# Install USB Relay on a Raspberry Pi

> Pick a Raspberry Pi model, image the SD card with Raspberry Pi OS Lite, and install the arm64 USB Relay package on it.

A Raspberry Pi is a common, low-cost way to run USB Relay near the Stream Decks it's relaying: this guide covers choosing a model, imaging the SD card, and getting it ready for the software. Installing and managing the software itself is identical to Install USB Relay on Linux , so this page links there rather than repeating those steps. Choose a model USB Relay only needs a 64-bit ARM Raspberry Pi (the current package targets arm64) and isn't especially memory-hungry: a 4GB model comfortably covers most setups. As an informal guideline from Bitfocus' own testing, not an exhaustive benchmark: Model Test case Recommendation 3B, 1GB 15 buttons A single Stream Deck with feedbacks that don't need high frame rates; avoid scrolling text. 4B, 4GB 42 buttons Comfortably handles 1–3 Stream Decks depending on model. 5, 8GB 50–100+ buttons Should suffice for most setups: you're more likely to be limited by available USB power than the Pi itself. If you need more than 4 USB ports, use a powered hub and confirm it's compatible with your Pi first. If in doubt, test with your actual hardware and button count rather than relying on this table alone. Image the SD card Download Raspberry Pi Imager from raspberrypi.com/software and insert your SD card. Select your Raspberry Pi model. Choose Raspberry Pi OS (other) → Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit) : a CLI-only image keeps boot time and resource use down, and USB Relay has no need for a desktop environment. Select your SD card (double check you haven't selected another connected drive by mistake). Set a Hostname : this also becomes the relay's name when it shows up in Buttons, so make it something recognizable. Set your localization settings. Set a username and password for the Pi's admin account, and record it somewhere safe. Configure Wi-Fi if you're not using a wired connection. Enable SSH , with password authentication or a key pair as you prefer. Write the image, then move the card to the Pi, connect it to the network, and plug in your Stream Deck and power supply. Connect and install Connect to the Pi, either over SSH or with Raspberry Pi Connect (a remote-access service from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, useful if the Pi isn't on your local network): ssh <username>@<ip of the Pi> Download the arm64 USB Relay package and transfer the .deb file to the Pi (an SFTP client such as FileZilla, connecting to sftp://<pi ip>:22 , works well for this). Install it exactly as on any other Linux system: sudo apt install ./bitfocus-buttons-usb-relay-headless_*.deb Confirm it started: systemctl status bitfocus-buttons-usb-relay The service should show as active (running) : From here, everything else (checking logs, configuring outbound connection mode, managing the service, uninstalling, and handling a Buttons certificate change) is exactly as described in Install USB Relay on Linux . If you get stuck What you see What to try The Pi feels underpowered for your button count. Compare your setup against the model guidance above, and consider a higher-memory model or fewer Stream Decks per Pi. USB devices behave inconsistently with several Stream Decks attached. Use a powered USB hub, and confirm it's actually compatible with your specific Pi model before assuming the software is at fault. Everything past installation: service status, logs, discovery, uninstall. See Install USB Relay on Linux ; the software behaves identically once installed. Where to go next Install USB Relay on Linux Add and attach a surface