Tired of constantly reformatting your USB stick every time you want to try a new Linux distro or install Windows? Meet Ventoy — the open-source tool that turns one flash drive into a multi-boot powerhouse.
With Ventoy, you install it once. After that, you just copy ISO files onto the drive and boot them. No more “burning” images. Fedora, Ubuntu, Windows, recovery tools, whatever — they all show up in a clean boot menu.
Here’s exactly how to set it up on Fedora.
Why Ventoy?
- Supports hundreds of tested ISOs (including all recent Fedora releases)
- Works with both Legacy BIOS and UEFI (including Secure Boot)
- You can still use the drive for normal file storage
- Updating Ventoy later doesn’t wipe your ISOs
Before You Start
Critical warning: Installing Ventoy will completely erase the USB drive. Back up anything important first.
Also double-check the device name. Choosing the wrong disk (like your internal hard drive) will wipe it. Always use the whole disk (/dev/sdb), never a partition (/dev/sdb1).
Step 1: Download the Latest Ventoy
As of July 2026, the current version is 1.1.17.
Open a terminal and run:
wget https://sourceforge.net/projects/ventoy/files/v1.1.17/ventoy-1.1.17-linux.tar.gzOptional but recommended — verify the download:
sha256sum ventoy-1.1.17-linux.tar.gzThe official SHA-256 should be:7fb4ed08cef6a6b4d39dd19260d8c80291a78dfdf9af7d461571e23cbbc43805
You can also grab it from the official site: ventoy.net/en/download.html
Step 2: Extract the Archive
tar -xzf ventoy-1.1.17-linux.tar.gz
cd ventoy-1.1.17Step 3: Identify Your USB Drive
Plug in the flash drive, then list your block devices:
lsblkLook for the drive that matches your USB’s capacity. Note the device name carefully (example: sdb or sdc).
Unmount it if it’s already mounted:
sudo umount /dev/sdX*(Replace sdX with your actual device.)
Step 4: Install Ventoy
The safest and most useful option includes Secure Boot support:
sudo ./Ventoy2Disk.sh -i -s /dev/sdX-iinstalls Ventoy-senables Secure Boot support (recommended on modern systems)
The script will ask for confirmation twice. Type y both times.
Other useful flags:
-I→ force install (overwrites existing Ventoy)-g→ use GPT instead of MBR-u→ update an existing Ventoy installation (keeps your ISO files safe)
What Happens After Installation?
Ventoy creates two partitions on the drive. The large data partition is where you put your files.
Simply copy ISO files onto that partition (drag and drop works fine). Ventoy will automatically detect them and list them in the boot menu, even if they’re in subfolders.
You can also store regular documents, installers, or backups on the same drive — it won’t interfere with Ventoy.
Extra Tips for Fedora Users
- On first boot with Secure Boot enabled, you may need to enroll Ventoy’s key. The on-screen menu will walk you through it.
- The data partition is formatted as exFAT by default. You can reformat it to NTFS, FAT32, or ext4 later if you prefer.
- Want to update Ventoy in the future? Just run the same script with the
-uflag. Your ISOs stay intact. - Minimum recommended size is 8 GB, but 32 GB or larger is much more practical for multiple ISOs.
That’s It
You’re done. Eject the drive, plug it into any computer, boot from USB, and enjoy a clean menu of every ISO you’ve added.
Ventoy is one of those rare tools that genuinely makes life simpler. Once you try it, going back to traditional USB creators feels painful.
Have fun experimenting with distros — and if you run into any issues, the official documentation at ventoy.net is excellent.
