Linux should work for all devices released since 2019, but if your device is older, there is an official list of supported Chromebooks (Opens in a new window). Since these apps live inside their own little containers, it's quite secure, and if something goes awry, your Chrome OS desktop shouldn't be affected.Īt Google I/O 2021, Google said (Opens in a new window) that Linux is finally coming out of beta after three years, so things should be pretty stable. Google's official method for installing Linux apps is called Crostini (Opens in a new window)-though you may just find it labelled as Linux (Opens in a new window) on your device-and it allows you to run individual Linux apps right on top of your Chrome OS desktop. Still keen on moving forward? Alright, let's do this. No matter what you decide to do: proceed with caution, and know that there's always a possibility something will break! (Hence the recovery disk recommended above.) The other two require you to put your Chromebook in Developer Mode (which creates a slightly less secure environment if you're careless). Only one of these methods is officially supported by Google. You'll need a flash drive with 4GB of space or more you'll be glad you have it on hand in case something goes wrong and you want to reverse the process.

Before you start messing with your Chromebook, I recommend installing the Chromebook Recovery Utility (Opens in a new window) and creating a recovery disk. If you're still a beginner, you can get an awful lot of help from the Ubuntu Forums (Opens in a new window) and Linux subreddits (Opens in a new window).Ī recovery disk. We can walk you through the basic steps to get up and running, but in order to actually use Linux, you'll need some basic knowledge of how the operating system works, including the command line. Our favorites include the Acer Chromebook Spin 713, Dell Chromebook 11 (3100), and the HP Chromebook x360 14c.

To truly unlock your Chromebook's potential, you'll want one using an Intel processor. Technically, some of these methods can work on ARM-based machines, but you'll be more limited in the apps you can run. In order to get Linux running on your Chromebook, in almost all cases, we recommend you have a few things:Īn Intel-based Chromebook. How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.

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