Raspberry Pi Imager 2.0: A Complete Redesign for a Smoother Setup
Over the years, as extra customization options, network installers, and device configurations were added, the original Imager's UI started to feel cluttered. Raspberry Pi Imager 2.0 solves this by bringing customisation features front and center into a clean, dedicated step-by-step wizard.
Raspberry Pi Imager provides a vast, categorized menu of operating systems. The options are grouped by use case directly within the interface:
Official Raspberry Pi OS
- Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit & 32-bit): The official Debian-based OS with a desktop environment.
- Raspberry Pi OS Lite: A lightweight, command-line-only version (no desktop GUI) ideal for servers.
- Raspberry Pi OS Full: Pre-loaded with additional office software, programming tools, and utility suites.
- Raspberry Pi OS (Legacy): Older stable releases maintained for software compatibility with legacy hardware.
General-Purpose & Desktop OS
- Ubuntu: Available in Desktop, Server, and Core editions.
- Armbian: Lightweight Debian/Ubuntu-based distribution built for ARM single-board computers.
- Alpine Linux: Ultra-lightweight, security-oriented Linux distro.
- RISC OS Pi: A unique, non-Linux, fast open-source OS specifically designed for ARM architecture.
Retro Gaming
- RetroPie: Popular emulation suite combining EmulationStation, RetroArch, and standalone emulators.
- Recalbox: User-friendly, lightweight retro gaming operating system.
List of most popular OS
- Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit)
- Raspberry Pi OS (other)
- Home Assistant
- Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit)
- Ubuntu
- Raspberry Pi OS (Legacy, 32-bit)
- Bootloader (Pi 4 family)
- Recalbox
- RetroPie
- Bootloader (Pi 5 family)
- OctoPi
- DietPi
- LibreELEC
- Mainsail OS
- Kali Linux