How to Turn Your Raspberry Pi SSD into a Reusable OS Image

Need a reliable backup of your Raspberry Pi SSD? This quick guide shows how to create a reusable .img file from your SSD so you can flash it anytime using Raspberry Pi Imager.

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1. Goal

• Create a pi-os-backup.img file (or compressed .img.xz)
• Use it to flash onto a new SSD as a ready-to-use OS image
• Preserve your OS and all data

2. Requirements

• macOS or Linux
• SSD connected via USB/SATA
• Enough free space for the image (≥ SSD size)
• Know the correct disk ID (e.g., /dev/disk2, /dev/sda)

3. How to create backup file

Step 1: Identify the Raspberry Pi SSD

Plug in the SSD and run:

bash
diskutil list

Find the correct external disk (e.g., /dev/disk2).

Step 2: Unmount the Disk

bash
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk2

Step 3: Create the .img File

bash
sudo dd if=/dev/disk2 of=~/Desktop/pi-os-backup.img bs=4m

This may take 15 - 45 minutes depending on the SSD size.

Step 4: (Optional) Compress the Image

bash
xz -z ~/Desktop/pi-os-backup.img

Creates a .img.xz file for Raspberry Pi Imager.

3. Flash the Image

Open Raspberry Pi Imager, choose "Use custom image", and select your .img.xz file.

4. Backup Tips

Store your image file in:

• External hard drive
• NAS
• Cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)

5. Conclusion

With a few simple steps, you can back up your Raspberry Pi OS SSD and restore it anytime using Raspberry Pi Imager.