The feature is enabled easily enough through the Settings app: Click or tap on the clock at the bottom right of the main screen, tap on the cogwheel and in the Settings app, under 'Linux (Beta),' select 'Turn on.'

Owners of older devices should check Google's official compatibility page to see whether their device supports Linux.Īs it is with many Google products, Linux support is officially labeled 'Linux (Beta)' – that's Google's way of pointing out that there might be occasional glitches. This feature ('Crostini') is included with all Chromebooks released in 2019 or later. Recently, things gotten much easier: Chrome OS now includes Linux integration out of the box – users just have to switch it on. This used to be an adventurous endeavor, requiring developer access to Chrome OS and possibly voiding the warranty. Given that Chrome OS is derived from a Linux core, enthusiasts have been quick to find ways to install Linux on a Chromebook. The easiest way to find out which processor architecture your Chromebook uses is via the Chrome browser: Enter 'chrome://system' (without quotes) and look for the line 'CPU.' Activate the Linux subsystem One more thing: before you begin, please make sure that your Chromebook has an x86 CPU as SoftMaker Office does not support ARM CPUs. Nevertheless, please note that SoftMaker does not offer any customer support for a suchlike installation since the Chromebook Linux subsystem is not on the list of recommended Linux distributions. However, if you have already purchased SoftMaker Office 2021, you might want to reuse that license – non-commercial users are entitled to use their license on up to five computers at a time, including your Chromebook. The drawback: These apps have to be purchased separately. Good news for SoftMaker customers, since there are HD versions of TextMaker, PlanMaker and Presentations for Android. Also, devices tend to be less expensive than traditional notebooks.Īpart from native and browser-based applications, Chrome OS also runs many Android apps. The main advantages of Chrome OS are a streamlined interface, full touchscreen and mouse support and extremely fast startup times. Chrome OS is developed by Google and it looks like a cross between macOS and Windows. Chromebooks are notebooks running Chrome OS, a lightweight operating system specifically designed for mobile use with a keyboard.

How to install linux on chromebook 2017