Arch Linux

jcarneal

Member

Registered: 2016-01-25

Posts: 12

T2 Macbook Air and kernel updates

Hello,

I have searched for this answer, but can't seem to find anything relevant.  Apologies if I missed it somewhere.

I have a 2019 Macbook Air with a T2 chip.  I'm currently running Debian linux on it, with a kernel I patched with the T2 patches and custom compiled.  However, for a variety of reasons I'm considering switching it to Arch linux, and found a guide on the install here:

https://wiki.t2linux.org/distributions/ … tallation/

I have installed arch in the past on apple hardware, so I believe I'll be able to get it installed and running.  My question, however, is once installed if I update the system using pacman and a new kernel is installed, is it going to break my current install?  I ask because I presume the updated kernel in the main repository wouldn't have the T2 patches, but maybe it would or I'm missing some other aspect of it.

If anyone has experience in this regard, would appreciate hearing your thoughts.  Thanks in advance,

Jeff

rudy_myth

Member

Registered: 2022-06-22

Posts: 1

Re: T2 Macbook Air and kernel updates

Yupp you most likely will!
If you use GRUB then just select the t2 kernel in the bootloader and youll be good to go.
Plus the arch repo has the mirror list you can just add it and disable the default i guess?
The arch linux t2 comes with that default i guess?
Ive been using arch linux on my macbook air 2020 i3 since a loooooong time no problem at all.

jcarneal

Member

Registered: 2016-01-25

Posts: 12

Re: T2 Macbook Air and kernel updates

Great, thanks for the reply!

Bryan423

Member

Registered: 2026-08-19

Posts: 1

Re: T2 Macbook Air and kernel updates

Yupp you most likely will!
If you use GRUB then just select the t2 kernel in the bootloader and youll be good to go.
Plus the arch repo has the mirror list you can just add it and disable the default i guess?
The arch linux t2 comes with that default i guess?
Ive been using arch linux on my macbook air 2020 i3 since a loooooong time no problem at all.

Hi Rudy,

I am using my 2020 macbook air i7 with t2 chips and i looked at the t2.org and reddit and seems the touch id and the audio are the unsolvable problems for arch linux on t2 macbook, is this true? I like the hardware including the keyboard light, audio and touch id on my mac, is arch able to provide performance like macos? If the problems are solvable I am interested to write drivers myself actually.

I havent been using any linux device before, i am just using vm with arch on my macbook for coding and this make me frustrating and struggle to use(or switch to) linux, I am interested to swtich to linux, will other distros perform better?

Thank you,
Bryan