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Running Godot Launcher in No-Sandbox Mode on Linux

On Linux, the Chromium sandbox used by Electron sometimes causes problems when launching Godot Launcher. This usually happens if the sandbox helper binary cannot be set up correctly, for example on certain distributions or when running from an AppImage. The result is that the launcher may fail to start with a fatal error.

To help with this, Godot Launcher includes a no-sandbox mode. When enabled, all Chromium processes inside the launcher bypass the sandbox. This can resolve startup issues, but it should only be used as a workaround if you cannot run the launcher normally.

When should I use no-sandbox?​

  • The launcher crashes on startup with an error mentioning chrome-sandbox or SUID sandbox helper.
  • Running from AppImage or a restricted environment where Chromium cannot apply its usual sandboxing.
  • You have already tried reinstalling or updating your system packages but the issue persists.
warning

The Chromium sandbox is a security feature. Disabling it should only be done if absolutely necessary, and only on Linux systems where you cannot launch the app otherwise.

How to run Godot Launcher with no-sandbox​

Godot Launcher detects the no-sandbox option if you pass it on the command line or through an environment variable.

Option 1: Command line flag​

Run the AppImage or launcher binary with:

./Godot_Launcher-<version>-linux-<arch>.AppImage --no-sandbox

or

./Godot_Launcher-<version>-linux-<arch>.AppImage --disable-sandbox

This only applies to that single run.

Option 2: Environment variable​

Set the environment variable before launching:

GODOT_LAUNCHER_DISABLE_SANDBOX=1 ./Godot_Launcher-<version>-linux-<arch>.AppImage

This tells the launcher to append the --no-sandbox switch internally before any windows are created.

Make it permanent​

To avoid typing this every time, you can export the variable in your shell config:

  • For Bash users:
echo 'export GODOT_LAUNCHER_DISABLE_SANDBOX=1' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
  • For system-wide setting (all users):
echo 'GODOT_LAUNCHER_DISABLE_SANDBOX=1' | sudo tee -a /etc/environment

After adding this, you can launch the AppImage normally without typing the flag.

Troubleshooting​

  • Still seeing sandbox errors: Double-check that you spelled the option correctly (--no-sandbox with two dashes).
  • Environment variable not working: Make sure it is exported in the same shell session or added to your shell config.
  • No difference after enabling: Some distributions require extra runtime libraries. Try updating your system and ensure libnss3, libx11, and related Electron dependencies are installed.
  • Security concerns: If possible, prefer fixing sandbox permissions rather than disabling the feature. The --no-sandbox mode is only a fallback.

Summary​

If Godot Launcher fails to start on Linux with a Chromium sandbox error, you can use no-sandbox mode by passing --no-sandbox, --disable-sandbox, or setting GODOT_LAUNCHER_DISABLE_SANDBOX=1. You can even make the environment variable permanent in your shell config for convenience. Only enable this if necessary, as it reduces process isolation and security.