This guide walks you through installing Parrot Linux on a computer with the graphical installer, Calamares. The steps are the same for the Security and Home editions. Plan for about 20 minutes, most of it waiting for files to copy.
Before you start
- Check the hardware. A 64-bit CPU, at least 2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended) and 40 GB of free disk for the Security Edition, 20 GB for Home. See system requirements.
- Back up your data. Partitioning mistakes are rare but cannot be undone.
- Get and verify the ISO. Pick an edition in the download guide and check its signature.
- Create a boot USB drive. See how to create a Parrot USB drive.
- Prepare the firmware. Disable Secure Boot in the UEFI settings. If you will keep Windows on the same disk, read dual boot with Windows first.
1. Boot the installer
Insert the USB drive, open your computer’s boot menu (often F12, F11, F8 or Esc right after power-on) and choose the USB drive. In the Parrot boot menu select Try / Install and press Enter.
After a few seconds the live desktop appears. You can try the system first: check Wi-Fi, sound and the screen, see supported hardware.
2. Start Calamares
Double-click Install Parrot Linux on the desktop.
3. Language, location and keyboard
- Choose the language of the installed system.
- Select your region and time zone on the map.
- Choose your keyboard layout and test it in the text box before you continue. A wrong layout here means a wrong password later.
4. Partitioning
This is the only step that changes your disk. Calamares offers three choices:
| Option | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Erase disk | Parrot will be the only system on this disk. Simplest and recommended for most users. |
| Install alongside | You want to keep Windows or another system. Drag the divider to give Parrot at least 40 GB. |
| Manual partitioning | You need a custom layout. You must create at least a root partition (/) and, on UEFI systems, use the existing EFI partition mounted at /boot/efi. |
Further options on the same screen:
- File system: Btrfs is the default and allows snapshots. ext4 is the simpler alternative.
- Swap: choose a swap option if the computer has little RAM or you want hibernation. See the Debian wiki on swap.
- Encrypt system: tick it and set a passphrase to protect the disk with LUKS. Strongly recommended on laptops. Without the passphrase the data cannot be recovered.
5. Create your user
Enter your name, a user name, a computer name and a password. Use a long password: it also unlocks administrative commands with sudo.
6. Review and install
The summary lists every change. Check the partitioning part carefully, then click Install and confirm with Install now. On an SSD the copy takes a few minutes. When it finishes, restart and remove the USB drive.
7. First steps after installing
- Log in with the user you created.
- Install all updates:
sudo parrot-upgrade - Install drivers if you need them, for example the Nvidia driver.
- On the Home Edition, add the tools you need with
sudo apt install; see software management. - If Btrfs is in use, consider setting up snapshots before making big changes.
Problems during installation
- The USB drive does not boot: disable Secure Boot, try another USB port, or rewrite the drive.
- Black screen after the boot menu: often an Nvidia card. Choose a boot entry with safe graphics options if available, then install the Nvidia driver after installation.
- The installer does not see the disk: switch the SATA mode from RAID/Intel RST to AHCI in the firmware (in Windows, prepare this first or Windows may not boot afterwards).
- No boot menu after installing: see troubleshooting GRUB.
FAQ
How long does installing Parrot Linux take?
About 10–20 minutes on an SSD, plus the time for the first update.
Can I install Parrot without a USB drive?
Yes, in a virtual machine. See Parrot on VirtualBox.
What is the root password?
There is no separate root password. Your user’s password works with sudo.
