balenaEtcher

balenaEtcher is a free and open-source utility for flashing operating system images to SD cards and USB drives. Developed by balena (formerly resin.io), it is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The project focuses on providing a simple, cross-platform tool that reduces the risk of errors during the imaging process.

The software follows a three-step workflow: select an image file (supported formats include IMG, ISO, and ZIP containing a disk image), choose a target removable drive, and flash the image. After writing, balenaEtcher performs a verification step to ensure the written data matches the source image. The program automatically unmounts or safely prepares the target drive, and it filters out non-removable drives to help prevent accidental data loss.

Key features include a graphical user interface designed for ease of use, cross-platform compatibility, drive protection during selection, and post-flash verification. The tool emphasizes safety and simplicity, making it popular for flashing images for single-board computers, Raspberry Pi setups, and other embedded devices.

Licensing and development: balenaEtcher is open-source and released under the Apache 2.0 license. The source code is hosted on GitHub, where it is maintained by balena and community contributors. The project has become a widely adopted solution for quickly and reliably creating bootable media across different operating systems.