A Beginner’s Guide to Installing Arch Linux on UEFI Machines

Arch Linux is famous for its minimalism, speed, and control — but it’s equally famous for its challenging installation process. If you’ve ever wanted to install Arch on a modern UEFI-based system but didn’t know where to start, this guide will walk you through the essentials.

We’ll cover the basics, keep it beginner-friendly, and focus on UEFI systems (which most computers made after 2012 use).

What You’ll Need

Before diving in, make sure you have:

A UEFI-capable PC – You can check in your BIOS settings if it supports UEFI.
A USB stick (at least 2 GB) – For the Arch ISO.
Stable internet connection – You’ll need it during installation.
Basic familiarity with the command line – We’ll be typing commands, but I’ll explain what they do.

Step 1: Download and Create the Installation Media

Go to the Arch Linux Downloads page.
Download the latest ISO.
Use a tool like Rufus (Windows), balenaEtcher (Linux/macOS), or the dd command (Linux) to write the ISO to your USB stick.
Make sure you select GPT partition scheme for UEFI in Rufus.

Step 2: Boot Into the Live Environment

Plug in the USB stick and reboot your computer.
Enter your BIOS/UEFI settings (often by pressing F2, DEL, or ESC during boot).
Set USB as the first boot device.
Boot from the Arch USB. You should see the Arch boot menu — choose Boot Arch Linux (x86_64).

Step 3: Verify UEFI Mode

Before installing, confirm you’re in UEFI mode:

ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars

If the directory exists and isn’t empty, you’re in UEFI mode. If not, restart and check your BIOS boot settings.

Step 4: Connect to the Internet

For wired connections, you’re probably online already. For Wi-Fi:

iwctl

Then:

device list
station <device> scan
station <device> get-networks
station <device> connect <SSID>
exit

Test the connection:

ping archlinux.org

Step 5: Partition the Disk

We’ll create a simple layout:

EFI System Partition (ESP) – 512 MB, FAT32
Root partition – Rest of the space, ext4

Run:

fdisk /dev/sdX

Replace sdX with your drive name (check with lsblk).

Inside fdisk:

Create a new GPT table: g
New EFI partition: n, size +512M, type 1 (EFI System)
New root partition: n (use remaining space)
Write changes: w

Step 6: Format the Partitions

mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sdX1
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX2

Step 7: Mount the Partitions

mount /dev/sdX2 /mnt
mkdir /mnt/boot
mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt/boot

Step 8: Install the Base System

pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware vim

Step 9: Generate fstab

genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

Step 10: Chroot Into the New System

arch-chroot /mnt

Step 11: Set Timezone and Locale

ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Region/City /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc

Edit locale:

vim /etc/locale.gen

Uncomment en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 (or your preferred locale), then:

locale-gen
echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf

Step 12: Set Hostname

echo "myarch" > /etc/hostname

Step 13: Set Root Password

passwd

Step 14: Install Bootloader for UEFI

We’ll use GRUB:

pacman -S grub efibootmgr
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Step 15: Exit and Reboot

exit
umount -R /mnt
reboot

Remove the USB when prompted.

Post-Installation Tips

Install a network manager:

pacman -S networkmanager
systemctl enable NetworkManager

Create a normal user:

useradd -m -G wheel username
passwd username

Install sudo and enable wheel group in /etc/sudoers.

Next Steps: Installing a Desktop Environment

Now that you have a working base Arch installation, you’ll probably want a desktop environment. If you’re a fan of GNOME, follow this guide:
How to Install GNOME Desktop on Arch Linux

Final Thoughts

Installing Arch Linux on UEFI might seem intimidating at first, but once you break it down into clear steps, it’s just a matter of patience and attention to detail. The real power of Arch comes after installation, when you customize it exactly how you want.

With your base system set up and a desktop environment installed, you’ll have a fast, clean, and completely personalized Linux experience.

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!