---
title: Raspberry Pi
description: Install WendyOS on your Raspberry Pi 3, 4, or 5
---

<div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '0.75rem', marginBottom: '1.5rem' }}>
  <img src="/latest/icons/icons8-raspberry-pi.svg" alt="Raspberry Pi" style={{ width: '48px', height: '48px' }} />
  <h1 style={{ fontSize: '2.25rem', fontWeight: 'bold', margin: 0, lineHeight: '1' }}>Raspberry Pi Installation</h1>
</div>

WendyOS runs on these Raspberry Pi boards, with the Wendy agent built in:

<div style={{ display: 'flex', flexWrap: 'wrap', gap: '0.75rem', margin: '1rem 0' }}>
  <span style={{ border: '1px solid var(--border, #e5e7eb)', borderRadius: '9999px', padding: '0.35rem 0.9rem', fontWeight: 600 }}>✅ Raspberry Pi 5</span>
  <span style={{ border: '1px solid var(--border, #e5e7eb)', borderRadius: '9999px', padding: '0.35rem 0.9rem', fontWeight: 600 }}>✅ Raspberry Pi 4</span>
  <span style={{ border: '1px solid var(--border, #e5e7eb)', borderRadius: '9999px', padding: '0.35rem 0.9rem', fontWeight: 600 }}>✅ Raspberry Pi 3</span>
</div>

<Callout type="info">
  The Pi 5 and Pi 4 expose a USB gadget over their USB-C port, so you can plug them straight into your computer for setup. The Pi 3 B/B+ cannot do this — its onboard USB hub blocks USB gadget mode — so it connects over the network instead. Plan to give the Pi 3 Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet (see the connection step below).
</Callout>

## Installation Steps

Prefer to follow along with video? Watch the [WendyOS Raspberry Pi 5 installation video](https://youtu.be/87GlYkx86jY). The steps are the same for the Pi 4 and Pi 3, apart from how you connect the board.

<Steps>
  <Step>
    ### Connect the microSD Card to Your Computer

    Insert your microSD card into a card reader connected to your development computer.
    Use a microSD-to-SD adapter if your reader takes full-size SD cards.

    <video width="100%" autoPlay loop muted playsInline>
      <source src="/latest/videos/installation/pi-5-micro-sd-to-sd-card-adapter.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
      Your browser does not support the video tag.
    </video>

    The video shows a MacBook's SD slot. A USB card reader works on macOS, Linux,
    or Windows as well.

    <video width="100%" autoPlay loop muted playsInline>
      <source src="/latest/videos/installation/pi-5-insert-card-into-macbook.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
      Your browser does not support the video tag.
    </video>

    <Callout type="info">
      **Pi 5 with NVMe**: If you're booting your Pi 5 from an NVMe drive instead of a microSD card, connect the NVMe drive to your computer (for example via a USB-C NVMe enclosure) and select it as the target drive in the next step.
    </Callout>
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Install WendyOS

    Use the `wendy` CLI to install the operating system:

    ```bash
    wendy install
    ```

    <CliShot flow="os-install" step="select-device-type" alt="The Wendy CLI prompting you to choose a device type before flashing WendyOS" />

    Select your board — **Raspberry Pi 5**, **Raspberry Pi 4**, or **Raspberry Pi 3** — then your drive. WendyOS downloads and writes to your microSD card (or NVMe drive on the Pi 5); this can take a while, and you'll enter your administrator password to write the image.

    The CLI also offers optional first-boot provisioning — joining WiFi, applying critical updates, and pre-enrolling the device to Wendy Cloud. Each can also be set up after the device boots. See [`wendy install`](../../advanced/clients/wendy-cli/commands/os/install/) for more.

    <Callout type="info">
      **Pi 3 — set up Wi-Fi now**: The Pi 3 connects over the network rather than over USB, so it's easiest to pre-configure Wi-Fi while imaging. The installer will offer to do this, or you can pass it directly:

      ```bash
      wendy install --wifi-ssid "MyNetwork" --wifi-password "hunter2"
      ```

      If you're using wired Ethernet on the Pi 3, you can skip this. Pi 5 and Pi 4 users can also pre-seed Wi-Fi the same way, but it's optional since those boards also connect over USB-C.
    </Callout>
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Insert the microSD Card into Your Pi

    Remove the card from your computer and insert the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi. (On a Pi 5 booting from NVMe, install the NVMe drive into your Pi 5's M.2 HAT instead.)

    <video width="100%" autoPlay loop muted playsInline>
      <source src="/latest/videos/installation/pi-5-insert-micro-sd-card-to-pi.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
      Your browser does not support the video tag.
    </video>
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Connect and Power On Your Pi

    How you connect depends on your board:

    <Tabs items={['Raspberry Pi 5', 'Raspberry Pi 4', 'Raspberry Pi 3']} groupId="rpi-model" persist>
      <Tab value="Raspberry Pi 5">
        Connect your Raspberry Pi 5 to your computer using a USB-C **data** cable.
        The computer's port must supply enough power for the board and its peripherals.
        If power is unreliable, use the Pi's power supply and connect over Ethernet
        or the Wi-Fi configured during installation.

        <video width="100%" autoPlay loop muted playsInline>
          <source src="/latest/videos/installation/pi-5-usb-c-to-macbook.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
          Your browser does not support the video tag.
        </video>
      </Tab>

      <Tab value="Raspberry Pi 4">
        Connect your Raspberry Pi 4 to your computer using a USB-C **data** cable,
        plugged into the Pi's USB-C port. The port supports a direct connection,
        but the computer must supply enough power for the board and its peripherals.
        Otherwise use the Pi's power supply and connect over Ethernet or the Wi-Fi
        configured during installation.
      </Tab>

      <Tab value="Raspberry Pi 3">
        The Raspberry Pi 3 doesn't support a USB connection to your computer, so it connects over the network instead:

        1. Power the Pi 3 with its micro-USB power supply.
        2. Make sure it can reach your network — either over the Wi-Fi you configured during install, or by plugging in an Ethernet cable.

        Your computer and the Pi 3 must be on the same network for the next step to find it.
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Discover Your Device

    Wait 1–2 minutes after powering on your Pi to allow WendyOS to fully boot. Then run:

    ```bash
    wendy discover
    ```

    You should see your Raspberry Pi appear in the list of discovered devices.

    On macOS, allow **Local Network** access when prompted. For a USB-C connection
    on Linux, run discovery in a terminal and accept its host network setup prompt,
    which requires administrator access. Match the name you chose during installation.
    Writing the card successfully does not yet confirm that this Pi has booted.

    If the Pi is missing, check power, use a data-capable cable, and confirm that
    Ethernet or Wi-Fi connects it to the same network as your computer. Cloud
    enrollment is optional for local development.

    <CliShot flow="discover" step="devices" alt="The Wendy CLI listing discovered WendyOS devices on the network" />

    <Callout type="warning">
      **Don't see your Pi 3?** Since the Pi 3 is found over the network, discovery relies on mDNS. If it doesn't show up, confirm the Pi is on the same network as your computer and that the network allows mDNS traffic — see [Discovering Devices](../../device/discovering-devices/) for troubleshooting.
    </Callout>

    Your device is now ready for development! For more information on device discovery and configuration, see [Discovering Devices](../../device/discovering-devices/).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

Your Raspberry Pi is ready. Continue with [step 3 of the quickstart](../../#3-create-an-app) to create and run your first app.