# UNetbootin for Windows PC - **Name:** UNetbootin for Windows PC - **Version:** 702 - **Developer:** Geza Kovacs - **License:** Open Source - **Platform:** Windows - **Requires:** Windows XP - **File type:** EXE Installer - **Size:** 4.6 MB - **Category:** System & Utilities - **Updated:** 2026-10-25 - **SHA-256:** 65ba5ff090be1cc96dec40509c9002582f4663634cb63b311941321907701483 - **Canonical page:** https://filecobra.com/app/unetbootin-pc/ - **Download page:** https://filecobra.com/download/unetbootin-pc/ - **Direct download:** https://github.com/unetbootin/unetbootin/releases/download/702/unetbootin-windows-702.exe > UNetbootin creates bootable Live USB drives for Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora and many other Linux distributions without a CD, downloading the distro for you or using an ISO you already have… UNetbootin, short for Universal Netboot Installer, turns a USB flash drive into a bootable Live USB for dozens of Linux and BSD distributions. Pick a distribution and version from the built-in list and it downloads the ISO and writes it for you, or point it at an ISO file you already have on disk. It can also load system utilities such as Parted Magic and rescue discs, add a persistence file for Ubuntu-based systems, and perform a hard-disk 'frugal install' when no USB drive is available. The program is a single portable executable with nothing to install, is open source under the GPL, and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. ## Installation 1. **Download the single UNetbootin executable** — Get unetbootin-windows-702.exe (about 4.6 MB) from the official unetbootin.github.io site or the project's GitHub releases page. There is no installer and nothing else to download. 2. **Run it as administrator** — Right-click the downloaded EXE and choose Run as administrator. UNetbootin opens directly; if Windows shows a SmartScreen notice, confirm the file came from the official release before continuing. 3. **Select a distribution or ISO and write the USB** — Choose a distribution from the top section or select Diskimage and browse to your own ISO, set the target USB drive letter (the drive must be FAT32), click OK, and reboot from the USB drive when writing finishes. ## Editorial verdict First, the version confusion needs clearing up, because download sites disagree about this program. The official releases are numbered plainly 702, 700, 681 and so on; the '7.02' shown on some portals is the same build 702 with a dot inserted, and 681 is simply the older 2020 release. Build 702, published on 4 February 2021 on the official site and GitHub, is the newest UNetbootin that exists, and it is also the last one: the project has been stalled since 2021 with no newer Windows binary from any official source. Judge it as a finished legacy tool, not a living one. Judged that way, it still works for what it was built for. The built-in distribution list, the no-install single file and the hard-disk install mode made it the default Live USB creator for years, and for older machines and classic BIOS booting it remains quick and dependable. The problems are age-related: the distro list points at releases from another era, Secure Boot and modern UEFI firmware often refuse its sticks, and current hybrid ISOs from several distributions simply work better with Rufus, balenaEtcher or Ventoy. Keep UNetbootin for older hardware, older distributions and its unique frugal-install trick, but reach for a maintained writer first on a new PC. ### Strengths - It is a single portable executable of under 5 MB, so there is nothing to install and it can run from any folder or stick. - The built-in distribution list can download and write dozens of Linux and BSD systems without you hunting for ISO files. - It accepts your own pre-downloaded ISO or IMG files, including rescue and utility discs such as Parted Magic and SystemRescue. - The hard-disk frugal install mode can set up a bootable installer on a Windows partition when no USB drive is available. - UNetbootin is free and open source under the GPL, with matching builds for Windows, macOS and Linux. ### Trade-offs - Development has stalled since build 702 in February 2021, so the built-in distribution list offers old releases and some download links are dead. - Its sticks frequently fail on modern UEFI systems with Secure Boot enabled, where Rufus or Ventoy handle the same ISO without trouble. - It does not officially support Windows installation ISOs, and its persistence option only works for Ubuntu-based distributions. ## FAQ **Is UNetbootin for Windows PC free and open source?** Yes. UNetbootin for Windows PC is completely free and open-source software. You can download and use it at no cost, and its source code is publicly available. **Can I use UNetbootin to make a USB drive bootable?** Yes — that is exactly what UNetbootin does. Pick a Linux or BSD distribution from its built-in list and it downloads the ISO and writes it for you, or point it at an ISO you already have. You will need a FAT32-formatted USB drive sized for your ISO. **Is Rufus or Etcher better?** For writing Windows ISOs or raw disk images, Rufus and balenaEtcher are the more modern, focused tools. UNetbootin's strength is different: it downloads dozens of Linux and BSD distributions for you from a built-in list, can add a persistence file for Ubuntu-based systems, and can even do a hard-disk 'frugal install' when no USB drive is available. Pick by the job, not by popularity. **What is the best tool to create a bootable USB drive?** It depends on what you are booting. UNetbootin is a good fit for Linux and BSD live USBs because the download is built in and it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux as a single portable executable with nothing to install. It is open source under the GPL; the current version listed here is 702. **How do I create a bootable USB installer?** With UNetbootin: run the downloaded executable (there is nothing to install), choose a distribution and version from the list or select the ISO file you already downloaded, pick your USB drive, and start the write. When it finishes, boot the target PC from that USB drive. --- Source: https://filecobra.com/app/unetbootin-pc/ · Mirrored from the publisher's own release channel by FileCobra. FileCobra runs no antivirus lab of its own.