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Raspberry Pi OS

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Raspberry Pi OS
Raspberry Pi OS (Bullseye) running its default desktop environment, PIXEL
DeveloperRaspberry Pi Holdings
OS familyDebian (Linux / Unix-like)
Working stateCurrent
Source modelOpen source
Initial release15 July 2012; 12 years ago (15 July 2012)
Latest release2025-05-06[1] Edit this on Wikidata / 7 May 2025; 16 days ago (7 May 2025)
Available inEnglish and other languages
Update method
Package managerAPT, dpkg
Platforms
Kernel typeMonolithic
UserlandGNU
Default
user interface		PIXEL[2]
LicenseFree and open-source software licenses (mainly GPL)
Official websiteraspberrypi.com/software/

Raspberry Pi OS is a Unix-like operating system based on Debian, a Linux distribution, designed for the Raspberry Pi family of single-board computers. System images of the OS are distributed by Raspberry Pi Holdings in both 64-bit versions based on Debian arm64 and in 32-bit versions based on Raspbian, an operating system developed independently in 2012 for the Pi 1.[3][4]

Raspberry Pi OS supports all Raspberry Pi models except the Pico microcontroller. It features a user interface called PIXEL that consists of modified LXDE desktop environment using the Openbox window manager, along with a custom theme. The default full distribution includes software such as Wolfram Mathematica,[5] VLC, LibreOffice, and lightweight versions of the Chromium and Firefox web browsers. Raspberry Pi OS is available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions, with several installation options, including a "Lite" edition without a desktop environment and minimal editions with fewer preinstalled applications.

History

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Raspian was first developed by Mike Thompson and Peter Green as an independent and unofficial port of Debian to the Raspberry Pi.[6] The first build was released on July 15, 2012.[7] As the Raspberry Pi had no officially provided operating system at the time, the Raspberry Pi Foundation built on the work by the Raspbian project and began producing and releasing their own operating system images of the software.[8] The Foundation's first release of Raspbian, which now referred both to the community project as well as the official operating system, was announced on September 10, 2013.[3]

On May 28, 2020, the Raspberry Pi Foundation announced a beta 64-bit version. However, this version was not based on Raspbian, instead taking its user space software from Debian GNU/Linux.[9] When the Foundation did not want to use the name Raspbian to refer to software that was not based on the Raspbian project, the name of the officially provided operating system images was changed to Raspberry Pi OS.[9] This change was also carried over to the 32-bit images that they distributed, though it continued to be based on Raspbian.[9] The 64-bit version of Raspberry Pi OS was officially released on February 2, 2022.[10]

Features

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User interface

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PIXEL (short for Pi Improved Xwindow Environment, Lightweight) has been the desktop environment for Raspberry Pi OS since 2016.[11] It is based on the LXDE desktop environment, the Openbox window manager, and the PCMan File Manager. PIXEL is optimized specifically for Raspberry Pi hardware, aiming to provide a lightweight, fast, and energy-efficient user experience.[2][12][13]

The PIXEL interface is designed to be visually familiar to users of macOS and Microsoft Windows.[14] It provides a desktop environment and a top menu bar featuring an application menu, shortcuts to commonly used programs, and system controls such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, volume, and clock.

Other components

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Raspberry Pi OS originally included the Epiphany browser but switched to Chromium in 2016 with the introduction of the redesigned PIXEL desktop environment.[11] In 2023, Firefox was added as an additional browser option. Browsers are preinstalled with uBlock Origin, an ad blocker extension, and h264ify, a plugin that forces YouTube to serve videos using the H.264 codec, which is supported by the Raspberry Pi's hardware acceleration.

As of 2025, the full suite of recommended software includes Claws Mail, Geany, ImageMagick, KiCad, LibreOffice, Mu Editor, Scratch, Thonny, Visual Studio Code, VNC Viewer, VLC and Wolfram Mathematica.

Software can be installed using the command line-based APT (Advanced Package Tool) or the Add/Remove Software tool, a graphical user interface for APT.

