Put Ubuntu on a USB stick
& revive an old laptop.

A plain-English, share-with-anyone guide. You'll download Ubuntu, turn a USB stick into an installer (works the same whether you're on Ubuntu, Windows, or a Mac), and install it on a laptop too old and slow to even open Windows.

⏱ ~45 min💾 one USB stick, 8 GB+🧰 free software only⚠️ wipes the old laptop

First · pick the right version

Ubuntu comes in "flavors." They're the same system with different amounts of weight. For a slow old laptop, lighter is better.

How old / slow is the laptop? Made after ~2017, 4 GB+ RAM STANDARD Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Full desktop. Wants 6 GB RAM, 2 GHz dual-core, 25 GB disk. Won't run Windows, 1–4 GB RAM LIGHT · PICK THIS Lubuntu 26.04 LTS Lean LXQt desktop. Runs on 1 GHz / 1 GB. Same Ubuntu core. Pre-2010, 32-bit, <1 GB RAM UBUNTU WON'T FIT antiX / Puppy Linux Still support 32-bit + tiny RAM. Not Ubuntu, but very similar.
Most people reviving an old laptop want the middle one: Lubuntu.
Important — 64-bit only. Modern Ubuntu and Lubuntu only come as 64-bit. If your laptop has a 32-bit CPU (common before ~2010), the installer simply won't start. Quick test: if it shipped with Windows 7, 8, or 10, it's almost certainly 64-bit and you're fine. If it's older (Windows XP / early Vista era), go with antiX or Puppy Linux from their own websites instead.

Step by step

1

Download the installer file (the "ISO")

An ISO is one big file containing the whole operating system. Download it on any computer you have handy — you don't need to do this on the old laptop.

The file is ~3–4 GB and ends in .iso. Note where it saved (usually your Downloads folder).

Why "LTS"? LTS = Long-Term Support = gets security updates for years. Always choose the LTS version for a machine you actually want to keep using.
2

Burn the ISO onto the USB stick

This makes the stick "bootable." It erases everything already on the stick, so use an empty one (8 GB or larger). Pick the lane that matches the computer you're working on:

🐧 On Ubuntu

Already built in — nothing to install.

  1. Plug in the USB.
  2. Open Startup Disk Creator (search the Activities menu).
  3. Pick your .iso under "Source," your USB under "disk to use."
  4. Click Make Startup Disk.
🪟 On Windows

Download Rufus (free): rufus.ie

  1. Plug in the USB, open Rufus.
  2. "Device" = your USB stick.
  3. "Boot selection" → SELECT → your .iso.
  4. Click START, accept defaults, OK.
On a Mac

Download balenaEtcher (free): etcher.balena.io

  1. Plug in the USB, open Etcher.
  2. Flash from file → choose your .iso.
  3. Select target → your USB.
  4. Click Flash! (enter your Mac password).
balenaEtcher works everywhere. If any instructions confuse the person you're helping, just have them use Etcher — the steps are identical on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
3

Start the old laptop from the USB

Computers normally boot from their internal drive. You need to tell this one to boot from the USB instead — just for this one time.

  1. Plug the USB into the off laptop.
  2. Turn it on and immediately tap the boot-menu key repeatedly (see table). Timing matters — start tapping the instant you press power.
  3. A small menu appears. Choose the entry with USB in its name (may say "UEFI: SanDisk…" or similar).
Laptop brandBoot-menu key (tap on power-on)
DellF12
HPEsc then F9
Lenovo / ThinkPadF12 (or the tiny ↻ Novo button)
Acer / AsusF12 or Esc
Toshiba / SamsungF12 or F2
If none workTap F2 / Del for "BIOS Setup" → find Boot Order → move USB to top
Won't boot from USB? Enter BIOS Setup (F2 or Del) and: (1) turn Secure Boot OFF, (2) if there's a "Legacy" or "CSM" option, turn it ON, (3) save & exit. Old laptops often need these two changes.
4

Try it, then install

Ubuntu loads from the USB into a "live" trial mode — nothing is changed yet.

  1. Choose Try or Install Ubuntu. Let it load (slow on old hardware — be patient).
  2. Click around to confirm Wi-Fi, screen, and trackpad work. If it feels usable, continue.
  3. Double-click Install. Pick language, keyboard, and connect to Wi-Fi.
  4. Choose "Normal" or "Minimal" install (Minimal = fewer extras, lighter — good for slow machines).
  5. At the disk step, since the laptop won't run Windows anyway, choose "Erase disk and install Ubuntu." This wipes the old, broken Windows and gives Ubuntu the whole drive.
  6. Set a username and password you'll remember. Click Install and wait (15–30 min).
  7. When prompted, remove the USB and restart.
This deletes the old Windows and all files on that laptop. If anything on it still matters, copy it off first. For a laptop that "won't even open Windows," there's usually nothing to save — but check before you click.
5

First thing after it boots

Log in with the password you set, then install updates:

  • Easy way: open the "Software Updater" / "Discover" app and let it update.
  • Fast way: open a Terminal and run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade (it'll ask for your password).

That's it — a free, supported, modern computer where Windows gave up. Firefox, an office suite, and a media player are already installed.

If Lubuntu is still too slow

Lighter still

antiX

Runs on ~256 MB RAM, supports 32-bit, no systemd bloat. A great rescue for genuinely ancient machines. antixlinux.com

Tiniest

Puppy Linux

Loads entirely into memory, boots in seconds, runs from the USB itself. Quirky but astonishingly fast on old hardware. puppylinux home

Middle ground: If the standard Ubuntu desktop feels heavy but Lubuntu feels too bare, try Xubuntu (XFCE desktop) — a comfortable in-between, also an official flavor.

Made to be shared. Facts current as of June 2026 · Ubuntu/Lubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon), supported into 2029–2031. Download only from official sites: ubuntu.com, lubuntu.me, rufus.ie, etcher.balena.io.