Run Firefox on ChromeOS

Firefox Firefox Last updated: 48% of users voted this helpful

Firefox can now be installed on Chromebooks and other devices running ChromeOS. This article will explain the system requirements needed in order to run Firefox on ChromeOS and how to set this up.

How to run Firefox on ChromeOS

To run Firefox on ChromeOS, you first need to ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

System Requirements

  • x86 based Chromebook running ChromeOS 80 or later

You can check this by going to chrome://version in the Chrome browser address bar. Follow these instructions from Google if you need to upgrade your OS.

  • Enable Linux support for ChromeOS

Click here to learn more about how to set up Linux (Beta) on your Chromebook.

Once you've enabled Linux, check the Terminal to see if you have the correct version:

cat /etc/os-release

If the version is not 10 (buster) or above, you'll need to run the update script:

sudo bash /opt/google/cros-containers/bin/upgrade_container

This script will take some time depending on how fast your Chromebook and internet speeds are. Once it's done, you'll need to restart your Linux container. You can either right click the Terminal icon and select Shut down Linux (Beta) or just restart your Chromebook.

  • Enable Flatpak

Flatpak is a new packaging format for Linux, click here to learn how to add Flatpak support.

Install Firefox

Once the setup is complete, you can install Firefox from a Terminal:

flatpak install firefox

Was this article helpful?

Please wait...

These fine people helped write this article:

Illustration of hands

Volunteer

Grow and share your expertise with others. Answer questions and improve our knowledge base.

Learn More