How to Install Visual Studio Code on a Chromebook

You can install the desktop version of Visual Studio Code on a Chromebook by enabling ChromeOS’s Linux development environment, downloading the official Debian package, and installing it with APT. The steps below use the supported .deb package, which is simpler to maintain than an old, manually downloaded build. Interface illustrations are examples; labels and layout can vary slightly by ChromeOS version.

Before you begin

Check that your Chromebook supports Linux development environment. On a school or work device, an administrator may disable it. You also need enough free storage for the Linux container, VS Code, and your project files. Linux apps run in ChromeOS’s Linux environment, separate from the rest of the Chromebook; files outside the shared Linux area may need to be shared explicitly.

Use the current VS Code download page and the Chromebook instructions from Visual Studio Code and Chromebook Help. Avoid old direct download URLs because package versions change.

Install Visual Studio Code on your Chromebook

1. Turn on the Linux development environment. Select the time in the lower-right corner, open Settings, and go to About ChromeOS > Developers. Next to Linux development environment, select Set up, then follow the prompts. Setup can take several minutes. When it finishes, ChromeOS opens the Terminal app with a Debian environment.

   

   

2. Update the Debian container. In Terminal, choose the penguin shell if a container selector appears. Run these commands one at a time and confirm any prompt:

   sudo apt updatesudo apt upgrade

   apt update refreshes the package list; apt upgrade installs available updates. Keeping the container current helps avoid dependency errors during the VS Code install.

   

   

3. Check the processor architecture and download the matching package. In Terminal, run:

   dpkg --print-architecture

   Match the result to the choices on Microsoft’s Linux download page:

   Terminal result	Download choice
   amd64	x64
   arm64	ARM64
   armhf	ARM32

   Open the VS Code download page, choose the Linux .deb package for that architecture, and download it. Chromebook models use different processors, so do not assume every device needs the x64 build.

   

4. Put the package in Linux files. Open the ChromeOS Files app and find the downloaded package under Downloads. Rename it to code.deb, then copy or drag it into Linux files. That folder is available to the Debian container, so the Terminal can install the file by name.

   

5. Install the package. Return to Terminal and run:

   sudo apt install ./code.deb

   The ./ tells APT to install the local file. If the installer asks whether to add Microsoft’s package repository and signing key, accept if you want VS Code to receive updates through the system package manager. Microsoft documents this Debian installation method in its Linux setup guide.

   

6. Open VS Code and your project. Open the Chromebook launcher and search for Visual Studio Code; it may appear in the Linux apps group. In VS Code, choose Open Folder and select a project inside Linux files. To work on a folder elsewhere in ChromeOS storage, open the Files app, right-click that folder, and choose the Linux sharing option if available.

   

Fix common installation problems

• Linux setup is missing: the Chromebook may not support the feature, or a school/work administrator may have turned it off. Check with the administrator or device support information.
• APT cannot find the file: confirm code.deb is in the Linux files folder and that the command includes ./. If you kept the original filename, use that exact name in the command instead.
• Architecture or dependency error: rerun dpkg --print-architecture, download the corresponding build, and run sudo apt update before installing again. VS Code’s system requirements are listed in the official requirements documentation.
• VS Code cannot see project files: copy the project into Linux files or share its folder with Linux in the Files app.

If your Chromebook cannot run Linux apps, you can use VS Code for the Web for browser-based editing. It is a separate option and does not install the Linux desktop application.