Burn images to SD cards & USB drives, safe & easy for PC

balenaEtcher

balenaEtcher

  -  174 MB  -  Open Source
  • Latest Version

    balenaEtcher 1.19.25 LATEST

  • Review by

    Sophia Jones

  • Operating System

    Windows 7 / Windows 7 64 / Windows 8 / Windows 8 64 / Windows 10 / Windows 10 64

  • User Rating

    Click to vote
  • Author / Product

    Balena / External Link

  • Filename

    balenaEtcher-1.19.25.Setup.exe

BalenaEtcher, commonly referred to simply as Etcher, is a powerful and user-friendly utility designed for flashing OS images to SD cards and USB drives. Developed by Balena, balenaEtcher has gained widespread popularity for its simplicity, reliability, and cross-platform compatibility.

balenaEtcher Screenshot 1

It's an open-source tool that aims to simplify the process of creating bootable media, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users alike.
  • Create USB installation media from bootable ISOs
  • Install almost any OS to almost any flash drive
  • Offer an easy way for your users to flash your OS using our ‘Flash with Etcher’ feature


Main Features
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility: Etcher is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring that users can create bootable media regardless of their operating system.
  • Validated Flashing: This feature ensures that the data written to your drive is accurate, preventing common issues like corrupted images.
  • Beautiful Interface: It boasts a clean, modern interface that is intuitive and easy to navigate.
  • Support for Various Formats: The software supports multiple image formats, including ISO, IMG, ZIP, and more.
  • No More Corrupted Drives: It uses a unique method of writing data to drives, which minimizes the risk of bricking devices.
  • Open Source: As an open-source project, Etcher is continuously improved by a community of developers.
  • Drive Selection Safety: Etcher lists only removable drives to prevent accidental overwriting of system drives.
  • Auto-Unmount: Automatically unmounts volumes before writing and remounts them afterwards, reducing user intervention.
  • Portable Version: Available as a portable application, allowing users to run it without installation.
User Interface

balenaEtcher Screenshot 2
  • Select Image: Users can browse their system to select the OS image file they wish to flash.
  • Select Drive: It automatically detects removable drives, making it easy to choose the correct one.
  • Flash!: A single click starts the flashing process, with a progress bar and detailed status updates provided throughout.
  • The interface is clean, with a minimalistic design that avoids unnecessary clutter, making it accessible even for those who are not tech-savvy.
Installation and Setup
  • Download the installer from the official website or FileHorse.
  • Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
  • Once installed, launch the application from the Start menu.
How to Use

balenaEtcher Screenshot 3
  • Download an OS Image: Obtain the desired OS image file (e.g., a Linux distribution or a Windows installation image).
  • Launch the app: Open the BalenaEtcher application.
  • Select Image: Click the "Select Image" button and browse to the location of your downloaded image file.
  • Insert Drive: Insert the SD card or USB drive you want to use.
  • Select Drive: Click the "Select Target" button and choose the appropriate drive from the list.
  • Flash!: Click the "Flash!" button to start the process. Wait for the progress bar to reach 100% and for the validation to complete.
  • Eject Drive: Once the process is finished, safely eject your drive and use it as needed.
FAQ

Is balenaEtcher safe to use?
Yes, this program is safe to use. It includes features like drive selection safety and validated flashing to prevent data corruption and accidental overwriting of system drives.

Can Etcher flash multiple drives at once?
No, the tool currently does not support flashing multiple drives simultaneously.

Does Etcher support custom image formats?
It supports a wide range of image formats, including ISO, IMG, ZIP, and others. Custom formats are generally not supported.

Why is my drive not showing up in Etcher?
Ensure that your drive is properly connected and recognized by your operating system. Etcher lists only removable drives, so check if your drive is correctly identified as removable.

Can I use balenaEtcher to clone my entire hard drive?
No, Etcher is designed for flashing OS images to removable media and is not intended for cloning entire hard drives.

Do I need to format my SD card or thumb drive before using Etcher?
No, formatting is not required. However, be aware that Etcher will erase all data on the drive and replace it with the new image.