Reception

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The download statistics from the Raspberry Pi Imager indicate that Raspberry Pi OS is by far the most used operating system on the Raspberry Pi, accounting for 68.44% of all OS downloads in the month preceding 24 February 2022.[15] It is also the choice of distro used by Ken Thompson, one of the original developers of the UNIX operating system.[16]

Jesse Smith from DistroWatch reviewed Raspbian in 2015:[17]

Though I did not intend to run the Raspberry Pi as a desktop computer, the Raspbian operating system does provide users with the LXDE desktop environment. The Pi does not have a great deal of processor speed or memory, but it does have enough resources to run LXDE and a handful of applications. So long as the user does not wish to do a lot at once, the Pi offers a fairly responsive desktop interface. I probably would not run heavier programs such as LibreOffice or Firefox on the Pi, but Raspbian does provide the Epiphany web browser and a few other desktop programs.

Microsoft repository controversy

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In late January 2021, the Raspberry Pi OS package raspberrypi-sys-mods added a trusted GPG key and configuration entry in the APT package manager.[18] This addition made it easier to install Visual Studio Code, a source code editor developed by Microsoft. This change initiated a query to Microsoft's package servers every time the system checked for updates.[18] Given Microsoft's once-adversarial history with Linux, this form of telemetry upset some users.[19] The changes were later removed.[20]

Versions

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Raspberry Pi OS is available in three main variants:

  • Raspberry Pi OS Lite – a minimal version without a desktop environment
  • Raspberry Pi OS with desktop – includes the PIXEL desktop environment
  • Raspberry Pi OS with desktop and recommended software – includes the desktop environment and additional pre-installed applications, such as LibreOffice and Wolfram Mathematica.[21]

Each variant is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit editions.

A "Legacy" branch has been available since December 2021. It is based on the previous stable release of Debian, allowing for continued use of older software while still receiving security and hardware support updates. All standard variants (Lite, desktop, and desktop with recommended software) are offered in this legacy form.[22]

New major versions of Debian are released every two ycally in the summer of odd-numyears (e.g., 2023, 2025, 2027) 2023). Raspberry Pi OS ports of each new Debian release generally follow a few months later, usually in the fall.[23]

All Raspberry Pi OS versions are distributed as .img disk image files intended to be written to microSD card. The official documentation recommends a minimum 16 GB microSD card for the Lite version and at least 32 GB for versions with a desktop environment.[24]

Raspberry Pi Imager, a utility for downloading and flashing operating system was introduced in March 2020. ages. The Imager also supports third-party systems such as RetroPie[25] and Kodi-based distributions.[26]

Releases

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Release date Debian version Linux kernel GCC APT X Server / Labwc 1/1+ 2 3 Zero 3+ 4 Zero 2 5
2013-09-27 7
(Wheezy) 		3.6 4.7.2 0.9.7 7.7 Yes No No No No No No No
2013-10-07 Yes No No No No No No No
2013-12-24 3.10 Yes No No No No No No No
2014-01-09 Yes No No No No No No No
2014-06-22 3.12 Yes No No No No No No No
2014-07-08 Yes No No No No No No No
2014-09-12 Yes No No No No No No No
2014-10-08 Yes No No No No No No No
2014-12-25 Yes No No No No No No No
2015-02-02 3.18 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2015-02-17 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2015-02-18 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2015-05-07 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2015-05-12 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2015-09-28 8
(Jessie) 		4.1 4.9 1.0.9.8.1 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2015-11-24 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2016-02-08 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2016-02-09 Yes Yes No No No No No No
2016-02-29 Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
2016-03-18 Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
2016-05-13 4.4 Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
2016-05-31 Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
2016-09-28 Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
2016-11-29 Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
2017-02-27 4.9 Yes Yes Yes No No No No No
2017-03-03 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
2017-04-10 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
2017-06-23 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
2017-07-05 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
2017-08-17 9
(Stretch) 		6.3 1.4.6 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
2017-09-08 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
2017-11-29 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
2018-03-13 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
2018-04-18 4.14 1.4.8 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
2018-06-29 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
2018-10-09 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
2018-11-13 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
2019-04-08 1.4.9 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
2019-06-24 10
(Buster) 		4.19 8.3 1.8.2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2019-07-10 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2019-09-30 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2020-02-07 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2020-02-14 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2020-05-27 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2020-08-20 5.4.51 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2020-12-02 5.4.79 1.8.2.1 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2021-01-11 5.4.83 1.8.2.2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2021-03-04 5.10.17 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
2021-05-07 1.8.2.3 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2021-10-30 5.10.63 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2021-12-03 11
(Bullseye) 		10.2.1 2.2.4 1.20.11 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2022-01-28 5.10.92 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2022-03-08 5.10.103 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2022-04-04 5.15.30 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2022-09-06 5.15.61 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2022-09-22 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2023-02-21 5.15.84 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2023-05-03 6.1.21 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2023-12-05 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2024-03-12 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2024-07-04 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2024-10-22 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2025-05-06 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
2023-10-10 12
(Bookworm) 		12.2.0 2.6.1 1.21.1 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2023-12-05 6.1.69 12.2.4 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2024-03-15 6.6.20 12.2.0 1.21.1.7 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2024-05-29 6.6.31 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2024-07-04 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2024-11-19 6.6.51 0.7.4 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2025-05-06 6.6.74 0.8.1 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

