Top Linux distros for Chromebooks

Your old, reliable Chromebook has finally reached its end of life (EOL) and will no longer receive updates. Instead of breaking the bank and purchasing a fancy new Chromebook, you can still use your dusty Chromebook by installing Linux on it.

While installing Linux on your Chromebook may extend the device's life, it is by no means optimal. Linux may or may not function as desired. You may run into unexpected issues that will require some digging on the internet for a resolution. At the end of the day, proceed with caution when wiping out ChromeOS for a fresh new look with Linux. All things considered, the best operating system for a Chromebook is, of course, ChromeOS.

Interestingly, ChromeOS is actually based on the Linux kernel and is itself a Linux distro designed and developed by Google. Yet, as mentioned previously, Chromebooks eventually stop receiving updates after ten years and are then considered end-of-life.

While there is no official Linux distro for Chromebooks other than ChromeOS, the Linux community has thoroughly tested some notable distros. Below, we will go over the top distros suitable for Chromebooks.

GaliumOS

GalliumOS was a fan favorite Linux distro that was developed specifically for Chromebooks. First released in 2015, GaliumOS was based on Xubuntu and maintained compatibility with the Ubuntu repositories. GaliumOS was best known for being a fast and light weight distro with full hardware support for Chromebooks. Unfortunately the GaliumOS project was discontinued in 2022.

Ubuntu Flavors

Ubuntu is a great Linux distro for beginners. It's known for its stability, reliability, user-friendly interface, and security, among many other features. At the same time, Ubuntu is not typically a popular distro for Chromebooks. While it may install successfully on a Chromebook, you may find it a bit laggy and sluggish compared to the usually fast ChromeOS.

Luckily there a several distros based off Ubuntu known as flavors that offer a lighter and faster experience more suitable for Chromebooks. Some of the more popular Ubuntu flavors include Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Mate, and Xubuntu. The main difference in the flavors is the default desktop environment. For reference, Kubuntu uses Plasma, Lubuntu uses LXQt, Mate uses Mate, and Xubuntu uses Xfce for their respective desktop environments. Give these flavors a try for your EOL Chromebook.

Elementary OS

As the name suggests, Elementary OS, based on Ubuntu, is a very beginner-friendly Linux distro. It uses the Pantheon desktop environment, whose intuitive interface is similar to that of MacOS. Likewise, Elementary OS is known as an ethical and thoughtful alternative to Mac and Windows operating systems, with its focus on user privacy. If you are looking for a fast, user-friendly, and intuitive interface on your Chromebooks, you can't go wrong with Elementary OS.

BunsenLabs

BunsenLabs is a lightweight and fast Linux distro based on Debian. It's best known for its minimalist approach, with few preinstalled applications, and its easily configurable Openbox desktop environment. It is designed to be ultra-fast, so it runs great on older EOL Chromebooks and other outdated computers. If you are looking for a bare-bones fast distro, BunsenLabs should definitely be on your radar.

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