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How do I install non-free firmware using the advanced package tool (APT) in Debian 12 (bookworm)?

Константин Ван
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1 Answers1

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Add the repository component non-free-firmware to the APT software package sources in the /etc/apt/sources.list file, and do apt update with the root permission.

For example, set the content of the file to this:

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

. And then, install firmware packages that you need, with the apt install command.

Starting from Debian 12 (bookworm), all non-free firmware packages, such as firmware-iwlwifi, firmware-amd-graphics, or firmware-misc-nonfree, have been moved from the repository component non-free to their own repository component, non-free-firmware.

The Debian project has taken the decision in October 2022 to create a new repository component non-free-firmware and include its content on installation media for Debian 12 (bookworm) to make things easier for the users. This means that the newer Debian 12 installer will automatically install such firmware if needed.

Константин Ван
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    It also looks that Debian's own online search web pages have trouble finding any package that was moved in such section (at least as of today 2023-02-19). – A.B Feb 19 '23 at 12:54
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    Thanks for that. It's also worth noting that very often non-free packages from other sources (e.g. a manufacturer or somebody who's extracted the firmware from a Windows driver) will be in a .deb file to be installed by dpkg. – Mark Morgan Lloyd Feb 19 '23 at 18:32