Install BeagleBoard Imaging Utility (GUI)

This page explains how to install the graphical version of the BeagleBoard Imaging Utility. Most users should choose one of the prebuilt options listed below.

Recommended Downloads

Choose the option that best matches your operating system.

Platform Package Type Notes Link

Windows

Installer (.msi / .exe)

Standard Windows installer with Start Menu integration.

x86_64

macOS

Application bundle

Drag-and-drop install into the Applications folder.

aarch64, x86_64

Linux

Flatpak

Recommended for most Linux users. Sandboxed, automatic updates.

Flathub

AppImage

Portable single-file download. No installation required.

aarch64, x86_64

Installation Instructions

Windows

  1. Download the Windows installer.

  2. Double-click the installer.

  3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

After installation, launch the application from the Start Menu.

Windows Security Notes

Flashing images requires low-level access to removable storage devices.

On Windows:

  • You may be prompted by User Account Control (UAC) to allow elevated permissions.

  • Some antivirus or endpoint security software may temporarily flag disk-writing tools.

These prompts are expected and required for the imaging process. Always ensure you downloaded the installer from an official BeagleBoard source.

macOS

  1. Open the downloaded application or disk image.

  2. Drag BeagleBoard Imaging Utility into the Applications folder.

  3. Launch it from Applications or Spotlight.

macOS may ask for permission to access removable volumes the first time you run the application. Granting this access is required to write images to SD cards.

Linux (Flatpak – Recommended)

Flatpak provides a sandboxed installation and automatic updates via Flathub.

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak install flathub org.beagleboard.imagingutility

To run the application:

flatpak run org.beagleboard.imagingutility

Flatpak Permissions and Security Notes

Writing disk images requires access to removable storage devices.

When installed via Flatpak, the BeagleBoard Imaging Utility requests permissions to:

  • Access removable drives

  • Perform raw device writes

Your desktop environment may prompt you to approve these permissions the first time you run the application. These permissions are required to flash SD cards and USB storage devices and are limited to what the application needs to function.

Linux (AppImage)

AppImage is useful if you prefer a portable, self-contained executable.

chmod +x bb-imager-*.AppImage
./bb-imager-*.AppImage

On some Linux distributions, you may need to run the AppImage from a desktop session that allows access to removable media.