A persistent Ubuntu live USB keeps files, installed packages, and desktop changes after you restart. mkusb creates the drive from an Ubuntu ISO and reserves writable storage, so you can carry a live environment without installing Ubuntu on the computer’s internal disk.
The tool rewrites the target USB. Download the current Ubuntu Desktop ISO from Ubuntu’s download page, then confirm the device name before you accept mkusb’s final write.
What you need before creating the drive
Use a USB drive whose contents you can erase, an Ubuntu Desktop ISO, and an Ubuntu based system where you can install mkusb. The ISO download page currently lists Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.
- Back up the target USB drive. mkusb overwrites it.
- Download the ISO directly from Ubuntu and keep it on local storage.
- Use a larger, faster USB drive if you plan to install packages or keep files in the persistent area.
If you only need a standard installer, use the separate workflow to create a bootable USB from an ISO. Persistence is useful when you need a live session that retains your work across restarts.
Install mkusb from its Ubuntu package source
The Ubuntu Community Help Wiki documents the mkusb PPA package set for the graphical tool and its supporting packages.
sudo add-apt-repository universe
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/ppa
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --install-recommends mkusb mkusb-nox usb-pack-efi
Start the graphical Do USB Stuff interface with mkusb-dus. Its dialogs identify the source ISO and the target device separately, but the final confirmation still needs your full attention.
Identify the USB drive before opening mkusb
Connect the USB drive and list block devices. Match the removable drive by its size and model, not only by a short device name such as sdb.
lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,MODEL,TRAN,TYPE,MOUNTPOINTS
The device listing gives you a reference before the graphical picker appears. Do not continue if you cannot identify the target with confidence.
Close files on the target drive before starting, and format a USB drive on Linux after copying off anything you need when you are repurposing an earlier installer.
Create the persistent Ubuntu live USB in mkusb-dus
Open mkusb-dus, accept the administrative prompt, and choose Install or clone a boot device. Select Persistent live when the tool asks for the drive type, then select the Ubuntu ISO you downloaded.
This choice starts a new bootable drive. It is not the restore or wipe workflow.
Selecting a normal live drive leaves no persistent system area. Choose the persistent option before you select the source ISO.
Use the ISO file itself, not an extracted folder or an existing mounted USB drive.
Read the size and model again at this point. A wrong selection destroys the contents of that device.
Keep the default EFI support option unless you have a specific compatibility requirement. The Ubuntu Community Help Wiki documents additional mkusb variants when the default workflow does not fit your hardware.
The persistence allocation is the writable Linux system area. Larger allocations help when you plan to update packages, while the remaining data partition is useful for files you want to access separately.
Choose Go only after the source and target are correct. Wait for the completion dialog before ejecting the USB drive.
Boot and verify persistence
Boot from the USB, choose its persistent live entry, create a small file in your home folder, restart, and confirm that the file remains.
A file that remains after reboot confirms that you started the persistent entry and that the writable area is working. If the USB is not visible in the file manager after boot, use this guide to mount a USB drive on Linux before diagnosing the device.
Choose a full USB installation when persistence is not enough
A persistent live USB is convenient for portable sessions, recovery work, and occasional use. If you need unrestricted package management, a conventional disk layout, or a long lived daily workstation, install a full Linux system on a USB drive instead.
If your use case requires protected portable data, you can also create an encrypted persistent Kali USB. That workflow adds encryption and has different boot and performance tradeoffs.
What does persistence mean on an Ubuntu live USB?
Persistence gives the live USB writable storage that survives restart. Files, settings, and packages saved in the persistent area remain available when you boot the persistent live entry again.
Does mkusb erase the target USB drive?
Yes. mkusb rewrites the target device while it creates the bootable persistent drive. Back up the USB and verify its size and model before you approve the final write.
When should you install a full Linux system on a USB instead?
Choose a full USB installation when you need a normal installed system with unrestricted package management and disk layout control. A persistent live USB suits portable live sessions and temporary work.
Keep the ISO and the USB drive label handy until you have completed the reboot check. That gives you a clear source and target if you need to rebuild the drive later.