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Install Ventoy on Windows and Linux

Ventoy writes a small bootloader to the USB device, then leaves a large data partition you can fill with image files. You do not extract ISO contents and you do not reformat that partition every time you add another operating system.

This page is an independent walkthrough for ventoy.io. It is not published by the Ventoy authors. Always compare checksums with the hashes that ship with the release you downloaded.

Before you start

• Use a USB drive you can erase completely. Install wipes the device.
• Note the current capacity in Windows Disk Management or lsblk so you can match it in Ventoy2Disk.
• Record the release version and SHA-256 in your notes before you click Install.
• If the stick already has Ventoy and you only need a newer version, use Update instead of Install so the data partition is kept.

Install on Windows

1. Extract the ZIP and run Ventoy2Disk.exe as administrator.
2. Select the USB device. Check the size twice. A wrong disk number cannot be undone from this tool.
3. Open the option panel if you need Secure Boot support, GPT, or reserved space. Enable Secure Boot only when the target PCs enforce it.
4. Click Install and wait until the success message appears. Do not unplug the stick.
5. Copy ISO, WIM, IMG, or VHD(x) files to the large partition (usually mounted as a normal drive letter).

Install on Linux

1. Extract the package and open a terminal in that folder.
2. Identify the disk with lsblk or sudo fdisk -l. Use the whole disk (/dev/sdX or /dev/nvme0n1), not a partition such as /dev/sdX1.
3. Run sudo sh Ventoy2Disk.sh -i /dev/sdX. Add the Secure Boot flag only when your checklist requires it.
4. Confirm the prompts, then wait for the success line.
5. Mount the first (data) partition and copy boot images as ordinary files.

Install vs Update

Install is for empty or foreign sticks. It recreates partitions. Update refreshes the Ventoy boot files and is the usual path when you already store ISOs on the stick. If Update fails, back up the ISO folder to another disk, then Install, then copy the files back.

First-boot checklist

• The firmware boot menu lists the USB device. Try another port (USB 2.0 vs 3.0) if it does not.
• The Ventoy menu lists the files you copied. Hidden folders and .ventoyignore will not appear.
• Boot one Linux live image and one Windows installer before you travel with the stick.
• If the menu is empty, confirm you copied files to the data partition, not the small EFI volume.