Ventoy Persistence (Limited OS Support)

Ventoy Persistence Setup (Limited OS Support)

Important: Ventoy persistence support depends on how the Linux ISO was built. Not all Linux distributions support persistence when booted through Ventoy. Some modern Live ISOs may not reliably retain changes.

Persistence allows supported Linux systems to save files and settings between reboots. Without persistence, most Live Linux sessions reset after restart.

Works with: Many Debian-based Live ISOs, MX Linux, some Ubuntu-based builds.
May NOT work reliably with: Certain modern Ubuntu/Mint releases depending on ISO structure.
Will NOT work with: Read-only rescue tools and Tails (see note below).
Tails Persistence Is Different
Tails does not use Ventoy persistence. It creates its own encrypted storage inside Tails.

👉 Linux Tails – Persistence Storage Capability

Recommended Alternative (If You Need Reliable Persistence)

If you require fully reliable persistence for a single Linux OS, we recommend a dedicated single-OS USB built specifically with persistence support .

Before You Start

  • Back up important data from your USB.
  • Your USB must already be configured with Ventoy.
  • Persistence is configured per ISO, not globally.

Step 1: Download Ventoy

Extract the downloaded archive before proceeding.

Step 2: Create the Persistence (.dat) File (Windows)

Ventoy uses a .dat file to store persistent changes. The file size determines how much data can be saved.

  1. Locate your USB drive letter (example: E:).
  2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  3. Create a 500MB persistence file: 
    fsutil file createnew E:\ventoy\ubuntu_persistence.dat 524288000
    Replace E: with your actual USB drive letter.

Common Size Values

  • 250MB → 262144000
  • 500MB → 524288000
  • 1GB → 1073741824
  • 2GB → 2147483648
  • 5GB → 5368709120

Note: Reserved space cannot be used for other files.

Step 3: Configure VentoyPlugson

  1. Run VentoyPlugson.
  2. Select your Ventoy USB.
  3. Open the Persistence plugin.
  4. Add the ISO file path.
  5. Add the .dat file path.
  6. Save changes.

Step 4: Boot With Persistence

  1. Boot from USB.
  2. Select ISO in Ventoy.
  3. Choose boot option labeled Persistence.

Test Persistence

  1. Create a test file.
  2. Reboot.
  3. If file remains → persistence works ✅

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn’t persistence work with my ISO?
The ISO may not support Ventoy persistence. Some distributions changed boot structures.
Why is there no persistence option in the menu?
The ISO path may not match exactly, or the persistence plugin was not saved correctly.
Is persistence encrypted?
Ventoy .dat files are not encrypted by default unless the distribution supports encrypted persistence internally.

Need Help?

Tell us which ISO you are using and what happens when you boot — we’ll guide you step-by-step.