Libreboot 26.10 "Ominous Olive" released with UEFI, Chromebook support

Your previously unbootable Chromebooks might now run open-source firmware with full UEFI compatibility.

Libreboot has released version 26.10, codenamed "Ominous Olive," introducing significant updates, most notably full UEFI support. This release adds 233 Intel and AMD Chromebook models to its supported hardware list, integrating them from the MrChromebox project. The new default boot payload is EDK2, Intel's open-source UEFI implementation, replacing older GRUB and SeaBIOS payloads on most 64-bit compatible hardware for enhanced compatibility with modern operating systems like Windows 10/11, Linux, and BSD. Libreboot also now utilizes a fork of coreboot from 15h.org for AMD Fam15h mainboards, improving initialization and RAM support. Notably, this release includes an explicit anti-AI policy in its documentation. For backward compatibility, EFI builds of GRUB and SeaBIOS are available within the EDK2 setup, accessible by pressing ESC at boot.

The integration of EDK2 as the default UEFI payload marks a substantial shift for Libreboot, moving beyond its historical GRUB/SeaBIOS-centric approach. This change is driven by the need to support modern hardware and operating systems, which increasingly rely on UEFI standards. By adopting EDK2, Libreboot aims to provide a more robust and broadly compatible boot environment, even enabling booting of Windows and various Linux distributions without needing traditional GRUB configurations, a significant expansion for users seeking open-source firmware on a wider range of devices, including Chromebooks.

The inclusion of 233 Chromebook models significantly broadens Libreboot's hardware support, making open-source firmware accessible to a vast new user base. This move, leveraging MrChromebox's upstream work, democratizes the use of custom boot firmware on devices previously locked into proprietary solutions. The simultaneous adoption of EDK2 ensures these newly supported machines can run contemporary operating systems, blurring the lines between general-purpose hardware and specialized devices in the open-source ecosystem.