Installing Ubuntu 22.04 LTS on a 2016 MacBook Pro 15" (A1707) - Nurxan Masimzada

Installing Ubuntu 22.04 LTS on a 2016 MacBook Pro 15" (A1707)

testing ubuntu https macbook support
Installing Ubuntu 22.04 LTS on a 2016 MacBook Pro 15" (A1707)

Introduction

In 2025, I decided to give new life to my aging MacBook Pro 15" 2016 (model A1707, MacBookPro13,3) by switching from macOS to a fully Linux-based system. macOS support had ended, and I wanted up-to-date software and a stable system for my daily use. This article is my hands-on experience and practical guide for installing Ubuntu 22.04 LTS on this hardware — complete with step-by-step installation, driver fixes, and troubleshooting tips.

Downloading Ubuntu 22.04 LTS ISO

Although Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is now available, I specifically chose 22.04 LTS for maximum driver compatibility and long-term support.

I downloaded the ISO file to prepare a bootable USB.

Creating a Bootable USB

To make a bootable USB (at least 8GB), I used Balena Etcher:

Partitioning the Disk in macOS

Before installing, I used Disk Utility on macOS to make space for Ubuntu:

  • I created an 81GB partition dedicated to Ubuntu.
  • In Disk Utility, always choose “Add Partition” (not “Add Volume”).
  • Format as MS-DOS (FAT) for compatibility.

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Booting from the USB Drive

With the Mac turned off, I plugged in the USB stick and held the Option (⌥) key while powering on. In the boot menu, I selected the “EFI Boot” option to start Ubuntu.

Ubuntu Installation Steps

  • Selected language and keyboard layout.
  • Chose “Try or Install Ubuntu”.
  • On the disk partitioning screen, I picked Manual/Custom (Something Else).
    1. Located my previously created 81GB partition.
    2. Set 1GB as swap and the rest as root (/) in ext4 format.
  • Started the installation and rebooted after it completed.

First Boot & Initial Problems

After installation, I again used the Option key to select EFI Boot for Ubuntu.
The system launched fine, but I immediately faced some hardware issues:

  • Wi-Fi networks visible, but unable to connect
  • No sound from speakers or microphone
  • Touch Bar & FaceTime HD camera not working

Wi-Fi Issues and Solution

The built-in Broadcom Wi-Fi adapter on this MacBook is notorious for Linux compatibility problems. The device detected networks but refused to connect — an issue seen on many Dell, HP, and older MacBooks.

Solution: Lowering TxPower Value

After much trial and error, I discovered that lowering the adapter’s TxPower value fixed the problem. Here’s what worked:

# Find your wireless adapter's name:
sudo iwconfig
# or
ip a

# Lower the TxPower (replace  with yours, e.g. wlan0, wlp3s0):
sudo iwconfig  txpower 10

Note: Use your actual adapter name from the previous command.

With this, I could connect reliably to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks.
5GHz Wi-Fi still doesn’t work with the Broadcom 43602 chip; I’ll update this post if I find a workaround.

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Fixing Audio (Speakers & Microphone)

Ubuntu does not natively support the Cirrus Logic CS8409 audio chip found in this MacBook.
I solved this by writing and publishing an open-source driver for the community.

Open Source Driver & Installation

# Install required build tools:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r) git

# Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/nurxan02/snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409.git
cd snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409

# Build and install the driver:
make
sudo make install

# Reboot:
sudo reboot

See README.md for troubleshooting and advanced tips.

Remaining or Partially-Solved Issues

  • Touch Bar: Support is still very limited, mostly non-functional.
  • FaceTime HD Camera: Still working on a solution — will update if/when it works.
  • 5GHz Wi-Fi: No solution yet for the Broadcom 43602 chip, stay tuned for updates.

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Conclusion & Evaluation

It’s absolutely possible to run a stable, fully usable Ubuntu 22.04 LTS desktop on a 2016 MacBook Pro (A1707), but you must be ready for extra tweaks, drivers, and manual fixes — especially for audio and Wi-Fi.

All my fixes, scripts, and source code are open-sourced on GitHub.
For more updates and solutions, keep following this page!

Useful Links & Resources

Feedback & Contributions

If you have this model (or similar) and have found other workarounds or fixes, feel free to comment below or open an issue/PR on my GitHub repo!

This guide was created from my own trial-and-error journey. For the latest fixes and solutions, check back regularly!

License

This article and the relevant drivers are released under GPL-2.0 or later.

If you want “buy me a coffee” : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/nurxan02

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