Banana Pi Downloads

Summary

This page serves as the central downloads hub for the LeMaker Banana Pi single-board computer. Here you will find links to verified operating system images, firmware packages, and utility tools required to set up and maintain your Banana Pi board. All downloads referenced on this page are sourced from official mirrors and include SHA-256 checksums for integrity verification. For a complete listing of available image files, visit the image files archive.

Who This Is For

This guide is intended for Banana Pi owners who need to download, verify, and install an operating system image onto a microSD card. Whether you are a first-time user setting up a fresh board or an experienced developer switching between distributions, the steps below will help you obtain a reliable, verified image. Familiarity with basic command-line operations and SD card flashing tools is helpful but not required.

Download and Verification Guidance

Always download images from the official LeMaker resources page or a trusted mirror. Each image archive is accompanied by a SHA-256 checksum file. After downloading, verify the integrity of the file before writing it to your SD card.

On Linux or macOS, run the following command to generate and compare the checksum:

sha256sum banana-pi-image.img.zip

On Windows, use PowerShell:

Get-FileHash .\banana-pi-image.img.zip -Algorithm SHA256

Compare the output against the value published in the corresponding .sha256 file. If the values do not match, discard the download and try again. Store verified images on reliable media and avoid re-downloading from untrusted sources.

Flash Checklist

• Use a Class 10 or UHS-I microSD card with at least 8 GB capacity.
• Format the card using SD Card Formatter or a comparable utility before writing.
• Write the image using a proven tool such as balenaEtcher, Win32DiskImager, or the dd command on Linux.
• Safely eject the card after the write operation completes.
• Insert the card into the Banana Pi with power disconnected.

First Boot Verification

After inserting the prepared microSD card and powering on the Banana Pi, observe the onboard LEDs. A steady green power LED and a blinking activity LED indicate a successful boot sequence. Connect an HDMI display or use a serial console to verify that the operating system loads to a login prompt. Default credentials are documented in the release notes accompanying each image.

Troubleshooting

• Board does not power on: Confirm you are using a 5 V / 2 A power supply connected to the micro-USB OTG port.
• No video output: Try a different HDMI cable or monitor. Some monitors require the cable to be connected before power-on.
• Boot loop or kernel panic: Re-download the image, verify the checksum, and re-flash the SD card.
• SD card not detected: Test the card in another device. Replace cards that show read/write errors.

Related Guides

• Banana Pi Product Overview
• Banana Pi Resources
• Image Files Archive
• Banana Pi System Images
• Banana Pi Firmware and Tools
• Fedora for Banana Pi
• openSUSE for Banana Pi
• Arch Linux for Banana Pi
• Scratch for Banana Pi

Author: LeMaker Documentation Team
Last updated: 2026-02-10