Introduction
Once you have your Framework Laptop 13 set up following the Quick Start Guide, you’re ready to install your preferred OS. The Framework Laptop 13 is running some very recent hardware, and we’ve worked with the team at Fedora to improve support. Fedora 39 is one of the Linux distributions we recommend, as it has full hardware support with very little setup required, and it offers a great user experience overall.
One note on Fedora is that the distro follows a fairly aggressive update policy on new kernels. This means that if you have the most recent generation of hardware, there is a higher risk that a kernel update could have a driver regression. On older platforms, this is less of a risk. To avoid this risk altogether, you can use a more conservative distro like Ubuntu LTS.
This is an Officially Supported Linux Distribution. Learn more here.
Tools
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Parts
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Fedora has a fantastic tool called Fedora Media Writer to create USB installers. It's available for Windows, OS X, and Linux. For Windows and OS X, you can download it here: https://fedoraproject.org/workstation/
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Insert your USB drive (2GB or larger). Note that it will be reformatted, so make sure you are ok with erasing any data that is on it.
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After installing Fedora Media Writer, run it. Click Next to go to the "Select Fedora Release" screen. We'll proceed with the Official Fedora Workstation release for this guide, but there are a range of other options available. Now click Next.
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The latest version of Fedora will be selected by default. Make sure the correct USB Drive is selected in the drop down, and then click Write.
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Once the USB drive creation is complete, you can click Finish, close Fedora Media Writer, eject your USB drive, and if you'd like to, delete the downloaded ISO file.
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Insert the USB drive into your powered off Framework Laptop 13, and then power on. If you have an existing OS installed on the Storage drive in your laptop, immediately after the power light comes on begin rapidly tapping (continuously ) the F12 key - you must begin tapping well before you see the Framework logo.
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Select Linpus lite (General UDisk) with your arrow keys. Enter key.
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Next select Start Fedora Workstation-Live 39. Hit the enter key.
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After a few seconds, you're in! If you just want to try Fedora out, you can click on the Try Fedora button and browse through the live USB version of it without touching the internal storage drive. If you do want to install Fedora to the internal storage drive, go on to the next step.
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Click on the Install Fedora button.
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Select the keyboard language you'd like to use. On the next screen, click on the Installation Destination button to choose the disk. Note that you can install Fedora onto a USB drive or a Storage Expansion Card as an alternative to installing it onto your internal drive.
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Click Finish Installation and then reboot into your new Fedora install!
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Click on Start Setup button. This begins the process of completing the initial setup of your Fedora installation.
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Connect to Wi-Fi or Skip. If you wish not to connect to wireless just yet, you can skip this and return to connecting to Wi-Fi later on.
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Choose your Privacy settings. Here you can decide if you would like to allow Location Services using Mozilla Location Service or not.
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Click on Enable Third-Party Repositories. Unless you have a specific reason for not doing so, it's recommended that these repositories are enabled for access to additional drivers and applications.
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Connect Online Accounts or Skip. Connect to Google, Nextcloud or Microsoft online accounts to access your email, calendar, contacts, documents and photos.
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Let's setup fingerprint login. Click on Activities, search for user.
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Choose Fingerprint Login. Then select Scan new fingerprint. Select your desired fingerprint. Carefully tap your finger tip on the sensor (power button). You may need to try a few attempts as everyone's prints are different.
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Once it's successful, you will see the word Complete.
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We're almost done. Please follow the links to your individual Framework Laptop 13 model (11th, 12th and 13th Gen Intel Core.
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Click here for the completion guide for 13th Gen Intel Core.
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Click here for the completion guide for 12th Gen Intel Core.
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Click here for the completion guide for 11th Gen Intel Core.
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Click here for the completion guide for AMD Ryzen 7040 Series.
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Go to and click upper left corner where you see the horizontal line, search terminal and launch it. Please follow this link to copy and paste the code into your terminal, then press enter.
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The output as seen in the image on the right will tell you if you have an 11th or 12th Gen Intel Core or AMD Ryzen 7040 Series Framework Laptop 13 and also which BIOS version you're using.
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Expecting different touchpad behavior? The touchpad help guide is here.
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Need help? Please visit our troubleshooting guide first.
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If you need additional help, feel free to visit our active support community.
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Enjoy using Fedora on your Framework Laptop 13!
Enjoy using Fedora on your Framework Laptop 13!
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3 Comments
Hi! Thanks a lot for creating this guide, @matthartley! I am waiting for my Framework 13 AMD laptop to be delivered, and I will install Fedora as soon as I get it.
Still, there is something that is not very clear to me.
there is a higher risk that a kernel update could have a driver regression.
What does this mean, exactly?
Thanks a lot ❤️
Best,
Tommi
Great question. And bear in mind, this falls into the could happen camp. Not the will happen, camp. When you update from a "works great" kernel to one you have not personally tested before, there is the "chance" of a bug reappearing that may have been there previously in releases long since passed. A regression.
The great thing about Fedora is that you will have access to multiple kernels on the same system after an update. So if a regression is introduced, no biggie, boot into the previously working kernel and then report the bug you experienced to the Fedora team in a bug report.
