When Apple introduced M1 chips and new hardware based on these SoCs, it did so with one major hurdle: You can only officially use them natively with macOS. But the Asahi Linux project got us to install Linux on these computers, and it now works so well that even Linus Torvalds has agreed to use it.

If it is possible. When Apple launched these devices, even Linus Torvalds realized that he would very much like to own one. The problem, of course, was that it was not possible to use them natively with Linux. Apple did not offer any support or assistance in this area, but Héctor Martin (@marcan42) and a group of developers have been working on the Asahi Linux project for months to bring Linux to Macs with ARM chips.

He said and it’s over. In March 2022, this unique milestone occurred, and the team finally presented a way to use Linux on Macs with the M1 chip. This support has been extended to other models and even the new MacBook Air with the M2 chip. It is true that there are certain limitations in the support and use of the GPU in particular, but even so, these computers are fully usable with this Linux distribution.

Linus already uses Asahi Linux. The creator and head of the Linux kernel announced something unique by releasing Linux kernel 5.19. Agreed to release this version with “arm64 laptop”. As noted Those responsible for Asahi Linux were one of the new MacBook Air M2.

a little victory. Linus explained that this is “something I’ve been waiting to do for a long time and it’s finally made possible thanks to the Asahi team.” Still, he added, “I haven’t used it for a lot of real work, I’ve literally just done test builds and bootstraps, and now this is version tagging. But next time I’m making sure I travel with this machine as my laptop and so my flesh is Linux.” Try it on arm64 on that side of it as well”.

But can I really install Linux on my Mac M1/M2? Of course. On the Asahi Linux site, they explain the very simple and highly automated process, compatible with computers with the M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max chips, as well as the M1 Ultra and the new M2.

almost everything works. On these models with the latest chip, it should be https://asahilinux.org/2022/07/july-2022-release/ and in general we will find quite (but not completely) functional equipment. The main limitation is the lack of GPU hardware acceleration, but the CPU works so well that the smoothness of desktop and graphics applications is very good. Even these limitations are removed: Bluetooth support was recently completed and GPU support is on the way, so the future looks great for this project.