New third-party repositories — easily install Chrome & Steam on Fedora

Fedora now features a curated set of third-party software repositories, containing software not traditionally available Fedora, like Google Chrome and Steam. By default, Fedora only includes free and open source software. However, with the introduction of these curated third-party repositories, users can opt-in to enabling selected extra sources. Some software in these optional sources is proprietary, and may have restrictions, including access to the source code. Read on for more information on how this works.

This brand new feature is part of the upcoming Fedora 28 release. However, recent updates to Fedora 27  provide changes to easily enable these repositories as well. Some of the third-party sources contain software that can only be installed on Fedora 28.

Third-party repositories available

Currently, enabling the new third-party repositories allows easy installation of the following software:

  • Google Chrome — a web browser (Fedora 27 & Fedora 28)
  • PyCharm — a Python IDE (Fedora 27 & Fedora 28)
  • NVIDIA graphics drivers (Fedora 28 only)
  • Steam — a digital distribution method primarily used for games (Fedora 28 only)

Enabling the repositories

After enabling the third-party repositories, the software contained in them is easily installed and updated using the normal methods in Fedora. This includes either using the Software application to search and install, or DNF on the command line.

Using the Software application

After upgrading to Fedora 28 (or updating Fedora 27), the Software application will show a notification on next launch asking if you want to enable the repositories. Click the enable button, and the software will appear for download in the Software app.

Alternatively, use the Software sources dialog to enable or disable the third-party repositories.

an animated GIF showing the enabling with the Software Sources dialog in the Software application

Enabling with the Software Sources dialog in the Software application

Using DNF

The fedora-workstation-repositories package in Fedora contains the third-party repo definitions. Install this package to enable the third-party repositories. Using DNF with sudo:

sudo dnf install fedora-workstation-repositories
Fedora Project community

77 Comments

  1. Finally will be able to use nvidia chip on my Fedora laptop. Eagerly looking forward to Fedora 28 for this feature. Thank You all of you at Fedora Linux.

    • João Rodrigues

      Finally? I’ve been using the nvidia drivers from the rpmfusion-nonfree repos for years.

    • Germano

      Well, you were able to use it even before this news. You just had to enable RPMFusion repository and install
      akmod-nvidia
      package

      • Hi Joao and Germano,
        For an average Fedora user like me, I don’t understand anything you guys just said about using nvidia without Fedora 28. Actually, first time reading words such as “rpmfusion” and “nonfree”.
        The article however communicates that life will be easier for an average Joe / Jane using Fedora Linux.
        I guess expert users would say this is dumbing down of Linux community. But there is a very minority group of computer users in the world who do so much old school work on any OS or Software and customising etc.
        Simplicity of use is the only way an OS becomes a household name and gets installed against big company brands such as Windows or Android, etc.
        I am probably using only 1% of the features of Linux and also just 1% of my brain, but it is still productive for my computer tasks and gets the job done.

        • Elijah Beale

          I see your point, but to be honest the info about RPMFusion and Livna is everywhere. Additionally, Fedora and a lot of other distros have active communities and are constantly improving, so there is always going to be a certain amount you are going to have to read and learn. It only takes about 15 minutes a day to glean cursory info about your respective distro. 5 minutes when you are practiced.

          I work with the “average Joe” (I do IT support), and that person these days has really no idea about how to configure some settings in main stream OSes, or what a filesystem even is– they just let the computer do the work for them without really knowing anything about it. They do this until it breaks.

          It’s sad, and leads to ignorance about related topics…it’s a general dumbing down. It has become okay to know nothing about your tool– just use it and throw it away.

          So, that’s me pushing back and fighting the good fight.

          • Roger

            Well said Elijah. I’m a 16 year veteran of the Linux scene and your 15 min./5 min. assessment is accurate. It seems no one wants to put much effort at all toward learning something. Believe you me; watching a YouTube video that is mostly useless is far less productive than reading a short article with tips and commands. Put the time in, do the leg-work and all will be revealed.

  2. Is it worth the effort to install chrome on Fedora? I’m still using a Mac because chrome works better on it. I’m talking about video calling as in hangouts and Facebook messenger. On some distros it seems to have bad sound quality and on free bsd it’s video is messed up as well as the sound.

