Get your angelOS device running
You don't need new hardware. An old laptop or a free virtual machine works just as well — both are just a safe little window onto app.angelos.app, where everything actually happens.
Give an old laptop a second life
Any laptop from around 2010 onwards can become an angelOS device. Five steps, no technical knowledge required.
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1. Download the ISO
The angelOS system image. Free, and small enough to fit on any USB stick.
DownloadangelOS ISO
910 MB
SHA256 checksum
7e78b094b681e74b680a5700fa95addcd8fa57ea5e9581b955e0d5926daebf4cBuilt on August 21, 2026
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2. Write it to a USB stick
Use balenaEtcher (free, for Windows, Mac and Linux) to write the ISO to a USB stick of 4GB or larger. Select the file, select the stick, click Flash.
balenaEtcher -
3. Boot from the USB stick
Put the stick in the laptop and restart it. The very first time, you need to open the boot menu:
- ⌘ On a Mac: hold the Option (⌥) key right after you hear the startup chime.
- F12 On most PCs: press F12, Esc or F2 while the manufacturer logo appears (it varies per brand).
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4. First boot: language and wifi
angelOS starts with a short setup: pick your language, then connect to your home wifi. That's it.
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5. Log in or create your family
Already have an account? Log in. New to angelOS? Start your free 14-day trial, no payment details required.
What you need
- A 64-bit computer (x86_64) — practically anything from ~2010 or later
- 4 GB RAM recommended
- 16 GB free disk space for installation
angelOS works great on machines from around 2010 onwards. That laptop in the closet is probably good enough.
Run angelOS as a virtual machine
No spare laptop lying around? A free virtual machine on your own computer works just as well, and takes about ten minutes to set up.
VirtualBox (recommended)
RecommendedFree, open source, no account needed. Install VirtualBox, then choose File → Import Appliance and point it at the angelOS OVA below.
VirtualBoxangelOS OVA (Virtual Appliance)
3.3 GB
SHA256 checksum
9955afd901e2df7846fc1dfaa202d2888b06c6491b1b4ec22041a01510058ecd Built on August 22, 2026
VMware Workstation Pro / Fusion Pro
Also free since 2024, but it requires a (free) Broadcom account to download. If you already use VMware, the same OVA file works there too.
Apple Silicon Mac (M1/M2/M3/M4)?
These laptops run on ARM chips, and angelOS needs x86_64. A virtual machine would run through UTM's emulation, which is slow. We'd rather be honest: on Apple Silicon, just open app.angelos.app in your browser — it works instantly, no VM needed.
app.angelos.appSame Angel, whichever door you open
Whichever route you pick, everything actually happens in your browser at app.angelos.app. The laptop or virtual machine is just a safe little window onto it, a thin client. No data, files or history are ever stored on the device itself.