Arch Linux has a reputation for being hard to install. For years, this was true. You had to run each step by hand. However, since April 2021, Arch ships with an official tool called archinstall. It sets up the system for you.
What You Need
- A USB drive
- An internet connection
Step 1: Get the Arch Linux ISO
Go to the official Arch Linux site and download the latest ISO file. It is always recommended to check the file against its checksum to ensure the file is not damaged or maliciously modified.
Step 2: Write the ISO to a USB Drive
Use a tool to write the ISO file to your USB drive. I always recommend Balena Etcher for beginners since it's interface is simple to use.
Warning: This step erases all data on the USB drive.
Step 3: Boot from the USB Drive
Restart your computer and enter the boot menu. This is often done with a key like F12, F2, or Esc, pressed right after power-on. The exact key depends on your computer.
Select the USB drive from the boot menu. The Arch Linux boot screen will appear. Select the default option to start.
Step 4: Connect to the Internet
If you use a wired connection, this step happens on its own.
If you use Wi-Fi, run this command to connect:
iwctl
Inside iwctl, run these commands. Replace the names with your own.
station wlan0 connect "Your-Network-Name"
Test your connection with:
ping archlinux.org
If you see replies, your connection works.
Step 5: Run archinstall
Simply type archinstall and press Enter to start the installer.
The tool will now ask a series of questions. Below is what each one means.
Language
Pick the language for the installer menu. This does not set the system language yet.
Locale
Set the system language and keyboard layout.
Mirrors
Pick a mirror region close to your location. This speeds up package downloads.
Disk Configuration
Pick the drive to install Arch on. archinstall gives you two paths here. The first is a best-effort default layout. It picks the partitions for you, and works well for most single-drive setups. The second path is manual partitioning, where you set the size and type of each partition yourself. Pick manual only if you already know the layout you want.
Warning: This step can erase all data on the chosen drive. Read the description for each option carefully.
Disk Encryption
You may choose to encrypt your drive. This adds a password prompt at each boot. It protects your data if someone takes the physical drive. For example, if your laptop is lost or stolen. It does not protect you while the computer is on even if it is locked normally.
Bootloader
Pick a bootloader. systemd-boot is a fine choice for most systems. I use it over GRUB. In 2022, a GRUB update broke boot on many Arch systems. I hit this at the worst time. I was out of town, with only my laptop. My backup drive was at home. I had no spare USB stick with me either to creat a boot drive. Perhaps I'm falling for the availability heuristic here but it's enough for me to stick with systemd-boot.
Hostname
Pick a name for your computer. This name will show up on your local network and your terminal. Tradtional hostnames include things like Desktop or Arch.
Root Password
Set a password for the root (admin) account.
User Account
Create your main user account. Give it a username and password. Choose to make this user an admin, so you can run sudo commands.
Profile
Pick a desktop environment. Windows users usually feel most at home with KDE Plasma.
Audio
Choose an audio system. PipeWire is the current standard and works well with most desktop environments.
Kernels
Pick which Linux kernel to install. The standard linux kernel is right for most users, and gets the newest updates first.
Additional Packages
Add any extra software packages you want at install time. For example, firefox. You can also install these later.
Network Configuration
Set up how the system connects to networks after install. NetworkManager is a common choice.
Timezone
Set your timezone.
Step 6: Confirm and Install
Review your choices on the summary screen. When ready, confirm the install. archinstall will now set up the system. This step can take several minutes.
Step 7: Reboot
When the install finishes, remove the USB drive. Reboot the computer.
reboot
Your new Arch Linux system will now start.
After Install
At this point, you have a working, minimal Arch Linux system. From here, common next steps include:
- Installing an AUR helper, such as
yay. Check out my guide on installing yay. - Installing programs that you didn't install them during setup.
- Customizing your system, through your desktop environment or dotfiles. See DavisStanko/arch_dotfiles for a starting point.
Closing Thoughts
archinstall removes most of the pain from installing Arch. It keeps the parts that matter: you still pick your own disk layout, bootloader, and packages. You still learn how the system fits together.
I used Arch as my daily driver for five years as a teenager and into college. It wasn't a project I tended to. It was just my computer. I'd open it, it would work, and I'd move on with my day. That's the part people miss when they hear "Arch" and think of hours of tinkering. The tinkering is optional, but stability is there for those who want it.