The Linux container on Chrome OS still feels a bit “Beta” in my opinion but it does offer up some useful additions to the Chromebook toolbox. Apart from giving you a new set of productivity tools, the terminal is a great way to learn your way around the Linux command-line interface. Whether you’re teaching a class on Linux how-to or using the Debian-based container for serious development, Crostini is disabled by default on managed Chrome OS devices and you’ll need access to an IT admin or the Admin Console to enable it.
If you manage a large fleet of Chrome devices and users, some of this may seem elementary to you and I applaud you for learning the mysterious ways of the Google Admin Console. Should you find yourself new to managed users and devices, you might be fumbling around the Admin Console looking for a way to enable the Linux container for your fleet of managed Chromebooks. Don’t feel bad. The main reason I’m writing this article is that I found myself doing the exact same thing. No worries. Enabling Linux for your users is quite simple once you know where to look.
