telemetry options (which can be disabled, but some prefer the cleaner 3.20 interface). Proven stability: Since it is not the latest release, all major bugs have been reported and documented. There are no surprise "experimental" features. Legacy system support: Version 3.20 maintains excellent backward compatibility for Windows 7, 8, and older Linux distributions. download rufus 3.20
That said, if you need the absolute latest features (e.g., support for Windows 11 24H2 or UEFI revocation checks), you should consider a newer build. For everyone else, 3.20 remains a gold standard.
How to Download Rufus 3.20 Safely (Avoid Fake Sites) Warning: Searching for "download rufus 3.20" on Google can lead to malicious third-party websites that bundle adware, spyware, or fake installers. Always follow these safety rules. The Only Official Source Rufus is developed by Pete Batard and hosted exclusively on GitHub . No other website hosts legitimate, untampered binaries. Official download page for Rufus 3.20: https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/releases/tag/v3.20 On that page, you will find several files. For standard Windows users, choose:
rufus-3.20.exe (Standard 32-bit/64-bit hybrid – works on all Windows systems) rufus-3.20p.exe (Portable version – no installation required, saves settings locally) Download Rufus 3
Verifying the File’s Integrity After downloading, you should verify the digital signature:
Right-click the rufus-3.20.exe file and select Properties . Go to the Digital Signatures tab. Select "Akeo Consulting" and click Details . You should see "This digital signature is OK."
Alternatively, compare the SHA-256 checksum (provided on the GitHub release page) using PowerShell: Get-FileHash rufus-3.20.exe If you are searching for "download Rufus 3
Step-by-Step Guide: Creating a Bootable USB with Rufus 3.20 Once you have downloaded Rufus 3.20, here is how to use it to create an installation drive for Windows or Linux. What You Need
A USB flash drive (8GB minimum for Windows, 4GB for most Linux distros) An ISO file (Windows, Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.) – or let Rufus download it for you A Windows PC (Rufus does not run on macOS or Linux natively)