Install Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on MacBook Pro 14,1


Hello and welcome to “Continuous Improvement,” the podcast that helps you embrace change and optimize your life. I’m your host, Victor, and in today’s episode, we’ll be discussing Ubuntu 20.04 and how to install it on a MacBook Pro 14.1 model.

Ubuntu 20.04 has just been released, and I couldn’t wait to give it a try. In this episode, I’ll be sharing what works, what doesn’t, and how to work around those issues. So, let’s dive in!

To begin, you’ll want to download a copy of the Ubuntu 20.04 ISO image from ubuntu.com. Once you have the image, use Etcher to create a bootable USB drive. Don’t worry, I’ll include the download links in the show notes.

Now, when you start booting from the USB drive, you might notice that the trackpad doesn’t work. But don’t worry, there’s a workaround. You can either use an external mouse or continue the installation via keyboard. We’ll fix the driver issue later.

Once you’re in the Ubuntu operating system, you’ll find that the keyboard with backlight, screen display and graphics card, WiFi connectivity, USB ports, and battery all work out of the box. That’s great!

But, there are a few things that don’t work by default. Let’s go through them and their workarounds:

  • Speakers: To fix this, you can use external headphones or HDMI on an external monitor. If you prefer fixing it with a driver, you can find the instructions and the driver in the show notes.

  • Trackpad: As mentioned earlier, you can use an external mouse during installation. But if you want to use the trackpad, you can install the driver by following the link provided.

  • Bluetooth: If you’re facing Bluetooth issues, don’t worry. There’s a driver available that will solve the problem. Just follow the instructions in the show notes.

  • Camera: Another issue you might face is with the camera. But fret not, there’s a driver available to fix it. You can find all the details in the show notes as well.

Once you’ve resolved these issues, you can make additional customizations to enhance your Ubuntu experience. For example, switching to dark mode, displaying battery percentage, installing GNOME Tweaks, Ubuntu restricted extras, and the Atom editor. Again, the instructions for these customizations will be in the show notes.

One final tip I have for you is to disable the trackpad while typing. This can greatly improve your typing experience. You’ll find the command to do so in the show notes.

Remember, while Ubuntu offers endless customization options, it’s essential to proceed with caution. Enthusiasm can sometimes lead to crashing your system if you’re not careful. If you have any questions or need help, feel free to reach out to me. I’m here to assist you on your Ubuntu journey.

That’s it for today’s episode of “Continuous Improvement.” I hope you found this information helpful. Embrace change, optimize your life, and keep striving for continuous improvement. I’m Victor, your host, signing off. See you next time!