Microsoft removed the public button, but the file remains on their servers. Do download third-party "Windows 8.1 installers" from random websites—they often contain malware.
The tool will now:
Leave a comment below, or visit the r/Windows8 subreddit where enthusiasts maintain updated mirrors of official Microsoft tools. windows 8.1 media creation tool download usb
Since the official tool is often inaccessible, third-party utilities are now the recommended way to create bootable media for Windows 8.1: Windows 8.1 ISO download for 64 and 32 bit
Pro tip: Right-click the link and choose "Save link as" to download the MediaCreationTool.exe file. The file size is roughly 1.5MB—the rest downloads later. Microsoft removed the public button, but the file
You may be redirected to a page that says “Windows 8.1 is no longer available” — but if you use a non-Windows user agent (e.g., change browser to iPad or Mac), the tool download link still appears.
The original standalone "Media Creation Tool" for Windows 8.1 is largely no longer available for direct download from Microsoft's main utility pages. Instead, Microsoft now provides direct access to the , which you can use to manually create your own bootable USB drive. Step 1: Download the Official Windows 8.1 ISO Since the official tool is often inaccessible, third-party
However, the direct HTTP link to the executable still works as of 2025. We will provide that link later in this article.
If you must use Windows 8.1, always keep it behind a hardware firewall, use a standard user account, and install a third-party antivirus.
Once you see , click Finish . Safely eject the USB drive via the system tray.
Yes. Even though extended support ended, existing updates are still available via Windows Update. No new security patches will be released after January 2023, but you can install all historical updates.