BalenaEtcher is a free, open-source tool from Balena for writing disk images, such as a Linux distribution ISO or a Raspberry Pi OS image, onto USB drives and SD cards. It's built with Electron and focuses on simplicity: pick an image, pick a drive, flash. It automatically verifies the write afterward and includes safeguards to reduce the risk of accidentally overwriting the wrong drive, which made it popular in the Raspberry Pi and Linux communities as an alternative to more technical command-line flashing methods.
BalenaEtcher vs. Rufus
Rufus is a long-standing Windows-only alternative for creating bootable USB drives, with more advanced options like partition scheme selection. BalenaEtcher trades some of that configurability for simplicity and cross-platform support, running on Windows, macOS and Linux with the same minimal three-step interface, which is why it's often recommended for flashing Raspberry Pi and Linux images regardless of what OS you're flashing from.
BalenaEtcher Features
- Cross-Platform — same app and workflow on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Drive Selection Safeguards — helps prevent flashing the wrong disk by filtering out system drives
- Write Verification — checks the image was written correctly after flashing
- Wide Image Format Support — flashes .img, .iso, .zip-compressed images and more
- Simple Three-Step Flow — select image, select target, flash, with minimal configuration
- Open Source — source code is publicly available for review and contribution
How to Install BalenaEtcher on Windows, macOS or Linux
- Download the installer for your OS from the official link on this page or etcher.balena.io.
- Run the installer (.exe, .dmg, or the Linux AppImage/package) and follow the prompts.
- Launch BalenaEtcher and click "Flash from file" to select your OS image.
- Insert your USB drive or SD card and select it as the target, double-checking you've picked the right drive.
- Click Flash and wait for the write-and-verify process to finish before ejecting the drive.
Is BalenaEtcher really free?
Open Source. BalenaEtcher is free and open source, with its code publicly available on GitHub under an open license; there is no paid version of the core flashing tool.
How to download BalenaEtcher safely
Use the request button on this page and we will email you the current link for etcher.balena.io — the publisher's own website — so you receive the authentic build. We do not host, mirror, patch or repackage this software in any way.
Avoid third-party "download manager" sites offering BalenaEtcher. They commonly wrap the genuine installer in their own bundler, which is how adware and browser hijackers get onto a machine that the user believed was clean.
Alternatives to BalenaEtcher
Other free utilities software worth comparing before you decide:
Rufus
Windows tool for creating bootable USB drives with advanced options.
Frequently asked questions
Is BalenaEtcher free to use?
Yes, it's completely free and open source.
Does BalenaEtcher work on Linux?
Yes, official builds are available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Can BalenaEtcher flash Raspberry Pi OS images?
Yes, it's one of the most commonly recommended tools for flashing Raspberry Pi OS and other .img files to SD cards.
Will BalenaEtcher erase my USB drive?
Yes, flashing overwrites the entire target drive, so back up anything on it first and double-check you've selected the correct drive.
Does BalenaEtcher verify the flash was successful?
Yes, it performs a verification pass after writing to confirm the image was flashed correctly.
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