How to Install Ventoy on an External NVMe SSD for Multi-Boot Drives

intermediateSoftware Install7 min
Independently tested and verified on Dec 13, 2025. Commands reproduced exactly as run.

Prerequisites

  • Windows 10 operating system
  • Ventoy software
  • External NVMe SSD in an ORICO M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure (or similar USB enclosure)
  • Administrator access

This tutorial takes about 7 minutes to complete.

Step 1: Download the Ventoy installer

Open your web browser and navigate to ventoy.net. Click the download button, select the Ventoy Windows Zip, and save the file to a known location like your Downloads folder.

Step 2: Extract and launch the executable

Navigate to your saved file, extract the contents, and double-click VentoyToDisk.exe inside the extracted folder to open the installer. Confirm the initial prompt to launch the application.

Step 3: Select your target drive

In the Ventoy installer window, open the device dropdown menu and select your external NVMe SSD from the available list.

Ventoy2Disk installer window with the external NVMe SSD selected in the device dropdown, ready to install

Step 4: Confirm and complete the installation

Click the Install button, then type "yes" and click OK through all subsequent confirmation dialogs to erase the drive and finish the setup.

Ventoy2Disk warning dialog asking the user to type YES to confirm erasing all data on the selected drive

Step 5: Add your bootable ISOs

Open the newly formatted drive in File Explorer and drag and drop your desired ISO or virtual hard disk files directly onto the root partition.

File Explorer showing three ISO files, Ubuntu, Windows 10, and Windows 11, copied onto the Ventoy drive

Step 6: Change your system boot order

Restart your computer and press the appropriate key (F9, F10, F11, or F12) to enter the BIOS. Move your external NVMe SSD to the top of the boot priority list, then save and exit.

Motherboard startup screen prompting to press DEL or F2 to enter BIOS setup and change boot priority

Step 7: Verify multi-boot functionality

Upon rebooting, the Ventoy menu will display all your copied images. Select any ISO to confirm that it boots successfully.

FAQ

Real-world testing shows speeds around 600 MB/s, completing a 16.3 GB transfer in just under 30 seconds.
Yes, you can copy regular files and applications to the drive and use it as standard storage alongside your bootable ISOs.
Refer to the dedicated command-line formatting guide linked in the description if you encounter standard formatting issues.
Press F9, F10, F11, or F12 depending on your motherboard or laptop, or consult your device documentation for the correct key.

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Products used in this tutorial

ORICO M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure (10Gbps)
storage

ORICO M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure (10Gbps)

ORICO USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps) M.2 NVMe SSD enclosure supporting 2230/2242/2260/2280 form factors up to 8TB, with UASP support for fast external drive performance.

3 retailers
fanxiang S880R 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
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fanxiang S880R 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD

fanxiang S880R 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD with built-in heatsink — up to 7300MB/s reads and 3D TLC NAND for high-performance desktop and console storage.

2 retailers
Kingston A2000 1TB NVMe SSD
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Kingston A2000 1TB NVMe SSD

Kingston A2000 1TB PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD - reliable budget-friendly storage for everyday computing on desktops and laptops with fast sequential performance

2 retailers