To install developer tools on a Chromebook, first enable Google’s Linux development environment, then use the Terminal app and APT to install packages in its Debian environment. This adds software to Linux, not directly to ChromeOS. Device support and administrator settings can affect whether setup is available.
What Chromebook Linux installs
Google’s Linux development environment gives you a Debian environment in which you can run Linux commands, use a shell, and install tools with the APT package manager. It is separate from ChromeOS: installing a package there does not install it as a ChromeOS app. Google’s setup guidance describes the environment and its requirements.
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Check that Linux is available on your Chromebook
Linux is off by default. Some Chromebook models may not support it, and a work- or school-managed Chromebook may have the feature blocked by its administrator. Google links to a list of supported devices from its setup guidance; check your model there. If the setting is unavailable on a managed device, ask the administrator whether Linux can be enabled.
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- On the Chromebook, select the time in the system tray, then select Settings.
- Open About ChromeOS > Developers.
- Beside Linux development environment, select Set up.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to complete setup. Google says setup may take 10 minutes or more; when it finishes, a Terminal window opens with the Debian environment.
If setup does not appear or cannot complete, first check device support and any work or school restrictions rather than assuming a package command will solve the issue.
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Update package information and install a tool
Use the Linux Terminal, not ChromeOS settings, to manage Debian packages. Update APT’s package information before installing a tool so it can use current information from the configured repositories.
- In Terminal, run
sudo apt update. - Install a package with
sudo apt install package-name, replacingpackage-namewith the package’s actual Debian package name. - Read any confirmation prompt before proceeding. When the command completes, the package is installed in the Debian environment.
Package names do not always match an application’s display name, and not every Linux application is available in the Debian repositories configured for your environment. Confirm the correct Debian package name and repository availability before running the install command. The setup guidance documents APT, but does not provide a verified package list for particular developer tools.
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Update installed packages when troubleshooting
If Linux applications or packages are not behaving as expected, Google recommends restarting the Chromebook and updating packages. Its documented Terminal command is:
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Check hardware and security limits before choosing a workflow
Google’s Chromebook Help page lists cameras, Android emulators, and hardware acceleration—including GPU and video decode—as not yet supported in Linux. It says Android devices are supported over USB, while other devices are not yet supported. These are the limitations recorded on that page as accessed October 13, 2026; check Google’s current guidance if your work depends on a particular peripheral or acceleration feature.
Linux apps run inside the same sandbox. Google says a harmful Linux app can affect other Linux apps, though it cannot affect the rest of the Chromebook. Files and permissions that you share with Linux are available to all Linux apps, so avoid sharing sensitive files or access unnecessarily and install software only from sources you trust.
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When setup or installation fails
- The setup option is missing: Check Google’s supported-device information and, on a managed Chromebook, ask the administrator whether Linux is allowed.
- APT cannot locate a package: Refresh package information with
sudo apt update, then verify that you have the correct Debian package name and that it is available in your configured repositories. - A change has not taken effect: Restart the Chromebook; Google notes that a restart may be needed after updates.
- A tool depends on unsupported hardware: Check the capability limits in Google’s current Linux guidance before building your workflow around it.
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