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World desk3 min

Boot Ubuntu from a USB Drive: Create the Installer, Start It, and Choose What Happens Next

Write Ubuntu to an 8GB-or-larger USB stick, start the computer from it, then choose Try Ubuntu or begin installation.
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To boot Ubuntu from a flash drive, first write the Ubuntu image to an 8GB-or-larger USB stick with an image-writing app, then start the computer from that stick using its boot menu. You can choose Try Ubuntu for a live session or begin installation; starting the live session alone does not install Ubuntu.

What you need before you start

  • An Ubuntu Desktop image: download the image to your computer before creating the USB. Copying the ISO file onto the drive as a regular file does not make it bootable.
  • A USB stick with at least 8GB of capacity: this is the current requirement in Ubuntu Desktop’s bootable USB instructions.
  • A USB image-writing application: Ubuntu documents several options, including Rufus and balenaEtcher. Choose one supported for the computer you are using to create the drive; the documented tools do not establish a single best option for everyone.

Warning: writing the image erases the selected USB drive. Back up any files you need, and confirm the target drive carefully before writing.

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Create the Ubuntu USB drive

  1. Download the Ubuntu Desktop image to the computer where you will prepare the USB.
  2. Open a suitable image-writing application, such as one of the options listed in Ubuntu’s USB creation guide.
  3. Select the downloaded Ubuntu image and the USB stick you intend to use. Check the drive selection twice: the write operation destroys data on that drive.
  4. Start the write operation and wait for the application to finish. Do not interrupt it or remove the USB while it is being written.

The result should be bootable installation media, not a USB drive containing an ordinary copy of the ISO file.

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Start the computer from the USB

  1. Insert the prepared USB stick into the computer where you want to run Ubuntu.
  2. Restart or power on the computer. Some computers start from the USB automatically.
  3. If the computer starts its usual operating system instead, restart and open the one-time boot menu during startup. Press the key shown on-screen or follow the computer maker’s instructions. Ubuntu notes that F12 is common on PCs, while Escape, F2, or F10 may be used on other systems; the correct key depends on the model.
  4. In the boot menu, select the USB device. Its displayed name can vary by computer.

There is no universal boot-menu key or firmware-menu path. If you cannot find the startup prompt, consult the manufacturer’s instructions for your exact model. Ubuntu’s installation tutorial also describes the general startup process.

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On a Mac: use Startup Manager

Ubuntu’s documented route for a Mac is to restart or power on with the USB inserted while holding Option/Alt (⌥). Startup Manager should open; if it recognizes the stick, it may appear as EFI Boot. Select it to continue. This route is not guaranteed on every Mac: hardware compatibility and the USB’s layout can affect whether the device appears. See Ubuntu’s macOS USB instructions.

Choose between trying Ubuntu and installing it

Choice What happens When it fits
Try Ubuntu Starts a live session from the USB without installing Ubuntu. Choose this to preview or use Ubuntu without beginning installation.
Install Ubuntu Begins the installation process. Choose this when you intend to install Ubuntu on the computer.

Choose the option that matches what you want to do; reaching the live session is not the same as installing the operating system. Ubuntu explains the live-session route in its Try Ubuntu before you install it tutorial.

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If the USB does not appear or boot

  • Check the model-specific startup instructions. Open the one-time boot menu using the key for your computer, then look for the USB device.
  • Recreate the USB if needed. Use a supported image writer, select the intended drive, and let the write operation finish.
  • For a failed boot with Rufus, consider Ubuntu’s documented configuration suggestion. Ubuntu’s USB creation guide suggests GPT partitioning and a UEFI (non-CSM) target system as a troubleshooting option. These settings are not universal requirements for every computer.
  • If installation reports an Intel RST issue, do not change storage settings blindly. Ubuntu says some PCs use Intel Rapid Storage Technology, which is not supported in that setup, and installation may not proceed until RST is disabled in firmware. Review Ubuntu’s installation guidance and the computer maker’s instructions before changing the storage configuration.

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