How to Setup Raspberry Pi Zero W for Headless

The following instructions will work anytime, you don't necessarily have to follow them for the first boot - this is just a very convenient way to get your Raspberry Pi onto a network without using any plug-in peripherals like a keyboard, mouse or monitor.

What is "headless," anyway?

A computer setup without a monitor is said to be running headless. You might want to do this if you're installing your Pi into some project, or want to keep power-usage and cost minimal. This kind of setup is what the Pi Zero W was built for. The idea is that you can still access your Pi's terminal interface over your network using a protocol called SSH.


The full tutorial for this video (with images and step-by-step tips) https://core-electronics.com.au/tutorials/raspberry-pi-zerow-headless-wifi-setup.html

Core Electronics is your home in Australia for Raspberry Pi https://core-electronics.com.au/brands/raspberry-pi-australia

Including the Raspberry Pi Zero! https://core-electronics.com.au/raspberry-pi-zero-w-wireless.html