USB formatting utility Rufus just got a lot faster with its latest version 4.8

Rufus 4.8 introduces a major technical change by adopting wimlib for all Windows Imaging Format (WIM) image processing. This update significantly accelerates image analysis when users open Windows ISO files. Alongside speed improvements, wimlib enables features such as the creation of Windows To Go drives, file splitting for files larger than 4 GB using Alt+E, and resolves limitations encountered when working with Parallels on Mac devices.

Rufus now compiles globally with Visual Studio binaries. This move addresses MinGW DLL delay-loading limitations, ensuring improved build stability and compatibility across operating systems. For users working with Linux-based distributions, the update expands exceptions for ISOs that allow only raw disk write (DD) mode, including distributions like Nobara and openSUSE.

Additionally, UEFI bootloader detection in the log has been improved, now displaying Secure Boot status information. Maintenance fixes include resolving an issue with writing uncompressed Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) images back to the same drive, correcting a crash present in the 32-bit MinGW build when opening the log, and ensuring command line parameters are forwarded properly to the original Windows setup.exe during installation.