The guide explains how to install balenaEtcher on Fedora 36 by using Flatpak, which bundles all required dependencies and avoids the broken official RPM that expects an older glibc. It walks through enabling Flathub, installing the Etcher flatpak package, and launching it—granting the necessary permission to access removable drives when prompted. An alternative method is also provided: downloading and running the AppImage directly, though you’ll still need to authenticate for flashing. Finally, the article notes common issues such as permission errors or USB detection problems and shows how to resolve them, plus a reminder to keep Etcher updated via flatpak update.

Install Etcher on Fedora 36

If you need a painless way to flash ISO files onto USB sticks, this guide shows exactly how to get balenaEtcher running on Fedora 36 from the terminal. You’ll avoid the usual “missing dependency” headaches and end up with a GUI that actually works.

Why the official RPM isn’t enough

Fedora’s repos don’t ship Etcher, so the first instinct is to download the .rpm from the balena website. I tried that after a fresh Fedora 36 install and hit a cascade of unmet libraries (glibc‑2.34‑something). The upstream package is built for older glibc versions, which makes the RPM route brittle.

Install Etcher with Flatpak (my preferred method)

Flatpak bundles everything Etcher needs, so you sidestep the dependency drama entirely.

1. Enable Flathub – This single repository hosts the Etcher flatpak.

   sudo dnf install -y flatpak
   flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
   

   Why? Without Flathub the flatpak install command won’t know where to pull the package from.

2. Pull the Etcher runtime – This downloads and installs the app.

   flatpak install -y flathub io.balena.Etcher
   

   Why? The -y flag skips the interactive prompt, keeping the process script‑friendly.

3. Launch Etcher – Either from your desktop menu or via terminal:

   flatpak run io.balena.Etcher
   

   Why? Running through Flatpak ensures the sandboxed environment can access removable drives; you’ll be asked to grant permission the first time.

That’s it. Etcher opens, detects any plugged‑in USB sticks, and lets you select an image file with a single click.

Alternative: AppImage (quick hack)

If you dislike Flatpak, grab the AppImage from balena’s GitHub releases:

wget https://github.com/balena-io/etcher/releases/download/v1.7.9/balenaEtcher-1.7.9-x64.AppImage -O Etcher.AppImage
chmod +x Etcher.AppImage
./Etcher.AppImage

The AppImage runs in user space, so no root privileges are needed for the launch itself. However, you’ll still have to supply your password when flashing a drive.

Common pitfalls and how I fixed them

• “Permission denied” when writing – Fedora’s default polkit rules block non‑root writes from sandboxed apps. After the first run, Flatpak will pop up a dialog asking for permission to access removable media; click “Allow”. If it never appears, run flatpak override --user --device=all io.balena.Etcher.

• Missing USB after hot‑plug – I once unplugged a stick while Etcher was still scanning and the UI froze. The fix is simply to close Etcher, re‑plug the drive, and start again. The flatpak sandbox isolates the crash so your system stays clean.

Keep Etcher up to date

Flatpak tracks the latest release automatically:

flatpak update io.balena.Etcher

Running this once a month keeps you on the newest version without chasing down manual downloads.

That should cover everything you need to get balenaEtcher working on Fedora 36. Happy flashing, and may your USB sticks never be “corrupt” again!