Why Etcher?
Here at balena we have thousands of users working through our getting started process, we found there was no easy way for our users to flash an SD card that we could recommend to everyone. There was a separate track for each Mac/Windows/Ubuntu and several manual and error prone steps along the way.
So we built Etcher, an SD card flasher app that is simple for end users, extensible for developers, and works on any platform.
Why does Etcher get stuck at 0% or fail to flash?
This issue often arises when attempting to flash compressed image files (e.g., .zip, .bz2) without extracting them first. Balena Etcher may not handle compressed files properly, leading to the flashing process getting stuck or failing. Ensure you extract the image file before flashing.
What alternatives to Balena Etcher do users recommend?
Alternatives like Rufus, Ventoy, and Fedora Media Writer are frequently recommended by users. Ventoy, for instance, allows you to create a multiboot USB drive by simply copying ISO files to the USB stick, eliminating the need to reflash for each new image. These tools often provide more flexibility and reliability.
What should I do if my flash in Etcher fails?
It depends how it fails. Most of the time, a failed flash is due to either a faulty drive or adapter. Retry. Then try with another adaptor, drive or card and usb port. If you're flashing from an url and it fails, try downloading the file first and flash it again from file.
Sometimes, things might go wrong, and you end up with a half-flashed drive that is unusable by your operating systems, and common graphical tools might even refuse to get it back to a normal state. To solve these kinds of problems, we've collected a list of fail-proof methods to completely erase your drive in major operating systems.
How can I fix the "Error opening source" issue?
The "Error opening source" message can result from various factors, including insufficient permissions, compatibility issues, or corrupted image files. To resolve this, try running Balena Etcher as an administrator, ensure the image file is not corrupted, and verify that your system meets the compatibility requirements.
Validated Burning
No more writing images on corrupted cards and wondering why your device isn't booting.
Hard Drive Friendly
Makes drive selection obvious to avoid wiping your entire hard-drive
Beautiful Interface
Who said burning SD cards has to be an eyesore.
Open Source
Made with JS, HTML, node.js and Electron. Dive in and contribute!
Cross Platform
Works for everyone, no more complicated install instructions.
More on the way
50% faster burns, simultaneous writing for multiple drives. View our roadmap
What's New
- Add informational notice about how to disable analytics collection [myarmolinsky]
