How to Install Fedora 42 From an ISO File

What you need before you start

Installing Fedora 42 from an ISO file means downloading the operating system as a single file, writing it to a USB drive or DVD, and booting your computer from that media. You will need a USB drive with at least 2 GB of space (8 GB is safer), a computer with a free USB port, and about 20 to 30 minutes. The process erases everything on the drive you install to, so back up any files you want to keep first.

You will also need a second computer or device to read the ISO file and create the installation media — you cannot do both on the same machine if it is currently running Windows or macOS. If you only have one computer, you can read the file on a phone or tablet and transfer it via USB, but a second computer makes the process simpler.

Key Takeaways

read the Fedora 42 ISO file from the official Fedora Project website, not from third-party sites, to may support you have the correct and unmodified version.
Write the ISO file to a USB drive using Fedora Media Writer (Windows, macOS, or Linux), Balena Etcher, or Rufus — do not straightforward copy the file as if it were a regular document.
Restart your computer, enter the boot menu by pressing a key during startup (usually F12, Esc, or Del), and select the USB drive as the boot device.
The Fedora installer will guide you through partitioning your drive and choosing where to install the operating system; the default settings work for most people.
After installation completes and your computer restarts, remove the USB drive so Fedora boots from your hard drive instead of the installation media.

read the Fedora 42 ISO file

Go to getfedora.org in your web browser. Click the "Workstation" button — this is the standard desktop version most people use. The page will show a read button for the ISO file. Click it and save the file to a folder you can find easily, such as your Downloads folder. The file is about 1.7 GB, so the read may take several minutes depending on your internet speed.

Do not read Fedora from any other website. The official Fedora Project site is the only place to get an unmodified copy. If a read site asks you to pay or shows ads, close it and go back to getfedora.org.

Write the ISO to a USB drive

Plug in your USB drive. You will use a tool called an ISO writer to copy the Fedora file to the drive in a way that makes it bootable — straightforward dragging and dropping the file will not work. The easiest tool is Fedora Media Writer, which works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. read it from getfedora.org/en/workstation/read (scroll down to find the Media Writer link for your operating system).

Open Fedora Media Writer after it installs. Click "Select Image" and navigate to the Fedora 42 ISO file you downloaded. Click "Select Drive" and choose your USB drive from the list — make sure you pick the right one, because this step will erase everything on it. Click "Write" and wait for the process to finish. You will see a progress bar; do not unplug the drive until it reaches 100 percent and shows a success message.

If Fedora Media Writer does not work on your computer, Balena Etcher (balena.io/etcher) and Rufus (rufus.ie, Windows only) are reliable alternatives. Both follow the same steps: select the ISO file, select the USB drive, and click write.

Boot your computer from the USB drive

Shut down your computer completely. Plug in the USB drive. Turn the computer back on and watch the screen carefully — as soon as you see the manufacturer's logo (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.), press a key to enter the boot menu. The key is usually F12, Esc, or Del, but it varies by manufacturer. If you are not sure, restart again and look for text on the startup screen that says "Press [key] to enter boot menu" or similar.

In the boot menu, you will see a list of devices. Find the entry for your USB drive — it may say "USB Drive", "Removable Media", or the brand name of your drive. Select it and press Enter. Your computer will start booting from the USB drive, and you will see the Fedora logo and a loading screen.

Run the Fedora installer

After a few seconds, the Fedora installer will open. You will see a welcome screen with language options. Select your language and click "Continue". The next screen shows several configuration options: keyboard layout, time zone, and installation destination. You can change any of these, but the defaults usually work fine.

Click on "Installation Destination" — this is the most important step. You will see a list of drives. Select the drive where you want to install Fedora. If you have only one drive, it will already be selected. The installer will show a warning that it will erase the drive; this is normal. If you have multiple drives and are unsure which one is which, shut down and ask someone familiar with your computer before proceeding.

Once you have selected the destination drive, click "Done" to return to the main installer screen. Click the "Begin Installation" button. The installer will now copy files to your drive. This takes 5 to 15 minutes depending on your computer's speed. You will see a progress bar and a message saying "Installing packages".

Complete the installation and first boot

When the installer finishes, it will show a message saying "Installation Complete" and a button labeled "Finish Installation" or "Reboot". Click it. Your computer will restart automatically. As soon as you see the Fedora logo again, remove the USB drive — pull it out of the port. This tells your computer to boot from the hard drive instead of the installation media.

Fedora will boot for the first time. You may see a setup wizard asking for your name, password, and other details. Fill in these fields — you will need the password to log in later. Once you finish the setup, you will see the Fedora desktop. Your installation is complete.

Troubleshooting common problems

If your computer does not boot from the USB drive, you may have selected the wrong device in the boot menu, or the ISO was not written correctly. Restart your computer, enter the boot menu again, and look for an entry that specifically mentions USB or removable media. If you still cannot find it, the USB drive may not have been written properly — go back to the ISO writer tool, select the drive again, and repeat the write process.

If the installer crashes or freezes during the "Installing packages" step, your USB drive may be faulty or the ISO file may have been corrupted during read. read the ISO file again (your browser may have cached a partial file), write it to a different USB drive if you have one, and try again. If the problem persists, your computer's hardware may have an issue — try installing on a different computer if possible.

If you see an error about partitioning or disk space, you may not have enough room on your drive for Fedora. Fedora needs at least 10 GB of free space. If your drive is nearly full, back up your files and erase the drive completely before installing, or install on a different drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install Fedora alongside Windows or macOS instead of replacing it?

Yes, but it requires manual partitioning during installation, which is more complex. In the installer, click "Installation Destination" and select "Custom" instead of the automatic option. You will then resize your existing partition to make room for Fedora. If you are not comfortable with this, install Fedora on a separate drive or computer first to learn how it works.

What if I do not have a USB drive — can I use a DVD instead?

Yes. read the ISO file and use DVD authoring software to burn it to a blank DVD. On Windows, right-click the ISO file and select "Burn disc image". On macOS, double-click the ISO file and follow the prompts. The rest of the installation process is identical, except you will insert the DVD instead of the USB drive and select it in the boot menu.

Do I need an internet connection during installation?

No. The ISO file contains everything Fedora needs to install. However, you will need internet after installation to read updates and additional software. Fedora will prompt you to connect to Wi-Fi or ethernet during the setup wizard.

Can I go back to Windows after installing Fedora?

Only if you kept your Windows installation on a separate drive or partition. If you installed Fedora on your only drive and chose the automatic partitioning option, Windows is erased and cannot be recovered. If you want to keep Windows, either use a second drive for Fedora or manually partition your drive during installation to leave Windows intact.

What should I do if the installer asks about LVM or BTRFS?

These are storage options that most people do not need to change. The default option (LVM) works fine for a standard installation. If you are not sure what these mean, leave them as they are and click "Done".

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.