Installing Firefox on a Chromebook

Published on August 14, 2023, by Jim Mendenhall
Tags: Chromebooks,  Chrome OS,  Chromebook Tutorials 

Are you looking to experience the power and versatility of Firefox on your Chromebook? In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process, whether you have a Chromebook with an Intel, AMD, or ARM processor.

Enable the Linux Development Environment

First, you’ll need to enable the Linux development environment on your Chromebook. If you haven’t done this yet, you can find the up-to-date instructions here.

Determine Your Chromebook’s Architecture

Next, open your terminal and run the command arch to determine your system’s architecture.

arch

If the result is “x86_64,” which refers to systems with Intel or AMD processors, you can install the latest Firefox version. If you have a different architecture, you’ll only be able to install the Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR) version.

Installing Firefox ESR

For systems not using Intel or AMD, you’ll need to install the Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR) package. Firefox ESR provides extended support, offering the latest security and stability fixes without all the newest features. Install it by running the following commands in your terminal:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install firefox-esr -y

You can find and launch the installed Firefox ESR version in the App Launcher under Linux Apps. The ‘About Firefox’ menu displays the version number, indicating that it’s the Extended Support Release.

Installing the Latest Firefox Version (for Intel/AMD)

If your Chromebook has Intel or AMD architecture, you can install the latest Firefox version using Flatpak:

sudo apt install flatpak -y
sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
sudo flatpak install flathub org.mozilla.firefox -y

The great news is that you can install both versions of Firefox and use them according to your needs.

And there you have it! Whether you’ve installed the ESR version, the latest Firefox, or both, you’re now ready to explore the web on your terms.