References

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  1. ^ Simon Long (7 May 2025). "A new Raspberry Pi OS release". Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b Long, Simon (September 28, 2016). "Introducing PIXEL". Raspberry Pi Holdings.
  3. ^ a b "Raspbian release notes". Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  4. ^ Upton, Eben (28 May 2020). "8GB Raspberry Pi 4 on sale now at $75". Raspberry Pi. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Download Raspberry Pi OS for Raspberry Pi". RaspberryPi.com. Mathematica and the Wolfram Language are included in this release under license and with permission of Wolfram Research, Inc. and may be used for non-commercial purposes only.
  6. ^ "RaspbianAbout - Raspbian". www.raspbian.org. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  7. ^ "Index of /raspbian/images/2012-07-15-wheezy-raspbian". downloads.raspberrypi.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  8. ^ "RaspbianImages - Raspbian". www.raspbian.org. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  9. ^ a b c Piltch, Avram (2020-05-30). "Raspberry Pi OS: Why It's No Longer Called 'Raspbian'". Tom's Hardware. The official Pi operating system is now called 'Raspberry Pi OS.'
  10. ^ "Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit)". Raspberry Pi. 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  11. ^ a b Long, Simon (2016-09-28). "Introducing PIXEL". Raspberry Pi Blog. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  12. ^ Kabade, Rajat (2016-09-30). "Raspberry Pi gets LXDE-based PIXEL desktop environment". Open Source For You. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  13. ^ "Customise your Raspberry Pi desktop". Raspberry Pi Foundation. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Customise your Raspberry Pi desktop". Raspberry Pi Foundation. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  15. ^ "rpi-imager Stats". rpi-imager-stats.raspberrypi.com. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  16. ^ "Unix Pioneer Ken Thompson Announces He's Switching From Mac To Linux - The FreeBSD Forums". FreeBSD Forums. 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  17. ^ Smith, Jesse (22 June 2015). "DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 615, 22 June 2015". DistroWatch. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  18. ^ a b Salter, Jim (2021-02-08). "Raspberry Pi OS added a Microsoft repo. No, it's not an evil secret". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  19. ^ "Raspberry Pi | Microsoft Visual Studio Code APT repository automatically added · Issue #4083 · MichaIng/DietPi". GitHub. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  20. ^ "Remove MS repo · RPi-Distro/raspberrypi-sys-mods@ed96790". GitHub. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference dl2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ ""New" old functionality with Raspberry Pi OS (Legacy)". Raspberry Pi. 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  23. ^ KL, Arun (13 December 2023). "Raspberry Pi OS Guide: Lite vs Desktop vs Full". TheSecMaster. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  24. ^ "Raspberry Pi Documentation – Getting Started". Raspberry Pi. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  25. ^ "RetroPie".
  26. ^ Hollingworth, Gordon (2020-03-05). "Introducing Raspberry Pi Imager, our new imaging utility". Raspberry Pi Blog. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
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