A Comprehensive Guide to Unlocking Linux Power on Your Chromebook in 2023

In recent years, software titans have begun to incorporate Linux into their core operating systems. Notably, Microsoft integrated WSLg into Windows 10 to support GUI apps. In a related move, Google introduced Linux on Chromebooks in 2018, a project known as Project Crostini. Chrome OS gained support for GPU acceleration, USB devices, sound, and even a microphone in Linux on Chromebook as a result of this integration. The most exciting news is that Linux on ChromeOS is no longer in beta. This article explains in detail how to use Linux on a Chromebook in 2023.

Chromebook Models That Work with Linux

To be clear, all Chromebooks released after 2019 are Linux-compatible. This includes school-issued Chromebooks. School administrators, on the other hand, retain the authority to block Linux support, so if your school-issued Chromebook has restricted Linux access, contact your administrator to have the restriction lifted.

It is important to note that switching your Chromebook to Developer mode or any other channel is unnecessary. There are no issues on this front because Linux support is included into the stable channel, which includes ARM-based Chromebooks.

Installing Linux on Your Chromebook

Here are the simple steps for installing Linux on a Chromebook:

1. To access the settings page, click the cogwheel icon in the Quick Settings panel
2. To access the Developers Menu, expand the menu by clicking “Advanced” on the left pane. Then, select “Developers” from the drop-down menu. If you are unable to view this menu on your school-issued Chromebook, please contact your school administrator.
3. Activate the Linux Development Environment by clicking “Turn on” next to the “Linux development environment (Beta)” item in the Developers menu.
4. When you start Linux Setup, a setup dialog will open. Click the “Install” button to continue running Linux on your Chromebook.
5. Enter your user name and allot disk space: On the next page, enter your desired Linux login and click “Customised” to specify your ideal Linux disk space.
6. Wait a few moments for Linux to install on your Chromebook. After the installation is finished, you can start Linux and use the Linux Terminal on your Chromebook. The Terminal app can be found in the launcher.

How to Install Linux Applications on a Chromebook

Before using Linux programs on a Chromebook, make sure your Linux installation is up to date. Here’s how to put Linux programs on your computer:

• Update Linux: In the Terminal, do sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y to update all packages and dependencies.

  sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

• Install Linux Apps: Once Linux has been updated, you can install an app. The GIMP image editor, for example, is a popular option.

Within the launcher, you’ll see installed Linux software.

File Sharing Between Chrome OS and Linux

After successfully installing Linux on your Chromebook, keep in mind that Chrome OS and Linux use different file systems. To access local directories and files on Linux programs, move the files from the “Downloads” part to the “Linux files” section. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Files should be moved from the “Downloads” folder to the “Linux files” section for access on Linux programs.
2. To avoid continually dragging files to the Linux section, right-click on “Downloads” and select “Share with Linux.”