How to Install Chromium Browser on Fedora 44

Chromium is the practical Fedora choice when you want Chrome-compatible rendering without installing Google’s proprietary browser package. To install Chromium on Fedora, use Fedora’s chromium package for the cleanest system-managed setup, or use Flathub when you specifically want Flatpak packaging.

Fedora 44 and Fedora 43 currently carry Chromium in the Fedora repositories, and Flathub publishes a separate org.chromium.Chromium build. The Flathub build is unverified and uses broad permissions, so DNF is the better default for most Fedora Workstation and other mutable desktop installs.

Install Chromium Browser on Fedora

Two practical Chromium install paths are available on Fedora. Use the DNF package when you want Fedora-managed updates and normal desktop integration. Use Flatpak when you are on an Atomic desktop such as Silverblue or Kinoite, or when you prefer Flathub’s app and runtime update model.

Choose a Chromium Installation Method for Fedora

Method	Source	Updates	Best Fit
DNF	Fedora repositories	Through sudo dnf upgrade --refresh	Most Fedora Workstation and mutable desktop users
Flatpak	Flathub	Through sudo flatpak update org.chromium.Chromium	Fedora Atomic desktops or users who prefer Flathub packaging

Use DNF unless you have a Flatpak-specific reason. Fedora’s package integrates with normal system updates and installs the chromium-browser launcher directly. Flathub currently labels Chromium as unverified and potentially unsafe, and the manifest grants broad access such as home-directory and device permissions, so do not treat the Flatpak as a stronger privacy or isolation choice.

Normal Fedora desktop installs do not need a separate Chromium RPM download. The Chromium project site is useful for source code, development notes, and project documentation, while Fedora and Flathub handle the installable desktop packages used here.

If you meant Google’s proprietary Chrome package instead of Chromium, follow the Fedora Chrome workflow to install Google Chrome on Fedora. That path uses Google’s RPM repository rather than Fedora’s Chromium package.

Install Chromium with DNF on Fedora

The DNF method installs Fedora’s packaged Chromium build and keeps browser updates tied to your normal package-maintenance workflow. The same DNF5 package workflow applies beyond Chromium; Fedora DNF5 install command examples are useful when you want package groups, local RPMs, or repository-aware installs.

Refresh Fedora Packages Before Installing Chromium

Refresh repository metadata and apply pending updates before installing a browser package:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

The --refresh option makes DNF download fresh repository metadata before it checks available package updates.

Install the Chromium DNF Package

Install Chromium from the Fedora repositories:

sudo dnf install chromium

DNF installs the main chromium package, chromium-common, and the small supporting libraries required by the Fedora build.

Verify the Chromium DNF Install

Fedora’s package provides the browser command as chromium-browser. Check the installed browser version:

chromium-browser --version

Example output from Fedora 44:

Chromium 148.0.7778.96 Built from source for Fedora release 44 (Forty Four)

Your version number will change as Fedora publishes Chromium updates. The Fedora release suffix confirms that the command is using Fedora’s packaged build.

Install Chromium with Flatpak on Fedora

The Flatpak method installs the Flathub Chromium build at system scope. Fedora Workstation already includes Flatpak, while Server, minimal, or heavily customized mutable installs may need the Flatpak package first. Chromium still needs a graphical desktop session for normal browser use even if the package command works on a trimmed Fedora system.

Fedora Atomic desktops such as Silverblue and Kinoite are designed around Flatpak for desktop apps. Do not add the DNF prerequisite on Atomic systems unless you intentionally know you are layering packages.

Install Flatpak on Mutable Fedora Systems if Needed

Skip this command on normal Fedora Workstation installs where flatpak --version already works. On mutable Fedora systems where Flatpak is missing, install it with DNF:

sudo dnf install flatpak

Add Flathub for Chromium

Fedora does not enable Flathub by default from the command line. Add the Flathub remote at system scope:

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

Verify that Flathub is available at system scope:

flatpak remotes --columns=name,options | grep -E '^flathub[[:space:]]'

flathub system

The --if-not-exists option keeps the command safe to rerun when Flathub is already configured.

Install the Chromium Flatpak

Install the Chromium Flatpak from Flathub:

sudo flatpak install flathub org.chromium.Chromium

Flatpak lists the Chromium app plus any required runtimes before installation. Review the prompt, then confirm when the listed runtime set matches what you expect to add.

Verify the Chromium Flatpak Install

Check the installed Flatpak application record:

flatpak info org.chromium.Chromium | grep -E '^[[:space:]]*(ID|Version|Origin|Installation|Runtime):'

Relevant output includes:

            ID: org.chromium.Chromium
       Version: 148.0.7778.167
        Origin: flathub
  Installation: system
       Runtime: org.freedesktop.Platform/x86_64/24.08

Flathub versions and runtime branches change over time, but the ID, origin, and installation scope should match this system-scope method.

