Installing Vivaldi on Chrome OS: A Complete Guide

Vivaldi stands out as a highly customizable web browser built on the Chromium framework. If you’re eager to utilize Vivaldi on your Chrome OS device, you’ll need to set up the Linux environment first. This article provides a step-by-step guide to help you install Vivaldi seamlessly.

Enabling Linux on Your Chrome OS Device

To run Linux applications on your Chromebook, you must first enable this feature. Here’s how to do it:

1. Access Chrome OS Settings: Click on the clock in the bottom-right corner and select the gear icon to open the Settings menu.

2. Expand Advanced Options: In the Settings, scroll down to find the "Advanced" section. Click on it to view more options.

3. Locate Linux (Beta): Under the "Developers" section, find "Linux development environment" and click on "Turn On" to initiate setup. This action creates a Linux container on your Chromebook, enabling you to install various Linux applications.

4. Open Terminal: After enabling Linux, access the Chrome OS app launcher, search for "Terminal," and launch it. This terminal gives you command-line access to your Linux container.

5. Update Your Linux Environment: Execute the following commands to ensure your system is up to date:

   sudo apt update

   This command refreshes your package sources, followed by:

   sudo apt upgrade -y

   This installs any available updates, keeping your system secure and functional.

Installing Vivaldi on Chrome OS Using a DEB Package

One of the easiest ways to install Vivaldi on Chrome OS is through its official DEB package. Below is a streamlined process to download and install Vivaldi directly via the terminal.

1. Open the Terminal: Launch the terminal from your app menu.

2. Download Vivaldi: Use the wget command to fetch the latest Vivaldi DEB package:

   wget https://downloads.vivaldi.com/stable/vivaldi-stable_6.4.3160.44-1_amd64.deb

3. Install Vivaldi: After the download completes, install the package using:

   sudo apt install ./vivaldi-stable_6.4.3160.44-1_amd64.deb

4. Launch Vivaldi: Once installed, you can find Vivaldi in the “Linux Apps” folder of your Chrome OS app menu.

Installing Vivaldi Using Flatpak

Another method to set up Vivaldi on Chrome OS is through Flathub as a Flatpak package. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Access the Terminal: Locate and open the "Terminal" application from the app menu.

2. Install Flatpak: Execute the following command to install Flatpak:

   sudo apt install flatpak

3. Add Flathub Repository: Enable the Flathub repository in your system with this command:

   flatpak --user remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

4. Install Vivaldi: Use the following command to install Vivaldi through Flathub:

   flatpak install flathub com.vivaldi.Vivaldi

5. Launch Vivaldi: After installation, you can start Vivaldi by navigating to the “Linux Apps” folder in your Chrome OS menu.

Synchronizing Your Experience with Vivaldi Mobile

In addition to desktop functionality, Vivaldi offers a mobile app for both Android and iOS. This mobile version allows you to synchronize your bookmarks, passwords, and open tabs between your Chromebook and smartphone, ensuring a seamless browsing experience across devices.

With Vivaldi on both your Chromebook and mobile devices, you can enjoy a consistent and secure browsing experience, whether at work or on the go.

Conclusion

Installing Vivaldi on your Chrome OS device is a straightforward process that enhances your browsing capabilities. By enabling Linux and following the specified methods for installation—either through a DEB package or Flatpak—you can enjoy all the features Vivaldi offers. Don’t forget to explore the mobile app for synchronized browsing across different platforms.