Windows 11 makes it straightforward to burn an ISO file, which is a single file that's a complete copy of an entire CD, DVD, or Blu-ray disc, directly onto an optical disc using its built-in tool. This process requires an optical drive capable of writing discs (like a CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, or Blu-ray burner) and a compatible blank disc.
Steps to Burn an ISO Image to Optical Disc
Follow these simple steps to burn your ISO image file onto a physical disc in Windows 11:
- Locate your ISO file: Navigate through File Explorer to find the
.isofile you wish to burn. - Right-click on the ISO file.
- From the context menu that appears, select Show more options. This step reveals additional classic context menu items in Windows 11.
- Click on Burn disc image. This action opens the Windows Disc Image Burner window.
- In the Windows Disc Image Burner window:
- Ensure the correct disc burner drive is selected under "Disc burner:".
- Insert a blank, writeable disc (CD-R, DVD-R, BD-R, etc.) into your optical drive.
- (Optional) You can check the "Verify disc after burning" option to ensure the data was written correctly, although this will take extra time.
- Click the Burn button to start the burning process.
Windows will now write the contents of the ISO file to the optical disc. The time this takes will vary depending on the size of the ISO file, the type of disc, and the speed of your burner.
Once the burning process is complete and verification (if selected) passes, your disc containing the ISO image contents is ready to be used, for example, to install an operating system or boot a utility disc.
