NixOS on the Framework Laptop 12

Framework Laptop 12 Linux
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Guide is live, but we are adding to it and retooling some of it as of Aug 1st 2025, so it may evolve as time goes on.

Debugging guide for tablet mode:

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What are the Linux system requirements for tablet mode?
[User] NixOS on the Framework Laptop 12
[User] NixOS on the Framework Laptop 12
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Hello!

We’ve got quite a few NixOS tips and tricks building up in the various threads here, so I thought I’d go ahead and create a singular thread to consolidate them all!

Now we’ve just got to find them again…

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Merged threads, opened this back up.

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Thanks a bunch!

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Say, @Matt_Hartley, I was just curious as to what it would take to make NixOS an officially supported Linux distribution? Don’t around half the team over at Framework use it, as I recall Nirav saying? :sweat_smile:

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Just for good measure I want to add that generally kernel modules can be loaded either in the first stage or the second stage of the boot process. The difference in the configuration.nix file being

boot.initrd.kernelModules = [ "< a kernel module >" ]; <- loaded by the initrd i.e. in the first stage

boot.kernelModules = [ "< a kernel module >" ];<- loaded in the second stage

Forpinctrl_tigerlake to be loaded before soc_button_arrayit has to be loaded in the first stage. So make sure to add

boot.initrd.kernelModules = [ “pinctrl_tigerlake” ];

to configuration.nix.

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{ config, … }: { boot.initrd.kernelModules = [ "pinctrl_tigerlake" ]; }

I wonder if we can keep adding to this one…

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At one point you leave the realm of guidance and enter the realm of hand-holding. :smiley:

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In my experience, you can do both if you work backwards from the answer. :smirking_face:

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I just received my Framework 12 yesterday afternoon.

I used the graphical Nixos install for 24.11 (my current daily driver).

Installed first time with one tiny issue: I had to use a usb mouse during install - touchpad did not work. after install, touchpad was fine.

I love this new machine. The framework 12 is a killer design for my use cases. As most ML/AI is now cloud/api, a less powerful i3 does everything I need.

Nixos has saved me about 2 days of fiddling on install.

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Also - I see many tech support people have been multi-year helpers here. Thank You. This whole framework thing is working out well for me. @Matt_Hartley

Other killer features: pick my own keyboard (Italian) - a great option.