How to Set Up a Headless Raspberry Pi, No Monitor Needed
Raspberry Pis are so convenient because they're inexpensive and small, but connecting one to its own monitor, keyboard and mouse requires a lot more space and money. If you're just trying to program on the Pi or use it to control electronics such as lights, motors and sensors, there's no need to connect it to a display or input devices because you can control the system remotely, using a VNC or SSH client on your main computer. We call this screenless install a headless Raspberry Pi setup.
By default, the Raspberry Pi's official operating system, Raspberry Pi OS (formerly known as Raspbian), installs with all forms of remote access disabled. But the good news is that you don't need to connect to a monitor and keyboard in order to turn them on. By following the instructions below, you can create a headless Raspberry Pi that's ready for remote access before you boot it up for the very first time. If you have a monitor and keyboard on hand, you can also see our guide on How to Set Up a Raspberry Pi for the First Time.