Best browser for flashing GOS with Linux Mint and how to install it

Graphner

The options are as follows:

-Chromium (outside Ubuntu, since they ship a broken Snap package without working WebUSB)
-Vanadium (GrapheneOS)
-Google Chrome
-Microsoft Edge
-Brave (with Brave Shields disabled, since it caps storage usage at a low value to avoid fingerprinting available storage)

What I don't understand is this and what I have highlighted in bold above from Chromium and Brave:

You should avoid Flatpak and Snap versions of browsers, as they're known to cause issues during the installation process.

My questions:

1-I installed Chromium on Linux Mint through the Terminal like this (if I'm not mistaken):

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

sudo apt install chromium-browser

And I don't know if this way I'm installing a Flatpack or Snap version, which seems to be something to avoid. Anybody knows?

2-I then installed Google Chrome by simply downloading it from the official website. Is this browser the least recommended for installing GOS because it is from Google?

3-Both Chromium and Chrome show me the following message when I run them. Does anyone know what this is?:

“Choose password for new keyring.”

4-I downloaded Microsoft Edge, but I don't know why it didn't install, and I installed Brave Browser using the instructions here:

https://brave.com/linux/

That is:

sudo apt install curl

sudo curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg

sudo curl -fsSLo /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.sources https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/brave-browser.sources

sudo apt update

sudo apt install brave-browser

Which Brave Shields specifically need to be disabled? I disabled them all, and then the browser didn't work.

de0u

Graphner You should avoid Flatpak and Snap versions of browsers, as they're known to cause issues during the installation process.

If you installed with apt and not via snap or flatpak (and not via a GUI) that should be fine.

de0u

Graphner I then installed Google Chrome by simply downloading it from the official website.

If Chromium was installed, Chrome should not be necessary.

de0u

Graphner Both Chromium and Chrome show me the following message when I run them. Does anyone know what this is?:

“Choose password for new keyring.”

I expect the browser wants to create a keyring for storing passkeys, and wants a password to be set. One option would be setting a password. Or perhaps hitting the Escape key might work. Either way should be fine for installing GrapheneOS.

gristle-cause

If vanadium is an option, I wouldn't even consider the other browsers

Graphner

I think I was wrong about Microsoft Edge. I looked again and it seems there is no version for Linux. Right now, I'm leaning more towards using Google Chrome, as it's the only one I can download directly from its official website without having to use the Terminal, but I don't like using such an intrusive browser as Chrome, which is why I'm exploring other options.

As far as I know, Vanadium can only be used with devices that have GrapheneOS, and my idea is to flash GOS with a computer.

I tried installing Chromium again and noticed something: the installation fails with this:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install chromium-browser

However, it works with this:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install chromium

So, if I remove the word “browser”, it installs. Is this normal, or am I installing an unofficial version?

Regarding the message “Choose password for new keyring,” it only appears when I run Chromium and Google Chrome (I think also with Brave) on Linux. This never happens when I use those browsers on macOS. Is this something to do with Linux?

Oggyo

Graphner I think I was wrong about Microsoft Edge. I looked again and it seems there is no version for Linux.

Last week I had to add MS Edge to Linux Mint and connect it to user's M365 account. All worked as expected.
You can download it from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge or https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

After the install it adds its repository to the sources.list so you'll get updates via the system updater later.

Psyonico

Graphner Regarding the message “Choose password for new keyring,” it only appears when I run Chromium and Google Chrome (I think also with Brave) on Linux. This never happens when I use those browsers on macOS. Is this something to do with Linux?

Yes, this is related to Linux. As (I think) deou said, the reason you are getting this prompt is in case the browser wants to save a password.

If you have a Mac, you could always use that to install GrapheneOS as well

Johnnyloans

Graphner So, if I remove the word “browser”, it installs. Is this normal, or am I installing an unofficial version?

Chromium is what you want. It's official. Things can change names over time or maybe even across Linux distributions.

uYxhbWZDbxthqiqJz

If you have vanadium as an option go with it its more safer than the others also don't flash gos from linux mint at all. If you are beginner and want simpler setup then keep your current setup but still i can't trust it because linux mint provides desktop flavours it has everything setup for a beginner to be userfriendly but the problem is huge number of packages would be preinstalled even if one of the package is infected that's it overall system is compromised flashing gos on compromised system is not recommended. Also keep this in mind its famous from Qubes OS (Zero Trust architecture) don't blindly turst it. Don't install microsoft edge browser on linux and don't spoil it further microsft products are very privacy invasive.