A good first boot starts with a plan.

Choose your path

For Pi 1/Zero, Pi 2/3/Zero 2 W, or Pi 4/400, our download catalog links directly to upstream’s unmodified 4.8 legacy images. They are Buster-era releases, not a recommendation to expose an old installation to the internet. Pi 5 needs a different base; use the Pi 5 hardware guide for the experimental download and simple setup steps.

Gather the essentials

• Your identified Raspberry Pi model and a suitable power supply.
• A spare microSD card, card reader, display and matching HDMI cable.
• A keyboard and preferably a wired USB controller for the first setup.
• A backup of any current saves, configuration, and content.

Controller, case, power, and GPIO accessories are not interchangeable across all board generations. Verify the hardware you actually own.

Download and verify

Download the matching image and compare its full SHA-256 against the value on the download card. The manifest records compressed and expanded size. Keep enough free storage for the image and your own content.

Flash the spare card

Use Raspberry Pi Imager with its custom-image selection, or another trusted imaging tool. Confirm the destination device by name and capacity before writing: the selected card will be erased. Verify the write when your tool offers it. Do not assume first-boot customization features work with an older third-party image.

Start with the basics

Connect the display, keyboard, controller, and power. Follow the image’s setup process and map your controller. Learn the exit hotkey before adding more systems. See the imported upstream installation guide and controller instructions; their historical defaults may differ from current Raspberry Pi OS.

Add content you have rights to use

The OS download is not a commercial game collection. Follow the file-transfer guide to place your own permitted content in the appropriate folders. Some systems need separately supplied firmware. This site does not distribute console BIOS collections or commercial ROM bundles.

Keep a way back

Test save creation, emulator exit, and clean shutdown before making a large library. Back up saves and configuration before updates. Do not blindly run historical kernel, overclocking, or graphics commands on a different hardware generation.