how to install etcher on ubuntu

3 min read 02-02-2025

Etcher is a powerful and user-friendly tool for flashing disk images (like .img, .zip, etc.) to SD cards, USB drives, and other storage devices. It's a great choice for installing operating systems, particularly Linux distributions, on new hardware. This guide will walk you through installing Etcher on your Ubuntu system. We'll cover several methods, ensuring you find the easiest way for you.

Understanding Etcher and its Uses

Before we dive into the installation process, let's briefly touch upon what Etcher is and why you might need it. Etcher is a free and open-source tool developed by Resin.io (now part of Balena). It's known for its simplicity and reliability, making it a popular choice for both beginners and experienced users. Etcher is particularly useful when:

Installing operating systems: This is its primary function. You can easily flash an operating system's ISO image to a bootable drive.
Creating bootable USB drives: Perfect for creating bootable USB drives for live operating system environments, recovery tools, or other utilities.
Flashing firmware: Etcher can handle flashing firmware images to various devices.

Method 1: Installing Etcher using the official .deb package (Recommended)

This is the easiest and most recommended method. Etcher provides official Debian (.deb) packages, perfectly compatible with Ubuntu.

Step 1: Download the .deb package:

Visit the official Etcher website (https://www.balena.io/etcher/). Download the Debian package (.deb) appropriate for your Ubuntu version (64-bit is generally recommended unless you have a very old system).

Step 2: Open the downloaded file:

Double-clicking the downloaded .deb file should automatically open the Ubuntu Software installer. Alternatively, you can use the command line:

sudo apt install ./Downloads/etcher-*-linux-x64.deb

(Replace ./Downloads/etcher-*-linux-x64.deb with the actual path to your downloaded file.)

Step 3: Follow the on-screen instructions:

The installer will guide you through the installation process. Click through the prompts, accepting the defaults unless you have specific preferences.

Step 4: Launch Etcher:

Once the installation is complete, you can launch Etcher from your applications menu.

Method 2: Installing Etcher using Snap

Snap is a universal package manager for Linux. If you have Snap installed, you can use this method:

Step 1: Open your terminal:

Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open a terminal window.

Step 2: Install Etcher using Snap:

Use the following command:

sudo snap install balena-etcher

Step 3: Launch Etcher:

Once the installation is complete, you can launch Etcher from your applications menu.

Method 3: Installing Etcher using Flatpak (Less common, but an option)

Flatpak is another universal package manager for Linux. While less commonly used than Snap or the .deb package, it's an alternative:

Step 1: Ensure Flatpak is installed:

If you don't have Flatpak installed, you'll need to install it first. Instructions for installing Flatpak vary depending on your Ubuntu version. Consult the official Flatpak documentation for detailed instructions.

Step 2: Install Etcher using Flatpak:

Once Flatpak is installed, use the following command:

flatpak install flathub io.balena.Etcher

Step 3: Launch Etcher:

After installation, you can launch Etcher from your applications menu.

Verifying the Installation

After installing using any of the methods above, launch Etcher. You should see the main Etcher window, ready to select your image file and target drive. Remember to always double-check that you've selected the correct drive before flashing, to avoid accidental data loss.

Conclusion

Installing Etcher on Ubuntu is straightforward, regardless of the chosen method. The official .deb package provides the easiest and most reliable installation. Now you're ready to use Etcher for all your flashing needs. Remember to always back up important data before flashing any drives.