You have a new Raspberry Pi, a microSD card and a Windows PC with a card reader, but no operating system on the card yet. Raspberry Pi Imager from Raspberry Pi Ltd is built for that job. Version 2.0.8 is a free 19.8 MB download.
Getting an OS onto the card without manual steps
A Pi boots from its storage card, so the card needs a bootable system written to it. The developer describes the Imager as a quick way to install Raspberry Pi OS and other operating systems to a microSD card, ready for use with the board.
The workflow is short. Install the app on a computer with an SD card reader, insert the card, and run it.
Customisation, SSH keys and fastboot changes in 2.0.8
The 2.0.8 changelog shows work on OS customisation. The tool no longer sets any user groups and leaves that to the OS, and it requires an active locale selection with no pre-filled defaults. It also handles PuTTY's multiline SSH keys through a new state machine.
Write reliability got attention too. The write watchdog stall timeout is now 180 seconds, and the final data sync is excluded so slow cards are not flagged falsely.
What to check before you install
Writing an image replaces the card's contents, so confirm the correct drive is chosen first.
The source code is at github.com/raspberrypi/rpi-imager under Apache-2.0. Alternatives include Rufus, balenaEtcher and Ventoy.
What's new in 2.0.8
Version 2.0.8, released April 8, 2026, improves fastboot with storage enumeration, mount and unmount support, and retries on transient USB errors. It also relaxes write stall thresholds and updates the French and Slovak translations.
Raspberry Pi Imager pros and cons
Pros
- Free, with price listed as 0
- Open source under Apache-2.0
- Small download at 19.8 MB
- Made by Raspberry Pi Ltd for Raspberry Pi OS
- 2.0.8 write watchdog fixes help slow cards
Cons
- Needs a computer with an SD card reader
- Interface not previewed on this page
- Focused on Raspberry Pi, so less suited to general USB flashing
Is Raspberry Pi Imager safe?
Raspberry Pi Imager is published by Raspberry Pi Ltd under the Apache-2.0 license, and its full source code is open at github.com/raspberrypi/rpi-imager. Anyone can read the code behind the 2.0.8 release, which weighs 19.8 MB. Because the program writes directly to storage devices, double-check the drive you pick in the list before starting a write, since the target card gets overwritten.
How to install Raspberry Pi Imager
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start Raspberry Pi Imager from the Start menu.
