Rufus 4.8 speeds up Windows ISO handling with major wimlib upgrade

Rufus just got faster with version 4.8. This release swaps in wimlib, an open-source imaging library built specifically to handle Windows ISOs. You’ll notice a speed boost when analyzing image files, especially for users frequently flashing Windows setups.

Not just faster, but smarter too

If you’re one of the many who rely on Rufus to install Windows 11 (even on unsupported PCs), the new version will get you through the process quicker than before. Beyond ISO analysis, the wimlib integration can also make Windows To Go drive creation faster, though that’ll still depend heavily on the speed of your flash drive.

Also read: Best Rufus Settings For Easy Windows 11 Installation

Rufus 4.8 brings a few other practical updates too:

• It can now split files larger than 4GB using Alt + E—helpful for drives formatted with FAT32.
• The log now includes better reporting on UEFI bootloaders, including Secure Boot status.
• Several bug fixes smooth out the process of writing uncompressed VHDs or forwarding command-line parameters during Windows setup.

Also read: Rufus Undetermined Error While Formatting: How to Fix it

There are also improvements for Linux ISO support and stability fixes for 32-bit versions. While Rufus is often praised for helping bypass Windows 11’s TPM requirements, it remains one of the easiest ways to create clean installation media. That’s especially true in the case of users installing or reimaging older hardware.

Version 4.8 is available now via GitHub and the official Rufus site. If you regularly tinker with ISOs or install Windows from scratch, it’s worth grabbing the update.