Can balenaEtcher create a bootable USB?
Yes, it can create a bootable USB, provided the file you are flashing is a bootable image.

Can Etcher write a Windows ISO?
No, balenaEtcher cannot directly write a Windows ISO to make it bootable. Windows images require additional steps that Etcher is not designed to handle.

Alternatives

Rufus: A popular tool for creating bootable USB drives, particularly for Windows users. It's fast and supports a variety of image formats.

UNetbootin: Another cross-platform tool that allows users to create live USB systems for a variety of Linux distributions.

Universal USB Installer: A simple application for creating bootable USB drives, especially for Linux distributions.

Ventoy: A newer tool that allows users to create a bootable USB drive for ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files. With Ventoy, you don’t need to format the drive repeatedly.

WinToUSB: A Windows-specific utility that enables the creation of bootable USB drives with Windows installations.

YUMI: A versatile multiboot USB creator that allows users to add multiple ISO files and create a single USB drive with multiple bootable systems.

Pricing

BalenaEtcher is completely FREE to use. As an open-source project, it does not have any associated costs, and users are encouraged to contribute to its development if they find it useful.

System Requirements
  • Windows: Windows 11, 10, 8 or 7
  • macOS: macOS 10.9 and later.
  • Linux: A distribution that supports AppImage.
  • Hardware requirements are minimal, and Etcher can run on virtually any modern computer.
PROS
  • Simple, intuitive interface.
  • Cross-platform compatibility.
  • Open-source and free.
  • Validated flashing reduces errors.
  • Drive selection safety feature.
CONS
  • Does not support flashing multiple drives simultaneously.
  • Limited to flashing removable media only.
  • Lacks advanced features found in some alternative tools.
Conclusion

It stands out as a reliable and user-friendly tool for creating bootable media. Its cross-platform nature and minimalistic design make it accessible to a broad audience, from beginners to seasoned IT professionals. The validated flashing process and drive selection safety features ensure a smooth and error-free experience, reducing the risk of corrupted images and bricked devices.

While it may lack some advanced features found in other tools, its ease of use and reliability make it a top choice for anyone needing to create bootable SD cards or USB drives. Whether you're installing a new operating system, setting up a live Linux distribution, or preparing a recovery drive, BalenaEtcher for PC simplifies the process and ensures your media is ready to go with minimal hassle.

Also Available: Download Etcher for Mac

  • balenaEtcher 1.19.25 Screenshots

    The images below have been resized. Click on them to view the screenshots in full size.

    balenaEtcher 1.19.25 Screenshot 1
  • balenaEtcher 1.19.25 Screenshot 2
  • balenaEtcher 1.19.25 Screenshot 3

What's new in this version:

balenaEtcher 1.19.25
- patch: bump etcher-sdk to 9.1.2


balenaEtcher 1.19.21
- patch: fix missing windows dependency


balenaEtcher 1.18.12
- Update instructions for installing deb file


balenaEtcher 1.18.11
- fix: prevent stealing window focus from auth dialog


balenaEtcher 1.18.9
Fixed:
- Publish action on Windows
- lint issues
- Opening links from within SafeWebView


balenaEtcher 1.18.8
- Patch: Fix Support link


balenaEtcher 1.18.4
- Fix issues with [flash with etcher] in some situations


balenaEtcher 1.14.3
- patch: fixed mac sudo on other languages


balenaEtcher 1.13.3
- patch: progress cm4 to second stage


balenaEtcher 1.13.1
- patch: updated sdk to fix bz2 issue
- patch: update copyright in electron-builder


balenaEtcher 1.10.6
- (v1.10.6, 2022-12-02)
- (Merge pull request #3897 from balena-io/aethernet-assetv, 2022-12-02)
- (Dummy update to fix asset version issue, 2022-12-02)


balenaEtcher 1.10.4
- patch: remove Homebrew instructions in README


balenaEtcher 1.10.2
- Fix missing analytics token


balenaEtcher 1.10.1
- Fixing call to electron block screensaver methods invocation


balenaEtcher 1.10.0
- testing renovate [builder555]


balenaEtcher 1.9.0
- Update dependency awscli to 1.27.5 [Renovate Bot]


