If you like Chromium but do not want the browser tied to Google web services, Ungoogled Chromium is the closest drop-in option. The project applies patches and configuration changes to Chromium to remove Google-specific web-service dependencies and background requests while keeping the familiar Chromium interface. The easiest cross-distribution setup on Linux is now the Flathub package, so you no longer need the old Ubuntu Focal or Debian Buster repository commands found in earlier guides.
The official Ungoogled Chromium project describes its goal as Chromium without dependency on Google web services. It removes Google-specific service code, replaces or blocks selected Google domains used internally, and disables some convenience integrations. It is still Chromium underneath, so websites and the general browser workflow remain familiar.
This does not mean the browser can never contact a Google-owned server. If you deliberately open Google Search, YouTube, a site that loads Google resources, or an extension that uses Google services, those connections can still occur. Ungoogled Chromium removes built-in browser dependencies; it does not filter the entire web for you.
The project currently lists Flathub as a distro-independent source. If Flatpak is already configured on your system, installation only takes a couple of commands.
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepoflatpak install flathub io.github.ungoogled_software.ungoogled_chromiumIf Flatpak is not installed yet, follow the setup instructions for your distribution, then return to the commands above. The official Flatpak documentation also explains system-wide versus per-user installations.
After installation, open Ungoogled Chromium from your desktop application menu. You can also start the Flatpak directly from a terminal:
flatpak run io.github.ungoogled_software.ungoogled_chromium
Recent builds include an Ungoogled Chromium first-run page at chrome://ungoogled-first-run. It summarizes project-specific behavior and links to guidance for extensions and browser configuration. This is a useful place to check after a fresh install because some privacy and convenience features are intentionally different from stock Chromium.
Run flatpak update periodically to install available updates for your Flatpak applications and runtimes. Browser security fixes move quickly, so avoid keeping an old portable build simply because it still launches.
If you prefer native packages, use a source currently listed by the project rather than copying an old repository URL from a previous release:
ungoogled-chromium.wojnilowicz/ungoogled-chromium COPR repository. It labels the RPM Fusion chromium-browser-privacy build as outdated.Direct Chrome Web Store integration is intentionally not built in. The project's first-run guidance recommends the community chromium-web-store helper for people who still want Web Store installs and updates. Its setup requires opening chrome://flags/#extension-mime-request-handling, changing Extension MIME request handling to Always prompt for install, and relaunching the browser before installing the helper from its project page.
There is an important tradeoff: using the Chrome Web Store means contacting a Google service. If your goal is to avoid Google services entirely, skip that helper and install only extensions from sources you trust after reviewing how they are distributed and updated.
Ungoogled Chromium's official FAQ notes that the browser may default to deleting site data when all windows close. If you want normal persistent logins, open chrome://settings/content/siteData and allow sites to save data on your device. That changes local cookie behavior without restoring Google browser integration.
With those adjustments, you get a Chromium-based Linux browser that removes Google-specific browser dependencies while preserving the interface and site compatibility most Chromium users expect.
Capture Linux desktop audio in Audacity by routing its recording stream to your output device’s monitor source. Follow PulseAudio and PipeWire steps, export tips, and fixes for silent tracks.
Install Dropbox on Linux from the official package, sign in, sync a local folder, manage selective sync, and check status from the command line.
Install Inkscape from your Linux distribution’s repositories, the Ubuntu stable PPA, Snap, or Flathub, with current commands and notes for choosing a package source.
Use FSlint to scan selected Linux folders, review duplicate groups, and safely delete redundant files or learn when hard-link merging is appropriate.
Install SABnzbd on Ubuntu or Debian, or run it in Docker on another Linux host. Then open the web interface and configure your provider and download folders.
Install the Paper GTK theme from supported Linux repositories, enable it for GTK apps in GNOME Tweaks, and see what the legacy theme can and cannot change.
The old OpenMediaVault Plex plugin is archived. Set up Plex on OMV 8 with OMV-Extras, the Compose plugin, persistent storage, and Plex’s official container.
Clean and speed up Ubuntu with safe APT cleanup, storage checks, and startup controls that help free space and troubleshoot a sluggish desktop.
Install Hiri on Linux with its Snap package or official tarball, add a desktop launcher, and check supported accounts plus a warning about Hiri’s old Snap release.
Use Fastfetch and built-in Linux commands to check your distro, kernel, CPU, memory, graphics, storage, and connected devices, then save a clear report.
