Quick start

This is the whole journey end-to-end. Each step links to its full guide if you want detail.

1. Connect the drive

Plug your USB drive into your phone with an OTG adapter. BootForge detects it automatically and asks for permission to read it — tap Grant access. → Connecting a USB drive

2. Get Ventoy’s boot files (one time)

The first time you prepare a drive, BootForge downloads Ventoy’s official boot files — a small, one-time download it then keeps on your phone. Keep a connection until it finishes. → Ventoy boot files

3. Prepare the drive

On the Home screen, tap Prepare USB. You’ll see the drive’s name and capacity, a clear erase warning, and a checkbox to confirm. Tick it and tap Erase and install. BootForge writes Ventoy and verifies every stage.

This erases everything on the drive. Make sure you picked the right one.

→ Preparing a drive

4. Get an ISO

You have two routes:

• Free: open the Catalog, pick a distribution, and use its Homepage link to download the ISO in your browser. Then Import it into BootForge.
• Pro: download the ISO inside the app with one tap — it’s saved and checksum-verified automatically.

→ Browsing the catalog · Adding ISO images

5. Verify it (recommended)

Use Verify a file (in Tools) to check the ISO’s checksum against the value the publisher lists. In-app downloads are verified for you. → Verifying checksums

6. Copy it to the drive

Open the Library, select your image(s), and tap Send to drive. BootForge copies them to the drive’s data partition and shows live progress. → Copying images to the drive

7. Boot a PC

Plug the drive into the PC, power it on, and tap your computer’s boot-menu key (BootForge lists it by maker). Pick the USB drive, then choose your image from the Ventoy menu. → Booting a PC · Boot menu keys

That’s it. Adding more operating systems later is just steps 4–6 again — no need to re-prepare the drive.