balenaEtcher 1.7.9
- patch: update allowed extensions to include deb afterinstall in build
- patch: add update notification
- patch: fix usb-device-boot link in README
- Fix application directory for Debian postinst script


balenaEtcher 1.7.8
- patch: complete suse uninstall readme
- patch: completed suse instructions
- patch: order rpm instrictions
- patch: enabled update notification for version 1.7.8
- patch: updated title to balenaEtcher
- patch: cleanup and organize readme
- patch: extend cloudsmith attribution in readme
- Update macOS Icon to Big Sur Style


balenaEtcher 1.7.7
- patch: clarified update check
- patch: autoupdate stagingPercentage check, include default


balenaEtcher 1.7.6
- patch: version number notification
- patch: fixed typos in template
- patch: add requirements and help to issue template
- patch: add requirements and help to issue template


balenaEtcher 1.7.3
- patch: fix mesage of null


balenaEtcher 1.7.2
- patch: fixed open from browser on windows


balenaEtcher 1.7.1
patch:
- Revert back to electron-rebuild
- Disallow TS in JS
- Remove esInterop TS flag
- Use @balena/sudo-prompt
- Update rpiboot guide link
- Improve webpack build time


balenaEtcher 1.7.0
Patch:
- Add missing @types/[email protected]
- Use npm ci in Makefile
- Add draft info boxes for system information
- Remove electron-rebuild package
- Make electron a dev. dependency
- Remove electron-rebuild package
- Use exact modules versions
- Update etcher-sdk from v6.2.5 to v6.3.0
- Fix write step for Http file process
- Fix linting errors
- minor: Refactor dependencies installation to avoid custom scripts
- Fix LEDs init error


balenaEtcher 1.6.0
- Add support for basic auth when downloading images from URL
- patch: Update etcher-sdk from v6.2.1 to v6.2.5
- Update Makefile to Apple M1 info
- Add LED settings for potentially different hardware


balenaEtcher 1.5.122
- Restore image file selection LED-drive pathing
- Update scripts submodule
- Change LEDs colours
- Windows images now show the proper warning again
- Fix Update and install with DNF instructions
- Add possibile authorization as a query param
- update the windows part
- Update SUPPORT.md
- replace make webpack with npm run webpack
- Add loader on image select
- add pnp-webpack-plugin
- Remove redundant codespell dependency/tests


balenaEtcher 1.5.121
- patch: Delete Codeowners
- Add source maps for devtools
- Clone submodules when initializing modules
- patch: Select drive on list interaction rather than modal closing


balenaEtcher 1.5.120
- Update README to reference Cloudsmith


balenaEtcher 1.5.117
- Rename mac releases (keep old naming)
- Disable spectron tests on macOS
- Update electron to v12.0.2

Update etcher-sdk from 6.1.1 to 6.2.1:
- Fix getAppPath() returning an asar file on macOS
- Grammar fix
- (docs) update README.md [vlad doster]
- Update copyright year in electron-builder.yml
- Update copyright year in .resinci.json
- Separate the Yum and DNF instructions
- Set msvs_version to 2019 when rebuilding
- Use moduleIds: 'natural' in webpack config to keep js files in arm64 and x64 mac builds identical
- Update electron-builder to 22.10.5
- Update spectron to v13
- Update dependencies, use [email protected] to avoid adding more dependiencies
- Update scripts to build universal mac dmgs on the ci
- Fix beforeBuild.js script to also work on mac
- Support building universal dmgs (x64 and arm64) for mac
- Update electron-builder to 22.10.4
- Fix titlebar z-index
- Explicitly set contextIsolation to false
- Update electron from 9.4.1 to 11.2.3


balenaEtcher 1.5.116
- Only cleanup temporary decompressed files in child-writer
- Add .versionbot/CHANGELOG.yml
- Stop using node-tmp, use withTmpFile from etcher-sdk instead
- Update etcher-sdk from 5.2.2 to 6.1.0
- Revert "Change some border colors to have higher contrast"
- Update electron to v9.4.1
- Update etcher-sdk from 5.2.1 to 5.2.2


