~260 MB (the smallest official stable release).
~40 MB (this is only an installer that downloads the rest of the OS during setup). How to Get the Smallest Possible Ubuntu
At approximately 40MB , this is the smallest "bootable" file available. It provides a text-based installer that fetches only the packages you need from online archives, allowing for a tailored, lightweight system.
The concept of a image is a popular search term, but it requires a reality check regarding what is technically possible. While standard Ubuntu Desktop installations require roughly 25GB of storage and official ISO downloads exceed 5.7GB , achieving a 10MB footprint is impossible for a fully functional operating system .
However, you can achieve extremely small footprints through specific minimal versions and advanced compression techniques. The Reality of Ubuntu File Sizes
Designed for IoT and embedded devices, this version is stripped of all non-essential components and has a footprint of roughly 260MB .
To understand why "10MB" is a myth for a full OS, consider the baseline requirements for modern Ubuntu releases: ~5.7 GB. Ubuntu Server ISO: ~2.5 GB.
Many third-party sites claim to offer "Ubuntu highly compressed to 10MB" using tools like KGB Archiver or 7-Zip. Users should be extremely cautious: Download Ubuntu for IoT boards