Launch Chromium Browser on Fedora

Launch Chromium from the Terminal

The terminal launch command depends on the package source.

For the DNF package, run:

chromium-browser

For the Flatpak package, run:

flatpak run org.chromium.Chromium

Both commands open a Chromium window in a graphical desktop session. Add Chromium flags after the command when needed, such as --incognito for a private browsing window.

Launch Chromium from Fedora Activities

Fedora desktop environments also expose Chromium through the application launcher. In GNOME Workstation, open Activities, search for Chromium, and select the Chromium launcher.

Update Chromium Browser on Fedora

Browser updates are security-sensitive, so update Chromium through the same package manager that installed it. Do not mix DNF and Flatpak update commands for the same Chromium install.

Update Chromium Installed with DNF

DNF updates Chromium with the rest of your Fedora packages:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

For unattended package updates, configure DNF Automatic on Fedora instead of relying only on manual upgrade checks.

Update Chromium Installed with Flatpak

Update only the Chromium Flatpak and its required runtime changes:

sudo flatpak update org.chromium.Chromium

Use sudo flatpak update without an app ID when you want to refresh every system-scope Flatpak app and runtime.

Remove Chromium Browser from Fedora

Remove Chromium with the package manager that installed it first, then decide whether to delete browser profile data separately. Package removal keeps bookmarks, history, saved passwords, extensions, and preferences in your home directory unless you remove those paths yourself.

Remove Chromium Installed with DNF

Remove the Fedora package:

sudo dnf remove chromium

DNF also removes unused Chromium dependencies such as chromium-common when no other package still needs them. Verify that the main package is gone:

rpm -q chromium || true

package chromium is not installed

Remove Chromium Installed with Flatpak

Remove the system-scope Chromium Flatpak:

sudo flatpak uninstall org.chromium.Chromium

Confirm that the app ID is no longer installed at system scope:

flatpak list --system --app --columns=application | grep -Fx org.chromium.Chromium || echo "NOT_INSTALLED"

NOT_INSTALLED

Flatpak may leave unused runtimes after app removal. Review the proposed cleanup list before confirming:

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused

Delete Chromium Browser Profile Data

Delete Chromium profile data only when you want a full reset. This step is separate from package removal because reinstalling Chromium can reuse the same profile.

The cleanup commands permanently delete Chromium browsing data for your account, including bookmarks, saved passwords, history, settings, and installed extensions. Export anything you need before deleting these directories.

For the DNF package, remove Chromium’s native profile and cache directories:

rm -rf ~/.config/chromium ~/.cache/chromium

For the Flatpak package, remove the sandboxed Chromium data directory:

rm -rf ~/.var/app/org.chromium.Chromium

Troubleshoot Chromium Browser on Fedora

Fix DNF When Chromium Is Not Found

If DNF cannot find chromium, refresh package metadata and confirm that Fedora’s main repositories are enabled:

sudo dnf makecache --refresh

Then check that the standard Fedora repository IDs are enabled:

dnf repo list --enabled | grep -E '^(fedora|updates)[[:space:]]'

Relevant output on Fedora 44 includes:

fedora                Fedora 44 - x86_64
updates               Fedora 44 - x86_64 - Updates

If either repository is disabled, re-enable the standard Fedora repository IDs and rebuild metadata before retrying sudo dnf install chromium:

sudo dnf config-manager setopt fedora.enabled=1 updates.enabled=1
sudo dnf makecache --refresh

Fix Flatpak Deploy Not Allowed for User

When Flathub is configured at system scope, a non-sudo install can fail with a deploy permission error.

Relevant output includes:

Flatpak system operation Deploy not allowed for user

Check the remote scope:

flatpak remotes --columns=name,options | grep -E '^flathub[[:space:]]'

flathub system

If the remote is system-scoped, rerun the install with sudo and keep later Flatpak update and uninstall commands at the same scope:

sudo flatpak install flathub org.chromium.Chromium

Fix Disabled Flathub Remote Errors

If Flathub exists but is disabled, Flatpak can report that it cannot fetch the remote summary:

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

Re-enable the system-scope remote:

sudo flatpak remote-modify --enable flathub

Then verify that Flathub no longer appears as disabled:

flatpak remotes --columns=name,options | grep -E '^flathub[[:space:]]'

flathub system

Conclusion

Chromium is ready on Fedora as either a Fedora-managed browser package or a Flathub app with separate runtime updates. If you need Google account sync, proprietary Chrome packaging, or Microsoft 365 integration instead of a community Chromium build, Fedora also has separate workflows for installing Google Chrome on Fedora and installing Microsoft Edge on Fedora.