Commonly Used Operating Systems on ARM Processors
ARM processors are widely used in various scenarios—from embedded devices to servers—due to their low power consumption, high performance, and scalability. They support a rich variety of operating systems. Below is a categorized list of commonly used OSes on ARM platforms:
FreeRTOS
An open-source RTOS for resource-constrained embedded devices (e.g., sensors, small controllers).
Zephyr
A lightweight, modular RTOS supporting multiple ARM architectures (Cortex-M/R/A), ideal for IoT devices.
VxWorks
A commercial-grade RTOS used in aerospace, industrial control, and other high-reliability applications.
ThreadX
A real-time OS acquired by Microsoft and rebranded as Azure RTOS, suited for deeply embedded systems.
Android
Linux-based, dominating smartphones and tablets, optimized for ARM (e.g., Cortex-A series).
iOS/iPadOS
Apple’s mobile OS, running on custom ARM chips (e.g., A-series, M-series).
HarmonyOS (Huawei)
Supports multi-device smart ecosystems and is ARM-compatible.
Raspberry Pi OS
A Debian-based OS optimized for Raspberry Pi (ARM architecture).
Ubuntu ARM
Officially supports ARM servers (e.g., AWS Graviton) and development boards (e.g., Raspberry Pi).
Debian/Arch Linux ARM
Community-maintained ARM ports for various development boards.
Fedora ARM
A Red Hat-based distribution supporting Cortex-A/R/M series.
Yocto Project
Used for building custom embedded Linux systems on ARM.
Ubuntu Server
Optimized for ARM servers (e.g., Ampere Altra, AWS Graviton).
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Supports ARM64 for enterprise applications.
SUSE Linux Enterprise
Offers an ARM server edition.
Windows Server ARM
Microsoft’s server OS for ARM64 (e.g., Azure deployments).
macOS
Apple’s desktop OS for ARM-based Silicon (M1/M2 chips).
Windows on ARM
Microsoft’s Windows version for ARM laptops (e.g., Surface Pro X).
QNX
A real-time OS for automotive, medical, and critical systems.
OpenWrt
Embedded Linux for ARM-based routers.
Fuchsia
Google’s microkernel OS, supporting ARM devices (e.g., Nest Hub).
RISC-V + ARM Hybrid Ecosystem
Some open-source projects now support both RISC-V and ARM architectures.
Embedded Devices: FreeRTOS, Zephyr
Mobile Devices: Android, iOS
Development Boards/Education: Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu ARM
Servers: Ubuntu Server, RHEL
Real-Time Requirements: VxWorks, ThreadX
ARM’s cross-domain adaptability makes it one of the most dominant processor architectures, with a continuously expanding OS ecosystem covering everything from microcontrollers to data centers.
