How to Install Chromium on Ubuntu 22.04 | 20.04

Chromium is an open-source browser project that aims to build a safer, faster, and more stable way for all users to experience the web. The Chromium codebase is widely used, and Microsoft Edge, Opera, and many other browsers are based on the code. Chromium is well-liked amongst advanced users who prefer not to have all the bloat of tracking in Chrome and other proprietary software.

The following tutorial will teach you how to install Chromium on Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish and Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa using APT or Flatpak installation using the command line terminal.

Recommended Steps Before Chromium Installation

First, update your system to ensure all existing packages are up to date to avoid conflicts.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

#1st Method: Install Chromium Browser – Ubuntu Repository

The first installation option is the APT manager, the easiest and quickest method for installing Chromium.

Run the following command to install Chromium Browser.

sudo apt install chromium-browser -y

Since Ubuntu 22.04 is now utilizing the snap feature by replacing specific APT commands. This is not the case for all packages, but Ubuntu is heading this way.

#2nd Method: Install Chromium Browser – Flatpack with Flathub Repo

The third option is to use the Flatpak package manager. Flatpak is not installed natively on the Ubuntu system since it’s a direct competitor of Snap, given Canonical is behind both Ubuntu and Snap. Still, it is available to install if you so wish.

I would install Flatpaks over Snapcraft packages, especially since Ubuntu is forcing you to use Snap in Chromium’s case, where it used to be optional.

First, install the Flatpak manager if it was removed previously.

sudo apt install flatpak -y

For users installing Flatpak for the first time, it is often recommended to reboot your system. Failure to do this can occur in odd issues, such as wrong icon paths.

reboot

SKIP THE REBOOT IF FLATPAK IS INSTALLED.

Next, you need to enable Flatpack using the following command in your terminal:

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

Now install Chromium using the following flatpak command.

flatpak install flathub org.chromium.Chromium -y

If you encounter the following error for users having trouble running the above installation command.

"error: Unable to load summary from remote flathub: Can't fetch summary from disabled remote 'flathub,"

Run the following command to enable Flathub.

flatpak remote-modify --enable flathub

This will fix the issue the above issue. The next issue can be access to system files. I would only recommend using the following command if you have access permission with your installation accessing files; use the override command below.

sudo flatpak override org.chromium.Chromium --filesystem=host

Please do not use this command by default unless it is needed.

Launch Chromium Browser

Now that you have the Chromium Browser installed, launching can be done in a few ways.

First, in your terminal, type the following command to launch immediately.

chromium

Alternatively, Flatpak users will need to launch using the command below from a terminal instance:

flatpak run org.chromium.Chromium

However, this isn’t practical, and you would use the following path on your desktop.

Show Applications > Show Applications> Chromium Web Browser.

Example:

The first time you open Chromium, you will be greeted by its default homepage Google which you can change later.

Alternatively, you can confirm further the version installed by clicking on the settings in the right-hand corner and clicking About Chromium.

Example:

Additional Commands & Tips

Update Chromium Browser

Depending on the method used, the following commands can be used to update.

Run the following command to check your system for updates, including the Chromium browser.

sudo apt upgrade && sudo apt upgrade

For Flatpak users, run the following command to update Chromium.

flatpak update

Remove (Uninstall) Chromium Browser

For users that no longer require Chromium Browser, use one of the following commands to suit the method you used to install the browser.

For users that used APT, use the following command.

sudo apt remove chromium-browser -y

Lastly, users that installed the Chromium browser with the Flatpak method use the following commands.

flatpak uninstall --delete-data org.chromium.Chromium

Next, run the following command for any leftover clean-up.

flatpak remove --unused

Conclusion

Chromium Browser is an excellent open-source choice with a similar feel and uses to Google Chrome. The tutorial has demonstrated how to install Chromium on your desktop.