  3. Hi. Good news, for a “vintage” Fedora user. But I ask: “when some Repo for unusual drivers, like unsupported Network dongles, for instance?“.

  4. Rubens Malheiro

    Thanks for the curate! man’s!

  5. IFo Hancroft

    This is good news! Good job, Fedora!

  6. Hans Meiser

    Ujjwal, FYI, you will receive the same NVIDIA driver that is available in the rpmfusion repositories since quite some time (see https://rpmfusion.org/Howto/NVIDIA?highlight=%28CategoryHowto%29). The only difference now is that Fedora provides a very simple way to enable the repository vs. having to click on the rpm files that install the repositories here(simple as well).

  7. Isaque Galdino

    I’m really glad to ear that. It’s a good move. I understand why Fedora only enables open source software, but this will make user’s life easier, once we don’t need to dig to other sources to install the software we daily use.
    Fedora is a great system and this will make more users to consider using it!

  8. Sleepy Miles

    Is it active already? I enabled the repositories using the command you set out, but dnf still won’t find “pycharm.” Running F27 XFCE here.

  9. Geo

    What’s the sense of enabling part of rpmfusion and not the whole repo? I can t even see all the software in the rpmfusion because gnome software doesnt show it. What’ s the logic?

  10. Davidson Souza

    Parabéns !!! Ficará muito mais fácil!!

  11. It this a shortcut to enable RPMFusion repositories or it is a new third-party repository?

    • Ankur Sinha "FranciscoD"

      The third party repos can be anything, as long as they’re vetted by the workstation SIG. Currently, RPMFusion set up two new repos specifically for Nvidia and Steam that are added here. This does not enable the complete rpmfusion repositories.

  12. Joshua

    Oh man, RMS is gonna flip

  13. Frederik

    This step make me consider dropping Fedora. Bringing closed source software this close to Fedora is a major in the wrong direction.

    • Oldman

      Definetly, it’s wrong step. Fedora, as a project, loosing itself.

      • @Oldman: Disagree. Everyone I know working on Fedora loves free and open source software. However, Fedora shouldn’t prevent users from easily making choices to which they’re entitled. Each user is OK to practice their individual level of belief and comfort concerning different kinds of software.

        • Oldman

          What are you talking about? Fedora has always prevent users from easily making choices to which they are entitled: a fast release cycle, no release with long support, no non-free codecs and drivers… I can miss something, but I think it is understandable. Fedora project even cuts off non-free parts from some software from its official repository. Fedora are not including mass of non-free software, as Ubuntu-like doing. I even don’t speak about non-free Nvidia driver, for example, a compatibility with this driver is not guaranteed. Fedora allways promoted free and open source software solutions only, even at the expense of ease of use, and never be simple way of using GNU/Linux. Fedora is not so mass-populated as Mint and it is not bad! Fedora it is the choose for people with certain approach to work and software and, certainly, not for the same people which can not do without non-free programs. Fedora proposes a lot of solutions with free and open source software and it is character feature. And now, what is changed? Why blur the boundaries of the project? You actually think that it will be attractive for current user or newbies? Instead of this, Fedora go away from own way.

          • @Oldman: There seems to be a misunderstanding about entitlement here. Users are entitled to make choices about the software on their systems. Users are not entitled to things like release cycle and support that are provided through the efforts of a volunteer community. I don’t get to demand that other people do more work, or different work than they prefer, when they are volunteering their time to produce something I get for free. (Or rather, I guess I could demand it, but I shouldn’t expect it to happen.) Beyond this point, you seem to be saying that because Fedora has done something one way, it cannot change; and further that it’s OK that Fedora is not as popular as it could be. Since the Fedora Project Leader himself has said exactly the opposite, I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree, and that’s OK.

          • Ankur Sinha "FranciscoD"

            It is aimed at improving usability, and is only the first step that has been taken here. There’s still a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make sure we continue to promote (and strongly suggest) that users use free/open source alternatives as much as possible. Stay tuned 🙂

            • Flo

              Hi,
              in my opinion it is exactly the opposite. Fedora enables third-party repositories that are not under Fedora’s control. That means if for example something is wrong with the repo and the user isn’t able to sync or install he or she will be disappointed. An experienced user that set up the repo manually has probably some idea how to fix it. The click-user who simply enabled the 3rd party repo using gnome-software likely clueless and disappointed.

