A Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Xubuntu on Raspberry Pi 4

This article will guide you through the process of installing Xubuntu, a lightweight and customizable Linux distribution based on Ubuntu, onto your Raspberry Pi 4. Follow these simple steps to get sta …


Updated August 12, 2023

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This article will guide you through the process of installing Xubuntu, a lightweight and customizable Linux distribution based on Ubuntu, onto your Raspberry Pi 4. Follow these simple steps to get started with Xubuntu on your Raspberry Pi today!

  1. Download Xubuntu Image First, head over to the Xubuntu download page and select the ARM64 version of Xubuntu for Raspberry Pi 2/3/4. Download the ISO file to your computer.

  2. Prepare a MicroSD Card To install Xubuntu on your Raspberry Pi, you’ll need to use a microSD card with at least 8GB of storage space. Insert the microSD card into your computer using an adapter or built-in reader and use a tool like Etcher to flash the downloaded ISO file onto the microSD card. This will create a bootable Xubuntu image on the microSD card.

  3. Enable SSH Before inserting the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi, create an empty file named ssh in the root directory of the card. This file enables the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol, which allows you to remotely access and control your Raspberry Pi from another computer. You can do this by opening a terminal window on your computer and running:

touch /path/to/your/sdcard/ssh

Make sure to replace /path/to/your/sdcard with the actual path to your microSD card.

  1. Insert MicroSD Card and Connect Peripherals Now, insert the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi 4 and connect any peripherals you plan on using (keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.). Then, power up your device by connecting it to a power source.

  2. Update System Packages and Install Xubuntu Desktop Once your Raspberry Pi has booted, connect to it via SSH using a terminal window or an SSH client like PuTTY. You can find the IP address of your Raspberry Pi by running:

hostname -I

Use this IP address to connect to your Raspberry Pi through SSH. Once connected, update the system packages and install Xubuntu Desktop:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install xubuntu-desktop
  1. Reboot Your Raspberry Pi After installing Xubuntu Desktop, reboot your Raspberry Pi with:
sudo reboot

  1. Log Into Xubuntu Desktop Once your Raspberry Pi has rebooted, log in to the Xubuntu desktop environment using your selected username and password. You’ll now have a fully functional Xubuntu installation on your Raspberry Pi 4!

  2. Install Additional Software (Optional) You can further customize your Xubuntu installation by installing additional software packages through the terminal or graphical package manager. For example, you can install GNOME Tweaks to adjust your desktop settings:

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks
  1. Enjoy Your New Raspberry Pi Setup! Now that you have Xubuntu installed on your Raspberry Pi 4, you can begin using it for various applications and projects. From development to media streaming, the possibilities are endless!