balenaEtcher 1.5.115
- Update etcher-sdk from 5.1.12 to 5.2.1


balenaEtcher 1.5.114
- Remove libappindicator1 debian dependency
- Update dependencies
- Update @balena/lint to 5.3.0
- Update webpack to v5
- Fix typo in webpack.config.ts comment
- docs: fix quote marks [Aaron Shaw]
- Disable screensaver while flashing (on balena-electron-env)


balenaEtcher 1.5.113
- Show the first error for each drive (not the last)
- Fix red leds not showing for failed devices
- docs: add documentation links
- docs: update macOS version
- Improve hover message when the drive is too small
- Update electron to v9.4.0
- Update npm to v6.14.8 [Giovanni Garufi]
- Update rgb leds colors
- Remove unmountOnSuccess setting
- Only show auto-updates setting on supported targets
- Remove dead code in settings modal
- Fix effective flashing speed calculation for compressed images
- Change some border colors to have higher contrast
- Update etcher-sdk from 5.1.10 to 5.1.11
- Update sys-class-rgb-led from 2.1.1 to 3.0.0


balenaEtcher 1.5.112
- Add rendition and sys-class-rgb-led to repo.yml
- Update sys-class-rgb-led from 2.1.0 to 2.1.1
- Fix layout when the featured project is not showing
- Improve flashing error handling
- Fix modal content height on Windows
- Update etcher-sdk from 5.1.5 to 5.1.10
- Set useContentSize to true so the size is the same on all platforms


balenaEtcher 1.5.111
- Warn when the source drive has no partition table
- Use a different icon when no source drive is available
- Allow selecting a locked SD card as the source drive
- Remove "Validate write on success" setting. Validation is always enabled, press the "skip" button to skip it.
- Update electron to v9.3.3
- Update etcher-sdk to 5.1.1, use WASM ext2fs module


balenaEtcher 1.5.110
- Remove console.log in tests
- Fix URL not being selected with custom protocol
- Add skip function to validation
- Rework success screen


balenaEtcher 1.5.109
- Workaround elevation bug on Windows when the username contains an ampersand


balenaEtcher 1.5.108
- Fix content not loading when the app path contains special characters


balenaEtcher 1.5.107
- Re-enable ext partitions trimming on 32 bit Windows
- Rework system & large drives handling logic
- Reword macOS Catalina askpass message
- Add clone-drive workflow


balenaEtcher 1.5.106
- Disable ext partitions trimming on 32 bit windows until it is fixed
- Fix opening zip files from servers accepting Range headers


balenaEtcher 1.5.105
- Update etcher-sdk to 4.1.26
- URL selector cancel button cancels ongoing url selection
- Spinner for URL selector modal


balenaEtcher 1.5.104
- Fix writing config file
- Update electron to v9.2.1


balenaEtcher 1.5.103
- Update rendition to ^17
- Update electron to 9.2.0
- Update etcher-sdk to ^4.1.23
- Move linting and testing into package.json
- Set module: es2015 in tsconfig.json
- Replace native elevator with sudo-prompt on windows
- Don't import WeakMap polyfill in deep-map-keys
- Don't use lodash in child-writer.js
- Optimize svgs
- User regular stream in lzma-native instead of readable-stream
- Remove Bluebird


balenaEtcher 1.5.102
- Fix flashing truncated images, fix flashing large dmgs
- Electron 9.1.1
- Remove bluebird from main process, reduce lodash usage
- Centralize imports in child-writer
- Split main process and child-writer js files
- Stop using request, replace it with already used axios
- Remove font awesome unused icons from the generated bundle
- Remove no longer used .sass-lint.yml
- Use tslib
- Use strict typescript compiler option
- Update rendition to ^16.1.1


balenaEtcher 1.5.101
- Resize modal to show content appropriately
- Update etcher-sdk to v4.1.16
- Convert sass to plain css
- Remove unused scss
- Remove unused warning in settings
- Refactor UI without bootstrap & flexboxgrid
- Restyle modals
- Remove bootstrap & flexboxgrid
- Rework and move flashing view elements
- Refactor UI grid to use rendition


