// getting started

Install & Run

From zero to the Visor menu, four ways.

Requirements

An x86_64 or AArch64 UEFI system.
For building: gnu-efi development files, GCC, binutils (objcopy), make.
Optional: Python 3 for the encryption and font tools (the default font is pre-baked; normal builds need no Python).

Distro	Dependencies command
Arch	`sudo pacman -S gnu-efi base-devel`
Debian / Ubuntu	`sudo apt install gnu-efi build-essential`
Fedora	`sudo dnf install gnu-efi gnu-efi-devel gcc make`
openSUSE	`sudo zypper in gnu-efi-devel gcc make`
Void	`sudo xbps-install gnu-efi-libs gcc make`

Way 1 — one-line install

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IO-ZetZor/Visor-BootManager/main/get.sh | sh

get.sh installs the build dependencies for your package manager (pacman, apt, dnf, zypper, xbps, eopkg), clones the source into ~/.cache/visor-src, builds it, and runs the installer with sudo. Re-running it later pulls and rebuilds the latest version.

Way 2 — AUR (Arch Linux)

Visor is available on the Arch User Repository. Install it with any AUR helper:

yay -S visor

paru -S visor

The AUR package builds the latest tagged release and installs the visor command, the EFI binary, the example config and the assets system-wide. It does not touch your ESP — deploy with:

visor install

Since 1.4 the packaged files are enough: visor install deploys straight from the package (binary, assets, config, boot entry) and visor doctor understands packaged installs — no source checkout needed. Then see First boot below.

Way 3 — clone and install

git clone https://github.com/IO-ZetZor/Visor-BootManager
cd Visor-BootManager
make
sudo ./install.sh

install.sh auto-detects your ESP, copies the binary, icons, backgrounds, and a starter boot.conf to \EFI\visor\, offers to register a UEFI boot entry, sign for Secure Boot, and install a filesystem driver, and installs the host-side visor command. All prompts have flags for unattended use:

Flag	Effect
`--esp PATH`	Use this ESP mount point instead of auto-detecting.
`--no-build`	Install the already-built `visor_x64.efi`.
`--boot-entry` / `--no-boot-entry`	Register a Visor UEFI boot entry via `efibootmgr` / never ask.
`--sign` / `--no-sign`	Sign Visor with `sbctl` after installing / never ask.
`--fs-drivers` / `--no-fs-drivers`	Auto-detect the `/boot` filesystem and install the matching EfiFs driver / never ask.
`--fs-driver PATH`	Install a local EFI filesystem driver into `\EFI\visor\drivers\`.
`--no-cli` / `--cli-dir PATH`	Skip installing the `visor` command / install it elsewhere (default `/usr/local/bin`).
`--force-config`	Overwrite an existing `boot.conf` with the bundled example.

Way 4 — fully manual

sudo mount /dev/sdXn /mnt/esp

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/esp/EFI/visor/icons /mnt/esp/EFI/visor/backgrounds
sudo cp visor_x64.efi              /mnt/esp/EFI/visor/
sudo cp assets/icons/*.png         /mnt/esp/EFI/visor/icons/
sudo cp assets/backgrounds/*.png   /mnt/esp/EFI/visor/backgrounds/
sudo cp boot.conf.example          /mnt/esp/EFI/visor/boot.conf

# For animated wallpapers VBG is recommended (10–20× smaller than MJPEG):
#   visor convert input.mp4 --vbg --out /mnt/esp/EFI/visor/backgrounds/wall.vbg

sudo efibootmgr --create --disk /dev/sdX --part n \
                --label "Visor" --loader '\EFI\visor\visor_x64.efi'

Install on a USB drive

Visor is a UEFI boot manager, not an ISO writer: install it to the FAT32 ESP on the stick, then pick that drive from the firmware's one-time boot menu. With the partition mounted at USB_ESP, run the installer from Linux:

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IO-ZetZor/Visor-BootManager/main/get.sh)" -- \
  --esp "$USB_ESP" --no-boot-entry --no-sign --no-fs-drivers --no-studio --no-cli

--no-boot-entry avoids adding an NVRAM entry on the computer doing the installation; the other options skip host signing, filesystem drivers, Studio and the host-side visor command. Copy the installed binary to the removable-media fallback path as well, so firmware that only looks for \EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI finds it:

sudo install -D -m 0644 \
  "$USB_ESP/EFI/visor/visor_x64.efi" \
  "$USB_ESP/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI"
# AArch64: visor_aa64.efi → EFI/BOOT/BOOTAA64.EFI

This does not boot ISO files by itself; an OS or installer USB still needs an EFI loader that Visor can find and chainload. The full guide, including Secure Boot caveats and hotplug, is in docs/usb-setup.md.

What lands on the ESP

\EFI\visor\
├── visor_x64.efi          the boot manager
├── boot.conf              your configuration (optional — auto-detect without it)
├── boot.log               rolling log of the last 3 boots
├── icons\                 entry icons (PNG)
├── backgrounds\           wallpapers (PNG / GIF / MP4 / VBG)
├── themes\                theme .conf files (optional)
├── drivers\               EfiFs filesystem drivers (optional)
└── snapshots.conf         snapshot manifest (optional, generated, also reads snapshot.conf)

First boot

Reboot; pick Visor in the firmware boot menu (or let the new boot entry take over).
With no boot.conf, Visor auto-detects Windows, UKIs, and kernels — including a working cmdline (see auto-detection).
Otherwise, edit <ESP>/EFI/visor/boot.conf and point entries at your kernels — see Configuration.

Updating

visor update

Clones (first run) or pulls the latest source, rebuilds, and reinstalls without touching your boot.conf. Useful flags: --esp PATH, --sign, --boot-entry, --force-config.

Uninstalling

visor uninstall            # or: visor uninstall --esp /boot/efi

Removes \EFI\visor\ and the UEFI boot entry. Your other boot loaders are untouched — Visor never modifies them.