How to Flash Umbrel OS on a Mini PC: Complete Free Setup Guide

Introduction

While Umbrel sells their own home server, the exact same software they use is completely free to download and install yourself. In this guide, I'll walk you through flashing Umbrel OS onto a mini PC. You can pick up a decent mini PC for around $300, install an SSD, and have a powerful home server capable of running Bitcoin Core, Lightning Network, Plex media server, password managers, and dozens of other applications—all from one device.

What You'll Need

Before we start, gather these items:

• Mini PC (any modern mini PC will work)
• SSD/Hard Drive (1TB minimum for Bitcoin node only, 2TB recommended for multiple apps)
• USB Flash Drive (32GB or larger - will be wiped during this process)
• Another Computer (to download files and remote access Umbrel)
• Keyboard and Mouse (temporarily, to set up the mini PC)
• Monitor or TV (temporarily, for initial setup)
• Internet Connection (both devices on the same network)

Important: The USB flash drive will be completely wiped during this process, so make sure it's empty or back up any files first.

Step 1: Download Required Software

First, we need to download two programs on your computer:

Umbrel OS USB Installer

• Go to the Umbrel GitHub page
• Download the latest Umbrel OS USB installer (it's an ISO image file)
• Click "Save" when prompted

Balena Etcher

• Download and install Balena Etcher
• This tool will flash the Umbrel OS onto your USB drive

Step 2: Flash Umbrel OS to USB Drive

Now let's create the installation USB:

1. Open Balena Etcher
2. Click "Flash from file"
3. Navigate to the Umbrel OS AMD file you downloaded
4. Click "Open"
5. Click "Select target"
6. Your USB flash drive should appear
7. WARNING: Do NOT select any system drives—only select your USB flash drive. Selecting the wrong drive will wipe it completely.
8. Click "Flash"
9. Wait for the process to complete
10. Eject the USB drive when finished

Step 3: Install Umbrel on Your Mini PC

Now we'll install Umbrel onto your mini PC's SSD:

Connect everything to your mini PC:

• Plug in the USB drive
• Connect keyboard and mouse
• Connect to your monitor or TV
• Ensure ethernet cable is connected (or WiFi is available)

Power on the mini PC

• The Umbrel installer should boot automatically
• If it doesn't, you may need to access the BIOS and change the boot order

Follow the on-screen prompts:

• Press Enter when prompted
• Type "1" to select your SSD as the installation destination
• Press Enter to begin installation
• Wait for installation to complete
• The operating system will install to your SSD
• When prompted, press any key to shut down
• Remove the USB drive before turning the device back on

Power the mini PC back on

Umbrel OS will now boot from your SSD.

Step 4: Access Umbrel from Your Computer

Here's the best part—you can now disconnect the keyboard, mouse, and monitor from your mini PC and control everything remotely:

1. On your computer, open a web browser
2. Navigate to: http://umbrel.local
3. Create your account:
   • Click "Start"
   • Enter your name
   • Create a secure password
   • Click "Next"
4. You're now in the Umbrel interface!

Step 5: Explore the Umbrel App Store

The Umbrel interface is beautifully designed and incredibly easy to use. Here's what you can do:

Bitcoin & Lightning

• Bitcoin Node (Bitcoin Knots or Bitcoin Core)
• Lightning Node (LND)
• Mempool (visualize transactions)
• Electrs (Electrum server)
• Data (solo mining)

Privacy & Security

• Tor Browser
• Vault Warden (password manager)

Media & Entertainment

• Plex (media server)
• Jellyfin (open-source media server)
• Audiobook Server
• YouTube Downloader
• Torrent Client

Finance & Productivity

• Fedimint (federated custody)
• Cashu (ecash mint)
• Invoice Software
• Accounting Tools

Advanced

• Private AI LLM (run your own AI locally)
• File Storage
• And many more apps

Pro Tips for Bitcoin Node Setup

If you're setting up a Bitcoin node, here are some optimization tips:

Enable Incoming Connections

In your Bitcoin node settings:

• Navigate to Settings
• Enable connections from Clearnet, Tor, and I2P
• This broadcasts your node to help other nodes access the blockchain
• You may need to set up port forwarding on your router

Speed Up Initial Block Download

The blockchain download can take days. Speed it up by:

• Go to Optimization settings
• Increase database cache from 450MB to 12,000MB (if you have the RAM)
• This stores the UTXO set in RAM for faster syncing
• You can reduce this after the initial download completes

Pruned Node Option

If storage is limited:

• Enable pruned node in settings
• Set your desired blockchain size
• Older transactions will be deleted automatically

Customize Your Mempool Policy

With Bitcoin Knots specifically:

• Navigate to Policy settings
• Adjust OP_RETURN data carrier size (default is 42 bytes)
• Configure transaction filters as needed
• Perfect for miners who want more control

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've successfully set up your own Umbrel home server without paying for pre-built hardware. For around $300 in hardware costs, you now have a powerful, private server that can run a Bitcoin node, Lightning channels, media servers, and dozens of other applications.

The beauty of Umbrel is that it's all open-source and free. You're not locked into any proprietary system, and you can expand your setup with new apps whenever you want. Whether you're interested in Bitcoin sovereignty, privacy tools, or just want your own personal cloud storage and media server, Umbrel makes it accessible to everyone.

The initial blockchain download will take some time (potentially several days), but once it's complete, you'll have a fully functional Bitcoin node that you control completely. No third parties, no trusted intermediaries—just you and the Bitcoin network.

What's Next?

This is just the beginning of what you can do with Umbrel. In future guides, we'll cover:

• Setting up Lightning channels
• Configuring a Fedimint
• Creating your own media server with Plex
• Running a Cashu mint
• Advanced Bitcoin node configurations

Stay tuned for more in-depth tutorials on maximizing your Umbrel setup!

Watch this tutorial to follow along the process

Watch on YouTube →