Download OpenBSD
The OpenBSD project produces a FREE, multi-platform 4.4BSD-based UNIX-like operating system. The efforts emphasize portability, standardization, correctness, proactive security and integrated cryptography. As an example of the effect OpenBSD has, the popular OpenSSH software comes from OpenBSD.
The current release is OpenBSD 7.8, released October 22, 2025. This is the 59th release.
The following installation images are available:
| install78.img | amd64 arm64 i386 octeon powerpc64 riscv64 sparc64 |
A disk image that can be written to a USB flash drive or similar device. Includes the file sets. |
| miniroot78.img | alpha amd64 arm64 armv7 i386 landisk loongson luna88k octeon powerpc64 riscv64 sparc64 |
The same as above, but file sets are not included. They can be pulled down from the internet or from a local disk. |
| install78.iso | alpha amd64 arm64 hppa i386 macppc powerpc64 sparc64 |
An ISO 9660 image that can be used to create an install CD/DVD. Includes the file sets. |
| cd78.iso | alpha amd64 hppa i386 loongson macppc sparc64 |
The same as above, but file sets are not included. |
| floppy78.img | amd64 i386 sparc64 |
Supports some older machines that lack other booting options. |
Images can also be downloaded from a number of alternate mirror sites.
Verifying Your Download
An SHA256 file containing checksums can be found in the same directory as the installation files. You can confirm that none of the downloaded files were mangled in transit using the sha256 command.
$ sha256 -C SHA256 miniroot*.img (SHA256) miniroot78.img: OK
Or, if you're using the GNU coreutils:
$ sha256sum -c --ignore-missing SHA256 miniroot78.img: OK
However, this only checks for accidental corruption. You can use signify and the SHA256.sig file to cryptographically verify the downloaded image.
$ signify -Cp /etc/signify/openbsd-78.base.pub -x SHA256.sig miniroot*.img Signature Verified miniroot78.img: OK
Note that the signify package on other operating systems may not include the required public key, or it may be installed in another location.
The install78.iso and install78.img images do not contain an SHA256.sig file, so the installer will complain that it can't check the signature of the included sets:
Directory does not contain SHA256.sig. Continue without verification? [no]
This is because it would make no sense for the installer to verify them. If someone were to make a rogue installation image, they could certainly change the installer to say the files were legitimate. If the image's signature has been verified beforehand, it is safe to answer "yes" at that prompt.
Installing OpenBSD and Getting Started
After your download, please read the Installation Guide to write the image into your USB flash drive and install it on your device.