balenaEtcher 1.5.100
- Update partitioninfo to 5.3.5
- Add .vhd to the list of supported extensions, allow opening any file
- Update mocha to v8.0.1
- Update electron-notarize to v1.0.0
- Update electron to v9.0.4
- Update etcher-sdk to v4.1.15
- Sticky header in target selection table
- Update rendition to 15.2.1
- Fix source-selector image height
- Update rendition to v15.0.0
- Merge unsafe mode with new target selector
- Rework target selector modal


balenaEtcher 1.5.99
- Update node-raspberrypi-usbboot to 0.2.8
- Update electron to 9.0.3
- Inline all svgs


balenaEtcher 1.5.98
- Use between 2 and 256MiB for buffering depending on the number of drives
- Check that argument is an url or a regular file before opening
- Update etcher-sdk to ^4.1.13


balenaEtcher 1.5.97
- Update electron to v9.0.2
- Fix flash from url on windows
- Avoid random access in http sources
- Update etcher-sdk to ^4.1.8
- Read image path from arguments, register etcher://... protocol
- Update etcher-sdk to ^4.1.6
- Fix sudo-prompt promisification
- Allow skipping notarization when building package (dev)


balenaEtcher 1.5.95
- spectron: Make tests pass on Windows Docker containers


balenaEtcher 1.5.94
- Stop checking file extensions
- Fix flash from url (broken in 1.5.92)
- Update etcher-sdk to ^4.1.4


balenaEtcher 1.5.93
- Update electron-builder to v22.6.1
- Strip out comments from generated code
- Update electron to v9.0.0


balenaEtcher 1.5.92
- Use electron.app.getAppPath() instead of reading it from argv in catalina-sudo
- Disable asar packing on all platforms
- Remove unneeded fortawesome from main.scss
- Remove unneeded font formats
- Webpack everything, reduce package size


balenaEtcher 1.5.91
- Minor fix - Init isSourceDrive param in correct place
- Fix undefined image from DriveCompatibilityWarning


balenaEtcher 1.5.90
- Change log not available for this version


balenaEtcher 1.5.89
- Fix drive selector modal padding
- Update all dependencies minor versions
- Update @types/node 12.12.24 -> 12.12.39
- Update ts-loader 6 -> 7
- Update sinon 8 -> 9
- Update node-gyp 3 -> 6
- Update lint-staged 9 -> 10
- Update husky 3 -> 4
- Remove no longer used html-loader dev dependency
- Update electron-notarize 0.1.1 -> 0.3.0
- Remove no longer used chalk dev dependency
- Update @types/tmp 0.1.0 -> 0.2.0
- Update @types/sinon 7 -> 9
- Update @types/semver 6 -> 7
- Update @types/mocha 5 -> 7


balenaEtcher 1.5.88
- Update roboto-fontface 0.9.0 -> 0.10.0
- Update rendition 12 -> 14, styled-system and styled-components 4 -> 5
- Update electron-updater 4.0.6 -> 4.3.1
- Update redux 3 -> 4
- Update debug 3 -> 4
- Update semver 5 -> 7
- Update tmp 0.1.0 -> 0.2.1
- Update uuid v3 -> v8


balenaEtcher 1.5.87
- Update etcher-sdk to ^4.1.3 to fix issues with some bz2 files


balenaEtcher 1.5.86
- Fix theme warnings


balenaEtcher 1.5.85
- Prefer balena-balenaEtcher to etcher-bin on Arch Linux


balenaEtcher 1.5.84
- Including Arch / Manjaro install instructions
- Fix notification icon path


balenaEtcher 1.5.83
- Decompress images before flashing, remove trim setting, trim ext partitions


balenaEtcher 1.5.82
- Allow http/https only for Flash from URL
- Add generic error's message
- Refactor buttons style
- Add flash from url workflow
- Add staging percentage for v1.5.81
- Trigger update for v1.5.81


balenaEtcher 1.5.81
- Add average speed in flash results
- docs: Update macOS drive recovery command
- Update etcher-sdk to use direct IO