              • @Flo: These repos enabled are chosen because they are expected to deliver an appropriate level of quality. These repos are to be reviewed regularly and if they aren’t doing that, they won’t be offered in future releases. Also, the repos are specifically aimed at single use so that they don’t subject the distribution to wider breakage.

          • Michael F

            I do not see this as a problem, on the contrary. Fedora is still free and open source software.

            That they allow NVidia which is drivers to specific hardware, and/or STEAM which is a game platform I really can’t see as a problem.
            It’s not parts of the distribution itself.
            It is clearly labeled as third party software.
            There’s opt-in.

            And finally if the user user actively chooses it, it provides an easy access to that functionality. Where is the problem? I don’t need it, but I don’t bother if it can make life easier for others without compromising the fact that Fedora itself should stay open source and free.

            • Oldman

              The problem is reputation. If earlier users know for what reason they using the Fedora, now new users will face with troubles those not exists in other distribution at all. For example, previously setup proprietary Nvidia driver often breaks after kernel upgrade, even with dkms. I know about this from my own experience. For me Fedora is valuable not for the support of proprietary drivers and proprietary software, but for beginners waiting for “normal work” it will be a shock. The project will receive a lot of negative feedback from those people who will not be able to assess the strengths of Fedora but already faced difficulties in situations that are absolutely obvious to them, where “there should be no problems”. You want to make sure? You will get it in full! Even on this page, in discussions it is noticeable that proprietary software does not work as it was promised. If you do not care about the reputation of the project, then this, for me, explains a lot.

              • @Oldman: I understand your points, but I believe your use of words like “support” shows either misunderstanding or incorrect assumptions. Furthermore, the data over the past couple of years don’t seem to support your sweeping claims about reputation. However, this comment thread is probably played out at this point.

    • Tom Tomlinson

      That is simply a foolish thing to say. Letting people OPT IN is not a big deal. Stop over-dramatizing.

  14. rick

    This is great to see, but might the NVIDIA graphics drivers from the fedora-workstation-repository cause conflicts with those who have the RPMFusion repository enabled?

    • Ankur Sinha "FranciscoD"

      They are the same packages that RPMFusion provide. In fact, RPMFusion set up these specific repos 🙂

  15. Matheus F.

    Couldn’t you provide RPMFusion as part of those repos? It’s the de facto third party repo for Fedora, even for those who don’t use nonfree.

    Either way, I am glad there is something for NVIDIA now, that will make recommending Fedora easier for newbies.

  16. Alan Jenkins

    uhh :(. No update anywhere on getting security-critical Chrome updates in a timely manner?

    https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/309544/gnome-defers-non-security-updates-does-this-reduce-security-of-current-third-p/309545#309545

    Fedora claims this is a bug in Chrome, and they need to conform to Fedora’s strategy for deferring Fedora’s flood of non-critical updates. Not convinced this is a robust approach – no-one else uses such an approach; it would be better if Fedora only deferred where there’s an explicit opt-in by the provider.

  17. Daniel Linné

    Hopefully this is now the first step towards a more userfriendly distribution, getting Fedora running smoothly is a bit too difficult.
    However I don’t think adding these packages will help with the most common problems stopping people from using fedora. For example pycharm does not work when installing it from that repo (first you have to enable it, then you need another bunch of java packages, java-1.8.0-jdk I had to install, but there was no dependency installing it).
    If you can enable a repo for dnf you can probably google and find these packages in another trustworthy repo, probably along with a guide for above mentioned problems as well..
    I don’t like the dropping of the hardcore “only open source”-attitude either, that one stings a bit.

  18. Alan

    :-(. No update on getting Fedora to install critical security updates for Google Chrome in a timely manner?

    https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/309544/gnome-defers-non-security-updates-does-this-reduce-security-of-current-third-p/309545#309545

    I tried this on Fedora 27. I got the GUI popup in gnome-software, and I can install the repos package. gnome-software seems to break down after that though :(. Searching “chrome” doesn’t find anything, even after enabling the installed google-chrome repo,

    pkcon refresh force

    , killing gnome-software and trying again.

