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MoraTania's avatar
MoraTania
Iron Contributor
Mar 12, 2025

How to burn Linux ISO to USB on Windows 11/10 PC?

Hi all, My old Windows 10 PC is retiring and I bought a new Windows 11 PC. I heard it could be a good choice to run Linux on a budget and old machine. Before doing that, I need to create a Linux boo...
Madiison's avatar
Madiison
Iron Contributor
Mar 12, 2025

If you are going to burn Linux ISO to USB. I’ve got your back. I’ve used a couple of different methods over the years, and they’re pretty straightforward. Let's dive into one of my favorites: balanaEtchar. It’s simple, slick, and does the job without any fuss.

What You’ll Need:
1. A USB Drive: At least 4GB (again, double-check—anything on it will get wiped).
2. A Linux ISO: Download the distro you want to try (like Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.).
3. balanaEtchar: This cool app that’s free and doesn’t require any extra tweaking.

Steps to burn Linux iso to USB using balanaEtchar:

  1. Plug in Your USB Drive: Insert the USB drive into a USB port. Make sure to back up anything important because, spoiler alert, it’s about to get wiped.
  2. Open balanaEtchar: Fire up balanaEtchar. You’ll see a clean and simple interface that makes it quite user-friendly.
  3. Select Your ISO: Click on “Flash from file” or just drag and drop your Linux ISO into the window. Super easy, right? 
  4. Choose Your USB Drive: Next, click on “Select Target.” balanaEtchar usually auto-detects your USB drives, so pick the right one from the list. Just make sure you don’t accidentally format your external drive or something!
  5. Start Burning: Hit the “Flash!” button. balanaEtchar will warn you that it’ll erase everything on the USB.
  6. Once you’re sure, confirm it again by clicking “Yes.” 
  7. Chill for a Bit: Just hang tight as it burn Linux ISO to USB. It usually takes just a few minutes. You’ll see a progress bar that makes it easy to know how much longer you’ve got to wait.
  8. Done! Eject the USB: Once it gives you the green light that it’s finished, you can safely eject your USB drive from Windows Explorer by right-clicking and hitting “Eject.”

 

Now, pop that USB into whichever computer you want to boot Linux on. Boot it up and press the right key to enter the BIOS/boot menu (usually F2, F12, ESC, or DEL, depending on the machine). Select your USB from the list, and you should be off and running with Linux!

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