If you’re looking to turn your Raspberry Pi 5 into a retro gaming machine, this guide walks you through the entire process of installing RetroPie — even though it’s not officially supported yet. You’ll learn how to flash Raspberry Pi OS, update your system, clone the RetroPie repository, run the setup script, and configure autostart so your Pi boots straight into Emulation Station.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Downloading Raspberry Pi Imager
Start by downloading the official Raspberry Pi Imager from: https://raspberrypi.com/software
Choose the version for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux), install it, and launch the application.
Preparing Your microSD Card
Use a blank microSD card if possible. If it contains data, back it up first — the flashing process wipes everything.
Installing Raspberry Pi OS
Inside Raspberry Pi Imager:
- Choose Device → Raspberry Pi 5
- Choose OS → Raspberry Pi OS (64‑bit)
- Choose Storage → Your microSD card
Click Next, skip OS customization for now, and confirm the warning that the card will be erased.
The OS will now be written to your card.
Booting Into Raspberry Pi OS
Insert the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi 5 and power it on.
Complete the initial setup:
- Country
- Time zone
- Language
- Username & password
Once you reach the desktop, you’re ready to install RetroPie.
Updating the System
Open the terminal and run:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
Installing Git
RetroPie is installed via Git, so make sure it’s available:
sudo apt install git
Cloning the RetroPie Repository
Clone the official RetroPie setup script:
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup.git
Move into the directory:
cd RetroPie-Setup
Running the RetroPie Setup Script
Make the setup script executable:
chmod +x setup.sh
Run the installer:
sudo ./setup.sh
You may see warnings about Raspberry Pi 5 not being officially supported yet — this is expected. Continue anyway.
Choose:
Basic Install → Yes
This step can take a while.
Configuring Autostart & Tweaks
After installation, run the script again:
sudo ./retropie_setup.sh
Navigate to:
Configuration / Tools → autostart → Start EmulationStation at boot
Then enable the Bash Welcome Tweak for helpful boot info.
Rebooting Into RetroPie
Reboot your Pi:
sudo reboot
When it restarts, it should automatically boot into EmulationStation, confirming RetroPie is installed and working.
What’s Next in the Series
This is just the beginning. Upcoming guides will cover:
- Installing RetroAchievements
- Configuring RetroArch
- Adding cheats
- Copying ROMs
- Optimizing performance on Raspberry Pi 5
Stay tuned for the next posts in the series.
Join HAVOK’s Community
Want help, inspiration, or a place to share your builds? Join HAVOK and the community on Discord: 👉 https://havok.link/discord-wp
We’d love to see your Raspberry Pi setups and help you level up your homelab and retro gaming projects.