How to install the Brave Beta browser on a Chromebook

This guide will walk you through installing the Brave Beta Browser on your Chromebook using Linux Apps (Crostini). The Brave browser is a privacy-focused alternative to traditional browsers, featuring built-in ad blocking, tracker protection, and enhanced security measures. The Beta channel gives you access to newer features while maintaining reasonable stability for daily use.

Before You Begin

This tutorial is designed specifically for Chromebooks with Intel or AMD processors that support Linux Apps (Crostini). Unfortunately, this method will not work on Chromebooks with ARM64 architecture CPUs, as the Brave repository only provides packages compiled for x86_64 architecture.

You'll need to have Linux Apps enabled on your Chromebook before proceeding. If you haven't set this up yet, you can enable it through your Chromebook's Settings under the "Developers" section.

Understanding the Installation Process

Installing Brave Beta on your Chromebook involves adding the official Brave repository to your Linux container's package sources. This approach is preferred over downloading a standalone .deb file because it allows your system to automatically receive updates through the standard apt package manager. Once configured, Brave Beta will update alongside your other Linux applications whenever you run system updates.

The installation process requires adding the Brave signing key to verify package authenticity, adding the repository to your sources list, and then installing the browser through apt. This ensures you're always getting official, verified packages directly from Brave.

Step-by-Step Installation Instructions

Follow along with the video tutorial above for a visual walkthrough, or use the commands below in your Chromebook's Linux terminal. Each command serves a specific purpose in the installation process.

Step 1: Install Required Dependencies

First, we need to ensure your system has the necessary tools to securely download and verify packages from the Brave repository:

sudo apt install apt-transport-https curl gnupg

This command installs three essential packages: apt-transport-https allows apt to retrieve packages over HTTPS, curl enables data transfer from URLs, and gnupg provides cryptographic tools for verifying package signatures.

Step 2: Add the Brave Signing Key

Next, we'll add Brave's GPG key, which verifies that packages you download are authentic and haven't been tampered with:

curl -s https://brave-browser-apt-beta.s3.brave.com/brave-core-nightly.asc | sudo apt-key --keyring /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/brave-browser-prerelease.gpg add -

This downloads Brave's public key and adds it to your system's trusted keyring specifically for prerelease versions of Brave.

Step 3: Add the Brave Repository

Now we'll add the Brave Beta repository to your system's software sources:

echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://brave-browser-apt-beta.s3.brave.com/ stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-beta.list

This creates a new repository configuration file that tells apt where to find Brave Beta packages.

Step 4: Update Package Lists

Refresh your system's package database to include the newly added Brave repository:

sudo apt update

This command ensures your system knows about all available packages from the Brave repository.

Step 5: Install Brave Beta

Now you can install Brave Beta browser:

sudo apt install brave-browser-beta

The installation process will download and install Brave Beta along with any additional dependencies it requires.

Step 6: Launch Brave Beta (Optional Performance Optimization)

You can launch Brave Beta from your Chromebook's app drawer, or use this command for optimized performance on Chromebooks:

brave-browser-beta --disable-framerate-limit

The --disable-framerate-limit flag can improve performance on Chromebooks by removing artificial framerate restrictions, which is particularly helpful for smoother scrolling and video playback.

Additional Resources

For your convenience, here's a Google Doc with all the commands used in this tutorial, making it easy to copy and paste as you work through the installation.

These installation instructions are based on the official documentation from Brave: https://brave.com/linux/#beta-channel-installation

For more information about Brave Browser, visit the official website at https://brave.com/

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any problems during installation, here are some common solutions:

• Permission denied errors: Make sure you're using sudo before commands that require administrative privileges.
• Repository not found: Double-check that you've entered the repository URL correctly and that your internet connection is stable.
• GPG key errors: If you receive GPG verification errors, try re-running step 2 to re-add the signing key.
• Brave won't launch: Ensure your Chromebook's Linux container has sufficient resources allocated in Chrome OS settings.

If you continue experiencing issues or have questions about this tutorial, please leave a comment on the YouTube video and we'll be happy to help you troubleshoot!

Why Choose Brave Browser?

Brave has become increasingly popular among privacy-conscious users for several compelling reasons. It blocks ads and trackers by default, which not only protects your privacy but also speeds up page loading times and reduces data usage—particularly beneficial on Chromebooks with limited resources. Brave also includes built-in HTTPS Everywhere, fingerprinting protection, and optional Tor browsing for enhanced anonymity.

The Beta channel offers a good balance between stability and access to newer features, making it ideal for users who want to stay current without the potential instability of nightly builds.

Additional Information

Looking for a new Chromebook or want to compare different models? Check out our Chromebook Comparison and Buyers Guide for detailed information to help you make an informed decision.

You can also view our comprehensive list of all currently supported Chromebooks with Linux Apps (Crostini) support to verify your device's compatibility with Linux applications.

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