    Hum!

    dnf only shows “google-chrome-unstable” / “google-chrome-beta” for some reason?!

    Before today, the google repo showed “google-chrome-stable”, which is what I want. And had it installed, before I removed it to test this. I know the package version was up to date recently… but this is very worrying w.r.t. security updates!

  19. Bluexin

    Quite suprised to see PyCharm in there and not the other Jetbrains IDEs (especially IDEA Community Edition, which is open-source and available on the same repo as PyCharm) ^-^
    Their Toolbox app makes them easy to install anyway, but still seems a bit weird.

    • Ankur Sinha "FranciscoD"

      They’ll be added as we have more volunteers maintaining RPM packages for them. This is only the initial set that were ready at the time of release.

  20. eeftg

    How I can create my own repositories?

  21. eeftg

    Meybe add opera.com/opera-stable

  22. Matthew Bunt

    This is really exciting. I feel like this could really be a turning point for Fedora new user adoption. I am curious how software for this repository was/will be selected. It’s obvious that these are popular programs but I’m wondering how proprietary software might be evaluated for inclusion into this repo in the future.

  23. JoJo

    How will the installation of the NVIDIA drivers in Fedora 28 be?

  24. Name

    How lovely!
    RPMfusion will still be necessary but it’s a welcome change!

  25. hello, is it not the same install chrome from google page with this repo? is there any difference between chrome’s repo with the chrome from google page?

    • Alan Jenkins

      The repo URL is the same as the repo that Google install for you, and this means you get the exact same result.

      Apart from the current situation. Because google-chrome-stable doesn’t seem to be available in Google’s repo. Currently if you want the stable version you can only use the chrome from google download (I’m sure it’ll get sorted out).

      I didn’t manage to get the unstable/beta versions to show up in Gnome Software either (using Fedora 27). But I assume that’s a different problem.

  26. Jordan Gregory

    So I’m still on FC27 here and I have installed the packages and can not find the PyCharm listing in this repository even after a

    dnf clean all

    . I use pycharm daily so it would be nice to have a repo with the artifacts/scripts so I don’t have to manually create things like the desktop file and other things that make life easier. I just though i would throw in my two cents

  27. thl

    Does anyone know if there are any plans to enable Flathub via the new third-party repositories function in gnome-software?

  28. OppaErich

    LOL, does not work. dnf can not find chrome, google-chrome or google-chrome-stable.

    So, back to rpmfusion.

    • Ankur Sinha "FranciscoD"

      Weird. Works here. Did you enable the repositories in software sources and then refresh the package set?

      • Martin Vala

        I cannot install it also. It doesn’t work, because link https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/rpm/stable/x86_64 is invalid

        [mvala@vala ~]$ cat /etc/yum.repos.d/google-chrome.repo
        [google-chrome]
        name=google-chrome
        baseurl=http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/rpm/stable/x86_64
        skip_if_unavailable=True
        gpgcheck=1
        gpgkey=https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub
        enabled=0
        enabled_metadata=1
        • Alan

          Ah. Don’t worry that trying to visit the repo url returns 404. That’s always happened, it’s just how the Google repo works.

          There’s a second discrepancy in your comment, which reveals the problem we’re having. Can you spot it? :D.

          The problem is Google’s HTTP repo is broken and doesn’t contain google-chrome-stable. However the HTTPS repo works correctly. The HTTPS repo is what Google’s RPM installs, but Fedora is installing the HTTP repo (which I also used in my own automation).

          I think using a different URL is a disaster waiting to happen. We really want to uses the same one Google do. ESPECIALLY as once you install google-chrome, there’s a cronjob that mangles the repo and forces the official Google URL anyway! (Unless you have a tricksy hack like my automation deliberately does, but Fedora did not).

          This just struck at a very co-incidental moment :).

        • Alan

          Dammit. The tests I used were wrong, so actually I’m not sure what was happening.

