Set up Linux on your Chromebook (2024)

Linux is a feature that lets you develop software using your Chromebook. You can install Linux command line tools, code editors, and IDEs (integrated development environments) on your Chromebook. These can be used to write code, create apps, and more. Check which devices have Linux.

Important: If you use your Chromebook at work or school, you might not be able to use Linux. For more information, contact your administrator.

Turn on Linux

Linux is off by default. You can turn it on any time from Settings.

  1. On your Chromebook, at the bottom right, select the time.
  2. Select Settings Set up Linux on your Chromebook (1) Set up Linux on your Chromebook (2) About ChromeOS Set up Linux on your Chromebook (3) Developers.
  3. Next to "Linux development environment," select Turn On.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions. Setup can take 10 minutes or more.
  5. A terminal window opens. You have a Debian 11 (Bullseye) environment. You can run Linux commands, install more tools using the APT package manager, and customize your shell.

Turn off Linux

  1. At the bottom right, select the time.
  2. Select Settings Set up Linux on your Chromebook (4) Set up Linux on your Chromebook (5) About ChromeOS Set up Linux on your Chromebook (6) Developers Set up Linux on your Chromebook (7) Linux development environment.
  3. Under "Remove Linux development environment," select Remove.

Access your microphone on Linux

You can use your microphone when Linux is turned on.

  1. At the bottom right, select the time.
  2. Select Settings Set up Linux on your Chromebook (8).
  3. On the left, select Linux.
  4. Turn on Allow Linux to access your microphone.

Security & permissions

To protect your computer, your Chromebook typically runs each app in a "sandbox." However, all Linux apps run inside the same sandbox. This means a harmful Linux app can affect other Linux apps, but not the rest of your Chromebook.

Permissions and files shared with Linux are available to all Linux apps.

Back up & restore

If you have trouble with back up and restore,learn how to back up and replace your Linux files and apps.

Fix problems with Linux

If you experience issues with Linux or Linux apps, try the following steps:

  • Restart your Chromebook.
  • Check that your virtual machine is up-to-date. In your browser, go to chrome://components. Under "cros-termina," select Check for update. If you download an update, you might need to restart your Chromebook.
  • Update your packages. Open the Terminal app Set up Linux on your Chromebook (9), and then run this command: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Tip: You might need to restart your Chromebook for changes to take effect. Linux automatically checks for new packages after initial setup and every 24 hours when it is running.

Check what’s not supported yet

  • Cameras aren't yet supported.
  • Android devices are supported over USB, but other devices aren't yet supported.
  • Android Emulators aren't yet supported.
  • Hardware acceleration isn't yet supported, including GPU and video decode.
  • ChromeVox is supported for the default Terminal app, but not yet for other Linux apps.

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Set up Linux on your Chromebook (2024)

FAQs

Set up Linux on your Chromebook? ›

To protect your computer, your Chromebook typically runs each app in a 'sandbox'. However, all Linux apps run inside the same sandbox. This means that a harmful Linux app can affect other Linux apps, but not the rest of your Chromebook. Permissions and files shared with Linux are available to all Linux apps.

Is it safe to install Linux on Chromebook? ›

To protect your computer, your Chromebook typically runs each app in a 'sandbox'. However, all Linux apps run inside the same sandbox. This means that a harmful Linux app can affect other Linux apps, but not the rest of your Chromebook. Permissions and files shared with Linux are available to all Linux apps.

Why is Linux not installing on my Chromebook? ›

Not all chromebooks will allow Linux install. Usually the ones with Intel processor will work while ones with ARM processors will not. Make sure you follow the recommendations to create a chrome backup disk before your start.

Can you wipe a Chromebook and install Linux? ›

Get a Full Linux Desktop With Crouton

In order to install Crouton, you'll need to put your Chromebook in Developer Mode. This will erase all your files and settings, so back up anything that isn't already synced to the cloud.

What happens if I turn on Linux on my Chromebook? ›

Built and designed with ChromeOS' principles of simplicity and security, Linux on Chromebooks gives devs the freedom to safely run their favorite editors, IDEs, and thousands of world-class dev tools in one container. Turning on Linux will install a Terminal that you can use to run command line tools.

Is Chromebook Linux worth it? ›

Is installing Linux on a Chromebook a good idea? It is and it isn't. it is if you want to expand the abilities of the Chromebook to do more than it would as a Chromebook running ChromeOS. And if you do stuff that's heavily web-dependent, then no, it's not necessary, though it won't hurt your productivity either.

How long does it take to install Linux on Chromebook? ›

Developers. Next to "Linux development environment," select Turn On. Follow the on-screen instructions. Setup can take 10 minutes or more.

What version of Linux is on Chromebook? ›

ChromeOS is built on top of the Linux kernel. Originally based on Ubuntu, its base was changed to Gentoo Linux in February 2010. For Project Crostini, as of ChromeOS 121, Debian 12 (Bookworm) is the default container base image.

Can ChromeOS run Linux apps? ›

Installing Linux apps and packages

While you can always install apps and tools in the terminal via sudo apt install , Linux on ChromeOS supports double-click to install for .deb files (Debian software package) in the Files app, allowing you to download and install apps like you're used to.

Does installing Linux delete all files? ›

Your have one root partition which contains /home and every other directory and file on your system except for the swap space. If you reinstall the operating system, it's going to remove everything. The only way to keep the data is to boot from a live USB and copy the data to an external drive.

What does wiping your Chromebook do? ›

A factory reset erases all user data on your Chromebook's hard drive, including all the files in the Downloads folder.

Will installing Linux wipe my hard drive? ›

The first thing to keep in mind is that we're going to wipe away the current operating system on your laptop. You'll first need to make sure you've saved every file and directory that you want to keep onto an external or USB drive. If you don't have either of those things, upload your files to a cloud storage account.

What is Linux terminal on Chromebook? ›

The Terminal is the main entry point into Linux on ChromeOS and the main way for you to interact with the development environment by running command line tools.

How to boot into Linux from USB on Chromebook? ›

To enable USB booting on a Chromebook, start up in Developer Mode and enter the USB booting command in Command Prompt. Once USB booting is enabled, boot from the USB disk by pressing Ctrl + U in the Developer Mode startup screen. Chromebook's Recovery Mode also lets you recover your system from a USB disk.

What is a Chrome untrusted terminal? ›

The -untrusted suffix indicates that the WebUI processes untrustworthy content. For example, rendering an image provided by users, parsing a PDF file, etc. The -untrusted suffix does not mean the web page is designed to do malicious things, or users should not trust it.

Is Google Chrome safe on Linux? ›

They expose sensitive data, leading to financial loss and eroding trust in online platforms. Therefore, Linux admins and impacted organizations must immediately update Chrome to the latest version to ensure their systems are secure.

Is Linux operating system safe? ›

Linux is trusted for its stability, reliability, and security. It's widely used for managing hardware resources, coding, and performing computing tasks. The OS's advanced customization options let you adapt the operating system to suit your liking, which attracts a lot of developers and tech-savvy hobbyists.

Is Chromebook OS secure? ›

If you're a Chromebook user, you'll be glad to know that your device has one of the most secure operating systems on the market. However, no device is immune to all viruses and malware, especially the ones that spread via phishing.

Is my Chromebook safe from viruses? ›

Facts about Chromebook

The Chrome OS is closely modeled on the open-source Linux OS. Chromebooks are entirely immune to viruses. However, Chromebooks are definitely susceptible to malware.

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