How to install FL Studio 20 on a Chromebook - New Tutorial

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In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of installing FL Studio 20 on a Chromebook. FL Studio is a powerful digital audio workstation (DAW) that's popular among music producers and composers. While it's traditionally a Windows application, we can get it running on a Chromebook using some clever workarounds.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, it's important to note that this tutorial is specifically for Chromebooks with Intel or AMD processors that support Linux Apps. Unfortunately, this method won't work on Chromebooks with ARM64 architecture CPUs. If you're unsure about your Chromebook's processor, you can check our guides for Intel Chromebooks and AMD Chromebooks.

Video Tutorial

We've prepared a video tutorial to guide you through the process visually. We recommend following along with both the video and the written instructions below for the best results.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Enable Linux Apps

First, we need to enable Linux apps on your Chromebook:

  1. Go to your Chromebook's Settings
  2. Click on the "About Chrome OS" section on the left panel
  3. Under the "Developer" section, choose "Set up Linux"
  4. Follow the prompts to turn on Linux

2. Install Required Packages

Now, we'll run several commands in the terminal to install packages that FL Studio and Crossover require. Open a terminal from your app menu and run these commands one by one:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
echo "deb https://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/bullseye_chrome_os_made_simple.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install libjpeg62 libnss-mdns:i386 libglu1-mesa:i386 libxcursor1:i386 libxrandr2:i386 libcapi20-3:i386 libfontconfig1:i386 libgsm1:i386 libldap-2.4-2:i386 libmpg123-0:i386 libopenal1:i386 libosmesa6:i386 libpulse0:i386 libsane:i386 libv4l-0:i386 libxcomposite1:i386 libxinerama1:i386 libxml2:i386 libxslt1.1:i386
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/bullseye_chrome_os_made_simple.list

These commands enable 32-bit architecture support, add a necessary repository, update the package list, install required packages, and then remove the temporary repository.

3. Download Crossover and FL Studio

Next, we need to download Crossover and FL Studio:

Note: The FL Studio installer provided is a trial version. If you own a licensed copy of FL Studio, you should be able to use that as well.

4. Install Crossover and FL Studio

Once the downloads are complete:

  1. Open your file manager
  2. Right-click on the Crossover package and select "Install with Linux apps"
  3. After Crossover is installed, do the same for the FL Studio package

5. Launch FL Studio

You should now be able to launch FL Studio from your app menu. When you first open it, you'll be prompted to try the demo or enter your license information if you have a full version.

Additional Notes

Crossover is a paid application, but there's a way to use it for free if needed. You can download the trial version, which lasts for two weeks. After the trial period ends, you can remove your Linux Apps in your system settings (note that this will delete all your Linux apps and the Linux folder in your file manager), then turn it on again and set up Crossover and FL Studio once more. While not the most convenient method, it does work for those who can't afford the license fee.

The FL Studio installer used in this tutorial was created by installing FL Studio on a Chromebook and exporting it as a Debian package without modifications. By using this installer, you agree to Crossover's installation terms, the dependencies FL Studio requires, and FL Studio 20's agreements.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues during the installation process, here are a few things to try:

  • Make sure your Chromebook is up to date
  • Restart your Chromebook and try the process again
  • Check that you have enough free space on your Chromebook
  • If a command fails, try running it again

If you're still having trouble, feel free to reach out via a YouTube comment on our tutorial video, and we'll do our best to assist you.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You should now have FL Studio 20 running on your Chromebook. This setup allows you to produce music on the go with your Chromebook, combining the lightweight nature of Chrome OS with the powerful features of FL Studio. Remember that performance may vary depending on your Chromebook's specifications. Happy music-making!

For more Chromebook tips and tutorials, check out our Chromebook comparison and Buyers Guide.

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