          I’m currently able to install google-chrome-stable using dnf and a HTTP repo URL. The google RPM (which I have a local download of) creates a repo with a HTTP URL, not a HTTPS URL, so I was completely wrong.

          In my testing, I was checking a HTTP URL for a specific RPM. That still doesn’t work (the HTTPS URL for it does). The test I was using was just bad.

          Secondly, I’d added a consistency check to my automation, which also reported that google-chrome-stable was not available. That check was also written incorrectly. Having fixed it, the check now passes, both before and after installing google-chrome-stable.

          I’m 75% sure I had a genuine problem where I could see google-chrome-unstable and -beta but not -stable. But it’s hard to be confident, without having worked out whether it was a Google problem, or yet another problem on my computer.

          • Martin Vala

            FIxed repo for https

            [root@vala ~]# cat /etc/yum.repos.d/google-chrome.repo
            [google-chrome]
            name=google-chrome
            baseurl=https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/rpm/stable/x86_64
            skip_if_unavailable=True
            gpgcheck=1
            gpgkey=https://dl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub
            enabled=0
            enabled_metadata=1

            But i cannot install any of them

            [root@vala ~]# yum install google-chrome-unstable
            Last metadata expiration check: 0:02:06 ago on Thu 03 May 2018 11:30:10 AM CEST.
            No match for argument: google-chrome-unstable
            • Alan

              “I’m currently able to install google-chrome-stable using dnf and a HTTP repo URL.”

              (and from my comment elsewhere): “google-chrome-stable mysteriously appeared again for me, I suggest trying again now :).”

              The problem you’re having is due to “enabled=0” :).

              In dnf there is no command to enable repos that I can find; you must edit the repo file.

              The difference in gnome-software, is that somehow maybe due to “enabled_metadata=1”, gnome-software will show Google Chrome and just prompt you to enable the repo when you click install.

              • @Alan: You can use dnf config-manager to set up repos, no need to edit the repo file. Try dnf config-manager --help for all the options available (--set-enabled is of interest here).

      • OppaErich

        Hi,
        nope. I downloaded this using dnf on CLI. Later I enabled this repos using this GUI tool. But there was still no google-chrome-stable. I used the GUIs search function and found (and installed) google-chrome-unstable.

        I did install rpmfusion before this but there was still no chrome. Do I have to “enable” rpmfusion too somehow ? This package management seems a bit complicated for my taste. I’m coming from Debian where it’s just editing a text file and apt update.

        But anyway, it looks like 28 is too buggy and I’m going back to 27. With 28 I get Kernel crashes and after I woke up the PC a few minutes ago, /usr/libexec/Xorg crashed.

        27 has its sets of annoying bugs too (SELinux alerts and I can’t add anything to the calendar of Thunderbird) but at least it’s stable.

  29. John

    So how do you install Chrome exactly? I installed the repos, and then tried ‘dnf install chrome’, ‘dnf install google-chrome’, and ‘dnf install google-chrome-stable’. All failed. Steam works though.

    • OppaErich

      Hi,
      Steam and nvidia did work here too. I don’t know where they’re coming from as I have rpmfusion too. For chrome I had to install google-chrome-unstable. Looks like Fedora does not want stable stuff 🙂

      • Alan

        google-chrome-stable mysteriously appeared again for me, I suggest trying again now :).

    • Green

      You need to enable them in Software.

  30. LOS

    Rather than adding only PyCharm to the repo it wouldn’t best to add the JetBrains toolbox app? Users will be able to install other JetBrains app easily and it will take care of the upgrade automation.

  31. I went from using NVidia drivers in rpmfusion to installing manually.
    https://www.if-not-true-then-false.com/2015/fedora-nvidia-guide/

  32. Saravanan

    How do I install nvidia driver and steam in Fedora 28?
    steam is not found.

