How to Enable Linux (Crostini) on a Chromebook

The Power of Crostini

Chromebooks are incredibly secure, lightweight machines, but their reliance on web applications can be limiting for developers and power users. To bridge this gap, Google introduced Crostini, a specialized virtual machine architecture that allows you to run a full Debian Linux environment seamlessly alongside Chrome OS. With Linux enabled, you can install desktop applications like VS Code, GIMP, LibreOffice, and full terminal utilities.

Enabling Crostini is a one-click process that requires no developer mode hacks, custom firmware, or compromising the security of your Chromebook.

Hardware Prerequisites

While almost all modern Chromebooks support Crostini out of the box, you should ensure your device has sufficient hardware resources before enabling it. The Linux virtual machine requires a minimum of 3GB of free local storage space to function correctly, though 10GB or more is highly recommended if you plan on installing GUI applications.

Step 1: Access the Developers Menu

1. Turn on your Chromebook and log into your primary Google Account.
2. Click the clock icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to open the Quick Settings panel.
3. Click the Settings gear icon at the top of the panel.
4. In the left-hand navigation pane of the Settings app, scroll down and click on Advanced to expand the menu, then click on Developers.

Step 2: Turn on the Linux Development Environment

In the Developers menu, you will see a section titled Linux development environment.

1. Click the Turn on button.
2. A setup wizard will appear. Click Next.
3. You will be prompted to choose a Username. This will be the name of your local Linux user account. It defaults to your Google Account name, but you can change it to whatever you prefer (e.g., sysadmin).
4. You will also be asked to configure the Disk size. You can leave this on “Dynamically allocated” (recommended) or set a rigid custom size.
5. Click Install.

Step 3: Wait for the Installation

Chrome OS will now download the Debian virtual machine image from Google’s servers and configure the Crostini container. Depending on your internet speed, this process will take anywhere from two to ten minutes. Do not close the window or put your Chromebook to sleep during this process.

Step 4: Accessing the Terminal

Once the installation reaches 100%, a black Terminal window will automatically open on your screen. Congratulations—you are now sitting at a fully functional Linux command prompt!

The very first thing you should do is update the Debian package repositories and upgrade any outdated software. Type the following command and press Enter:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

You can now install standard Linux applications using apt install. Any graphical applications you install (like sudo apt install gimp) will automatically place an app icon right in your standard Chrome OS app drawer for easy access.