Win64 Disk Imager -

Grab the latest version from a trusted source like SourceForge. Insert Media: Plug in your USB drive or SD card.

Distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) v2, making it completely free for personal and commercial use. Key Use Cases 1. Single-Board Computers (SBCs)

Using the tool is straightforward, but because it performs "raw" writes, you need to be careful—selecting the wrong drive letter can result in data loss on your main hard drive. Step 1: Preparation

After writing a Linux image (like a Raspberry Pi OS), your 16GB USB drive might show up as only 60MB in Windows. This is normal. The image creates specific partitions that Windows cannot read. To restore the drive to full capacity, use the built-in Windows Disk Management tool to delete all partitions on the USB drive and create a new, simple volume.

: An incredibly fast, native 64-bit utility optimized for creating bootable USB drives from standard operating system ISOs, complete with advanced partition scheme controls (UEFI/GPT). win64 disk imager

A modern, cross-platform tool featuring a sleek UI. It automatically unzips compressed files ( .zip , .gz ) during the flashing process and validates the written data automatically. It also hides system drives by default to prevent accidental data loss.

: Best for creating bootable Windows or Linux USB installers.

These features make it a complete and reliable solution. The verification and hash-checking capabilities, in particular, are vital safety nets in the process.

By default, a "Read" operation creates an image file exactly as large as the source SD card, regardless of how much data is actually on it. Comparison with Alternatives Grab the latest version from a trusted source

Win64 Disk Imager is a free, open-source utility designed to create exact copies of removable storage media or write raw image files back onto them . It is widely used in embedded development for projects involving Raspberry Pi, Android, or Ubuntu on Arm, where writing a bootable OS image to an SD card is a standard requirement . Core Functionality

A common point of confusion for new users is the name. "Win32" refers to the Windows API (Application Programming Interface) used to develop the software, not the architecture of the operating system.

Check the box to create a desktop shortcut for quick access.

What (e.g., Raspberry Pi, Linux, custom hardware) are you flashing this image for? Key Use Cases 1

: Cloning SD cards to prevent data loss if the physical card fails. How to Use It Win32 Disk Imager download | SourceForge.net

In the "File name" box of the explorer window, type your desired name followed manually by the extension .img (e.g., MyRaspberryPiBackup.img ), then click . Click the Read button.

If you can tell me a bit more about what you're trying to do, I can give you more specific advice:

Before upgrading or modifying an embedded device, a raw image backup allows you to restore the device to its exact previous state.