    [saravanan@home-pc ~]$ sudo dnf install steam
    [sudo] password for saravanan:
    Last metadata expiration check: 0:10:32 ago on Thursday 03 May 2018 09:04:15 AM IST.
    No match for argument: steam
    Error: Unable to find a match
    [saravanan@home-pc ~]$

    [saravanan@home-pc ~]$ cat /etc/yum.repos.d/rpmfusion-nonfree-steam.repo
    [rpmfusion-nonfree-steam]
    name=RPM Fusion for Fedora $releasever – Nonfree – Steam
    #baseurl=http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/steam/$releasever/$basearch/
    metalink=https://mirrors.rpmfusion.org/metalink?repo=nonfree-fedora-steam-$releasever&arch=$basearch
    enabled=0
    enabled_metadata=1
    type=rpm-md
    gpgcheck=1
    repo_gpgcheck=0
    gpgkey=file:///usr/share/distribution-gpg-keys/rpmfusion/RPM-GPG-KEY-rpmfusion-nonfree-fedora-$releasever

    [rpmfusion-nonfree-steam-debuginfo]
    name=RPM Fusion for Fedora $releasever – Nonfree – Steam Debug
    #baseurl=http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/steam/$releasever/$basearch/debug/
    metalink=https://mirrors.rpmfusion.org/metalink?repo=nonfree-fedora-steam-debug-$releasever&arch=$basearch
    enabled=0
    type=rpm-md
    gpgcheck=1
    repo_gpgcheck=0
    gpgkey=file:///usr/share/distribution-gpg-keys/rpmfusion/RPM-GPG-KEY-rpmfusion-nonfree-fedora-$releasever

    [rpmfusion-nonfree-steam-source]
    name=RPM Fusion for Fedora $releasever – Nonfree – Steam Source
    #baseurl=http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/steam/$releasever/SRPMS/
    metalink=https://mirrors.rpmfusion.org/metalink?repo=nonfree-fedora-steam-source-$releasever&arch=$basearch
    enabled=0
    type=rpm-md
    gpgcheck=1
    repo_gpgcheck=0
    gpgkey=file:///usr/share/distribution-gpg-keys/rpmfusion/RPM-GPG-KEY-rpmfusion-nonfree-fedora-$releasever
    [saravanan@home-pc ~]$

    • Bruno

      Again, enable=0 means that it’s not enable. Change it to enable=1
      It should be closer to work

  33. Hi. Specifcly to Chrome Installing, I need not a repo: I type, via Konsole or any Terminal:

    cd /tmp ; wget -c https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_x86_64.rpm ; rpm -ivh google-chrome-stable_current_x86_64.rpm

    And, when available, Google warns (DNFDragora, in fact) a new Chrome is out.

  34. Todd

    @Ryan and @Paul, can the dnf install instructions be updated to note that the repositories must be explicitly enable after installation? This isn’t obvious to many users. I’ve seen it come up several times in the #fedora IRC channel since the release.

    The wiki documentation has been updated to include these details, so linking to https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Workstation/Third_Party_Software_Repositories#Managing_third_party_repositories_using_DNF” from the dnf section in the article would be helpful to many users (and the the folks helping users in IRC and on the mailing lists).

    Thanks!

  35. Morgado

    I believe this change is most welcome, for a long time I have had difficulty using NVIDIA drivers via rpmfusion because it constantly counts on breaking the system after a kernel upgrade.

    • Todd

      The NVIDIA driver packages are provided by RPM Fusion. They’re just available in a separate repository which can be enabled directly in Fedora. Nothing should break after a kernel upgrade when using the RPM Fusion packages. A new kernel module is built on shutdown for any kernels which lack the module, so it should “just work” on reboot. If that’s not working properly, I imagine the RPM Fusion packagers would welcome a bug report.

  36. Ervin

    I don’t understand one thing. Why enable only part of the rpm fusion repo such as steam which is even non-free and not enable the entire rpmfusion free repo which contains free but patented codecs and livna for the libdvdcs package? As for Chrome which really doesn’t do anything special or that much more than Chromium can do, just go and download it. It will set up it’s own repository without the hassles of gnome-software. Scientific Linux does a better job at enabling third party repos and Ubuntu and openSUSE just can’t be beaten at that, with ppa and yast respectively. Fedora has never had a mechanism to easily add third party repos. It has become a test bed, and I don’t feel it is stable enough for daily use. Free software is nice but when you need Nvidia, you need it. I wish CentOS or Scientific Linux had more desktop packages, they would be better than Fedora.

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