rpi-imager

Write OS images to SD cards for Raspberry Pi

TLDR

Start Raspberry Pi Imager

$ rpi-imager

Write image to device

$ rpi-imager --cli [image.img] [/dev/sdX]

Enable SSH during imaging

$ rpi-imager --cli --enable-ssh [image.img] [/dev/sdX]

Set hostname

$ rpi-imager --cli --hostname [mypi] [image.img] [/dev/sdX]

Configure WiFi

$ rpi-imager --cli --wifi-ssid [network] --wifi-password [pass] [image.img] [/dev/sdX]

SYNOPSIS

rpi-imager [--cli] [options] [image] [device]

rpi-imager is the official Raspberry Pi Foundation tool for writing operating system images to SD cards and USB drives. It offers both a graphical interface for interactive use and a --cli mode for scripted, headless image writing.
A key feature is pre-boot configuration: options like --enable-ssh, --hostname, --wifi-ssid, and --wifi-password inject settings into the image before first boot, enabling headless Raspberry Pi setup without ever connecting a monitor or keyboard. Additional customization includes locale, timezone, and first-run scripts for automated provisioning.
The tool downloads and caches official Raspberry Pi OS images along with third-party operating systems, and verifies write integrity by comparing checksums after writing to detect SD card corruption.

PARAMETERS

--cli

Command-line mode.

--enable-ssh

Enable SSH.

--hostname NAME

Set hostname.

--wifi-ssid SSID

WiFi network.

--wifi-password PASS

WiFi password.

--first-run-script FILE

Custom setup script.

--locale LOCALE

System locale.

--timezone TZ

Timezone.

CAVEATS

Requires root/admin for device access. Wrong device selection destroys data. Verify target carefully.

HISTORY

rpi-imager was released by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in 2020 to replace third-party imaging tools. It simplifies SD card preparation with built-in customization.