Can You Put Linux on an Expired Chromebook? Yes. Here Are Your Options

Short answer: yes. You can keep using the built-in Linux environment, or you can replace the Chromebook’s firmware and install a full Linux distribution like Ubuntu or Fedora. The second route takes about an hour, wipes the machine, and isn’t supported by Google, but it gives an old Chromebook years of extra life.

When a Chromebook hits its update end date, it doesn’t stop working. It just stops getting security fixes and new features. Over time, websites and apps start to complain. Linux is the most popular way out.

Before you start: is it really expired?

Go to Settings > About ChromeOS > Additional details and look at Update schedule. Google stretched support on many models, so yours may have more time than you think. Our Chromebook end-of-life guide explains how the dates work.

Option 1: Keep using the built-in Linux environment

If you already turned on Linux under Settings > About ChromeOS > Developers, it keeps running after the end date. The Linux apps inside it can still get package updates from their own sources. ChromeOS around it won’t.

Good for: people who want zero risk. The catch: the browser and the system underneath keep aging.

Option 2: Replace the firmware and install full Linux

This is the real upgrade. Most Intel and AMD Chromebooks can run new firmware from the community project MrChromebox. After that, the laptop boots like a regular PC, and you install Linux from a USB stick.

1. Back up your files. Everything gets erased.
2. Look up your model on the MrChromebox supported devices list.
3. Turn on Developer Mode.
4. Disable firmware write protection. Depending on the model, that means unplugging the battery, removing a screw, or using a special debug cable.
5. Run the MrChromebox firmware script and choose the full UEFI firmware.
6. Boot from a Linux USB drive and install as you would on any laptop.

Follow the project’s own docs for your exact model. Steps differ between boards, and skipping one is how people end up with a laptop that won’t boot.

Which Linux should I install?

Older Chromebooks have little storage and memory, so lighter is better. Linux Mint Xfce, Xubuntu, and Lubuntu are friendly picks. Fedora and Ubuntu work well on newer models with more RAM. A few things, like audio on certain models, may need extra setup.

Option 3: What about ChromeOS Flex?

Google doesn’t support Flex on Chromebooks. Some people install it after swapping the firmware, and it can work, but you’re on your own if it breaks. If you love the ChromeOS feel, it’s worth a try. If you just want a working laptop, pick a regular Linux distribution.

FAQ

Does this work on ARM Chromebooks?

Usually not with MrChromebox firmware, which targets Intel and AMD models. ARM Chromebooks need different, more limited projects.

Can I go back to ChromeOS later?

Yes, if you saved the firmware backup the script offers. Restore it, then use a ChromeOS recovery drive.

Will a school-managed Chromebook work?

Not while it’s enrolled. Managed devices block Developer Mode. The school has to release it first.