If you use Linux on your Chromebook frequently, you’ve probably come across programmes that come in tar.gz, AppImage, and DEB packages. While AppImage and DEB apps function smoothly on Chromebooks, installing a tar.gz file in Chrome OS can be a little challenging. We’ve thus provided you with a simple guide on how to instal a tar.gz file on your Chromebook to make things easier. A few orders must be executed before you are ready.
Install tar.gz File on a Chromebook (2021)
In this guide, one of the best Linux applications for Chromebooks, LibreOffice, will be installed. It arrives in tar.gz file format and needs to be manually extracted and installed on the Linux container. I’m assuming that Linux is already installed on your Chromebook. So let’s get to the steps without further ado.
Move the tar.gz file first to the Linux files section of the Files app.
2. Next, copy the file name using the Chromebook’s Ctrl + Enter keyboard shortcut. To copy a file, be sure to provide the entire name, including the tar.gz extension.
3. Next, launch the Linux Terminal and enter the command listed below. Ensure that the filename you copied above is substituted for the current one. The tar.gz file will be extracted and placed in a folder on your Chromebook.
sudo tar -xf filename.tar.gz
4. After the tar.gz file has been extracted, select the Files app’s Linux files area and copy the folder name. You won’t be given an extension this time.
5. Execute the command listed below to move inside the extracted folder. Don’t forget to substitute the real name you copied above for the foldername in the command.
cd foldername
6. Search for.deb files inside the folder. We must navigate to the DEBS folder because that is where the DEB files for LibreOffice are located. Run the command shown below to move to the desired folder.
cd DEBS
7. When you get there, run the command below, and your Chromebook will instal all of the DEB apps contained in the tar.gz file. Please be patient as the installation will take some time.
sudo dpkg -i *.deb
8. Lastly, you can access the programmes from the App Drawer located beneath the Linux folder when the installation is complete. There it is.
Extract and Run tar.gz File on Chrome OS
So that’s how Chrome OS users can instal tar.gz files. I’ve also mentioned using the Linux Terminal to extract tar.gz files’ contents. Follow our instructions on how to extract ZIP, 7Z, or TAR files on a Chromebook if you don’t have access to Linux or simply want to extract the contents of a tar.gz file. That’s all we have to say, though. Please let us know in the comments area below if you have any questions.