balenaEtcher 1.5.80
- Use zoomFactor to scale contents in fullscreen mode
- Update electron to v7.1.14
- Fix sass files path for lint-sass


balenaEtcher 1.5.79
- Remove "Download the React DevTools for a better development experience" message
- Fix error when launching from terminal when installed via apt


balenaEtcher 1.5.78
- Update drivelist to 8.0.10 to fix parsing lsblk --pairs


balenaEtcher 1.5.77
- Fix error message not being shown on write error
- The RGBLed module has been moved to a separate repository


balenaEtcher 1.5.76
- Prefix temp permissions script name
- Fix image drop zone, remove react-dropzone dependency
- Update etcher-sdk to ^2.0.17


balenaEtcher 1.5.75
- Initialize leds object map


balenaEtcher 1.5.74
- balenaEtcher pro leds feature
- Compress deb package with bzip instead of xz
- Update electron to 7.1.11


balenaEtcher 1.5.73
- Update electron to v7.1.10


balenaEtcher 1.5.72
- Remove no longer used angular svg-icon component
- Remove no longer used closestUnit angular filter


balenaEtcher 1.5.71
- Update resin-corvus to 2.0.5


balenaEtcher 1.5.70
- Make header draggable again
- Refactor drive selector and confirm modal to React
- Rework lib/gui/app/styled-components to typescript
- Convert FlashAnother & FlashResults to typescript
- Use React instead of Angular for image selection
- Convert the drive selection step to React
- chore: move flash step to React
- Use React instead of Angular for image selection


balenaEtcher 1.5.69
- Don't add --no-sandbox when ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE true


balenaEtcher 1.5.68
- Add version in settings modal


balenaEtcher 1.5.67
- Fix elevation on macos in development


balenaEtcher 1.5.66
- Update spectron to ^8
- Update dependencies, get node-usb from npm
- Update nan to ^2.14
- Use the same entrypoint for balenaEtcher and the child writer
- Require angular-mocks only when needed
- Remove no longer needed pkg dev dependency
- Update mocha, remove nock
- Remove no longer needed xml2js
- Remove node-pre-gyp patch that is no longer needed with electron 6
- Update electron-mocha to ^8.1.2, remove acorn
- Update electron to 6.0.10


balenaEtcher 1.5.65
- Convert settings modal to typescript
- Refactor settings page into modal


balenaEtcher 1.5.64
- Change log not available for this version


balenaEtcher 1.5.63
- Introduce an FAQ file


balenaEtcher 1.5.62
- Update drivelist to 8.0.9


balenaEtcher 1.5.60
- Upgrade ext2fs to 1.0.30


balenaEtcher 1.5.59
- Catch console log messages from SafeWebView


balenaEtcher 1.5.58
- Remove leftover GH-pages configuration file


balenaEtcher 1.5.57
- Fix entrypoint when options are passed to electron


balenaEtcher 1.5.56
- Fix windows portable download


balenaEtcher 1.5.55
- Update etcher-sdk to ^2.0.13


balenaEtcher 1.5.54
- Fix auto-updater check for updates


balenaEtcher 1.5.53
- Allow typescript files


balenaEtcher 1.5.52
- Don't use wmic's ProviderName if it's empty


balenaEtcher 1.5.51
- Update sudo-prompt to ^9.0.0


balenaEtcher 1.5.50
- Option for trimming ext partitions on raw images


balenaEtcher 1.5.49
- Make window size configurable


balenaEtcher 1.5.47
- Rework drive-selector with react + rendition
- Use rendition theme property for step buttons
- Upgrade styled-system to v4.1.0
- Upgrade rendition to v8.7.2


balenaEtcher 1.5.46
- Update ext2fs to 1.0.29


balenaEtcher 1.5.45
- Empty commit to trigger build


balenaEtcher 1.5.44
- Fix elevation on windows when the path contains "&" or "'"


balenaEtcher 1.5.43
- Revert "Include sass in webpack configs"


balenaEtcher 1.5.42
Include sass in webpack configs


balenaEtcher 1.5.41
- waffle.io removal and adding a link to the license


balenaEtcher 1.5.40
- windows installer and portable version support both ia32 and x64