YUMI review
A free, feature-rich choice for multiboot USBs with persistence and backups.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
YUMI is a free bootable USB utility for creating multiboot drives on Windows and Linux. It can combine Linux distributions, Windows installers, antivirus rescue tools, recovery utilities, and diagnostic images on one USB drive, with a boot menu for selecting them. Users can add or remove ISO files without reformatting the drive. Its focus suits technicians, support teams, Linux users, and anyone who wants one reusable USB for installation, recovery, and troubleshooting tasks.
The strongest part of YUMI is the breadth of its multiboot workflow. Supported Linux distributions can use persistent storage, while automatic downloads reduce the steps required to obtain supported releases. Multiple image installations can be queued into one batch, and installed images can be tested with QEMU or USB drives with VirtualBox. The product also includes USB backup, restore, and cloning, extending it beyond image creation into drive maintenance. YUMI Py supports Windows and Linux, and YUMI exFAT is available for multiboot USB workflows.
YUMI is a practical choice when a free tool needs to cover more than a single installer image. Its main constraints are equally clear: persistence applies only to compatible Linux distributions, and there is no macOS app in the supported platform list. The local-network streaming feature can expose installed ISOs through a browser, but it is tied to that local-network workflow rather than replacing the core USB process. Choose YUMI for multiboot flexibility, persistence, downloads, testing, and USB backups; choose another tool if macOS support or broader persistence compatibility is essential.
YUMI pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Creates multiboot USBs with multiple ISO and IMG files
- Supports persistence, automatic downloads, and batch installation
- Backs up, restores, clones, and tests USB images virtually
- Where it doesn't
- Persistent storage works only with supported Linux distributions
- No macOS app is listed among its supported platforms
- Local-network ISO streaming requires a browser-based workflow
YUMI fact sheet, pricing and score →
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