Install on Raspberry Pi

The Élise OS image contains Ubuntu Server 24.04 for Raspberry Pi 4 and 5. On first boot it downloads the Élise components, then opens the account assistant.

You will need a Raspberry Pi 4 with 8 GB of memory (recommended; a Pi 5 works too, 4 GB minimum), a 32 GB card or SSD, and a computer with Raspberry Pi Imager.

Raspberry Pi 4/5 image · v0.1.121.5 GB · released on 2 November 2026

elise-os-v0.1.12-raspberry-pi-arm64.img.xz
SHA-256 3231f45e3471a42b925ec2739c37013b00551efe49e9d7aa3ed286a30d184870

Download the image

SHA-256 · Sigstore · All files

Write the image

1. Open Raspberry Pi Imager and choose your Raspberry Pi model.

2. Under Operating System, choose Use custom, then select the elise-os-…-raspberry-pi-arm64.img.xz file.

   You can also add the Élise repository to Imager to find the latest release in its list:

   https://github.com/Elise-OS/EliseOS/releases/latest/download/os_list.json

3. In Imager’s settings, set the hostname to elise, plus your Wi-Fi network (unless you use Ethernet), country, time zone and, if you wish, your SSH key.

4. Write the image to the card or SSD, put it in the Raspberry Pi and power it on.

Finish from the browser

Or from your phone

The Élise app finds the box on the Wi-Fi, follows its preparation and creates the environment without a computer: see Set up from your phone.

1. On a computer or phone on the same network, open http://elise.local. The Élise mobile app also finds the hub at this stage.

2. The Preparing Élise page follows each step and the number of components downloaded. Allow a few minutes depending on your connection. It then hands over to the assistant automatically.

3. Create the administrator account in the three-step assistant. This page is only reachable from the local network.

4. Pair Tailscale from the assistant for remote access. Jitsi, full-screen Chromium, the HDMI output and camera and microphone permissions then finish automatically, with no second command.

Internet outage

An Internet outage does not prevent the Raspberry Pi from booting. The preparation page shows the problem and installation resumes on its own when the connection comes back.

The Zigbee adapter

Plug it in whenever you like, before or after installation. Élise detects it, picks the right driver and restarts Zigbee2MQTT. Unplugging the adapter stops Zigbee2MQTT cleanly. Its status is in /var/lib/elise/zigbee/status.json.

Verify the image (optional)

Every published file has a SHA-256 checksum and a Sigstore signature. The verification commands are on the Download page.

Next

• First boot: the assistant and first settings.
• Remote access: invite relatives.
• The elise command: manage the hub over SSH.