Xiwi

Xiwi is a component of the Crouton project that enables running Linux desktop environments and applications inside Chrome OS in a windowed X11 session. It provides a windowing backend that embeds a Linux X server within a Chrome OS window, so Linux GUI programs can appear as regular windows alongside Chrome OS apps rather than inside a separate full-screen chroot.

Xiwi is designed to make Linux software feel more integrated with Chrome OS, supporting common desktop environments such as Xfce, LXDE, GNOME, and KDE as provided by Crouton. It operates by starting an X session inside the Chrome OS environment and mapping input and graphics between the host and the Linux session.

Usage generally requires installing Crouton with the xiwi target, then launching the Linux session from within Chrome OS. Sessions can be run in a window in the Chrome OS desktop or in full-screen mode, depending on configuration. Performance and compatibility depend on the Chromebook model and Chrome OS version; certain 3D acceleration features may be limited.

Xiwi is not officially maintained by Google and the Crouton project treats it as a community effort. As Chrome OS has evolved, some configurations may become difficult to set up on newer devices. In recent years users seeking official Linux-on-Chrome OS support have turned to Crostini, Google’s official Debian/Ubuntu container solution.