Getting Started with Umbrel

What is Umbrel?

Umbrel is a user-friendly platform that allows you to run your own personal server at home or in the cloud. With Umbrel, you can:

• Run a Bitcoin and Lightning Network node

• Install self-hosted apps like Nextcloud, Pi-hole, and more

• Take control of your data and enhance your privacy

Prerequisites

Hardware Requirements

• A computer or device to run umbrelOS (e.g., Raspberry Pi 5 or x86-based server)

• At least 4 GB of RAM (8 GB or more recommended for multiple apps)

• Minimum 32 GB storage for umbrelOS installation (1 TB recommended for Bitcoin blockchain or storage use)

Network Requirements

• Stable internet connection

• Router with available Ethernet ports

  
  

Installation Options

Choose the installation method that best suits your setup:

Option 1: Install on a Raspberry Pi

Hardware Requirements

• Raspberry Pi 5

• microSD card (32 GB or larger)

• External SSD (1 TB recommended, optional)

• Ethernet cable

• Official Raspberry Pi power supply

Steps

1. Download umbrelOS Community Edition:

   • Download the latest umbrelOS release for Raspberry Pi 5 here — if you are using a Pi 4, use this image instead

2. Flash the SD Card:

   • Use balenaEtcher to flash the umbrelOS image onto the microSD card

   • For Windows users: Try Rufus if you experience issues with Etcher

3. Assemble the Hardware:

   • Insert the microSD card into the Raspberry Pi

   • Connect an external SSD to a USB 3.0 port on the Pi (Optional)

   • Connect the Raspberry Pi to your router using the Ethernet cable

4. Power on:

   • Use the official Raspberry Pi power supply to ensure system stability

Wait a few minutes for umbrelOS to boot up. Access umbrelOS by navigating to http://umbrel.local on any device connected to the same network.

Option 2: Install on any x86-based machine

Hardware Requirements

• x86-based mini PC or server with a dual-core 64-bit Intel or AMD processor (Quad-core or higher recommended)

• Internal storage drive (1 TB recommended)

• Ethernet cable

• USB thumb drive (at least 4GB)

Steps

1. Download umbrelOS Community Edition:

   • Download the latest umbrelOS release for your x86 system here

2. Flash the umbrelOS USB Installer onto a USB drive:

   • Use balenaEtcher to flash the umbrelOS USB installer onto the USB drive (4GB+)

   • For Windows users: Try Rufus if you experience issues with Etcher

     

3. Boot from the USB stick:

   • Insert the USB stick into your device

   • Connect a display and keyboard (for desktops or NUCs/Mini PCs)

   • Connect an Ethernet cable to your device and router

   • Turn on the device and boot from the USB stick (adjust BIOS settings if necessary)

4. Install umbrelOS on internal storage:

   • After the system boots up, it will present you with the following screen:

   

   • Select the correct internal storage device for installation. For instance, in the above screenshot, if we want to install it on the 'ATA' drive, which has a capacity of '238.5G', we'd type 1 and press Enter.

5. Finalize installation:

   • After flashing, turn off the device

   • Remove the USB stick, keyboard, and display

6. Boot up!

   • Ensure the USB stick is removed and Ethernet cable is connected

   • Turn on your device

The first boot will take approximately 5 minutes. Access umbrelOS by navigating to http://umbrel.local on any device connected to the same network.

Remarks

Note: umbrelOS is specifically built for Umbrel Home. Support for other devices in umbrelOS Community Edition is best-effort and not guaranteed. Compatibility issues may arise due to the differences in hardware, drivers, and as such, some features may be limited or restricted.

Important: If you have a display connected to your device or Pi, you might notice the umbrel login prompt in the terminal output. This prompt is for terminal access only. To use umbrelOS, there is no need to log in via the terminal. Instead, simply open http://umbrel.local on any device that is connected to the same network to access the user interface.

Tip: If you cannot access http://umbrel.local, and you are using a Windows computer, try accessing http://umbrel. Alternatively, use your router's admin dashboard or a network scanning tool like Fing to find your device's IP address on your local network. If needed, you can connect a display and a keyboard to your device, log in, and run hostname -I to find its IP address. Then, enter this IP address directly into a web browser to access umbrelOS.