Live install images

A live install image contains a Debian system that can boot without modifying any files on the hard drive and also allows installation of Debian from the contents of the image.

Is a live image suitable for me? Here are some things to consider that will help you decide.

Launcher: In addition to text and GUI install options in the boot menu, the desktop flavors contain a launcher on the desktop that can be used to install while running the live image.
Flavors: The live images come in "flavors", four providing the desktop environments GNOME, KDE, LXDE and Xfce, and two text console flavors: rescue and standard. Many users will find these initial package selections suitable, installing any additional packages they need from the network afterwards.
Architecture: Only images for the two most popular architectures, 32-bit PC (i386) and 64-bit PC (amd64), are currently provided.
Size: Each image is much smaller than the full set of CD/DVD images, but larger than the network install media. If you are installing from optical media, the standard and rescue images will fit on a CD, whereas the others require a DVD. If you are installing from a USB key, only LXDE, Xfce, standard and rescue will fit on a 1G device, whereas the others require a larger key.
Languages: The images do not contain a complete set of language support packages. If you need input methods, fonts and supplemental language packages for your language, you'll need to install these afterwards.

The following live install images are available for download:

Official live install images for the stable release — see below

Official live install images for the stable release

Offered in different flavours, each differing in size as discussed above, these images are suitable for trying a Debian system comprised of a selected default set of packages and then install it from the same media.

CD/DVD/USB (via BitTorrent)

Hybrid ISO image files suitable for writing to DVD-R(W) or CD-R(W) media, depending on size, and also USB keys of the appropriate size. If you can use BitTorrent, please do, as it reduces the load on our servers.

USB-HDD

Image files suitable for writing to USB keys of the appropriate size. This format is offered in case the BIOS of your system cannot handle booting hybrid ISO images from USB keys, or you need to repartition, e.g. to add persistence.

CD/DVD/USB

Hybrid ISO image files suitable for writing to DVD-R(W) or CD-R(W) media, depending on size, and also USB keys of the appropriate size.

netboot

Image files suitable for booting from a Network boot server.

For information about what these files are and how to use them, please see the FAQ.

Once you have downloaded the images, be sure to have a look at the detailed information about the installation process.

See the Debian Live Project page for more information about the Debian Live systems provided by these images.