--- title: Free your BIOS today! ... Libreboot is [freedom-respecting](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) *boot firmware* that initializes the hardware (e.g. memory controller, CPU, peripherals) on [specific Intel/AMD x86 computers](docs/hardware/) and starts a bootloader for your operating system. [GNU+Linux](docs/gnulinux/) and [BSD](docs/bsd/) are well-supported. It replaces proprietary BIOS/UEFI firmware. Help is available via [\#libreboot](https://web.libera.chat/#libreboot) on [Libera](https://libera.chat/) IRC. The latest version is [Libreboot 20210522](news/libreboot20210522.md), released on 22 May 2021. Join us now and flash the firmware! -----------------------------------
You have rights. The right to privacy, freedom of thought, freedom of speech and the right to read. [Free software](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) gives you these rights. Your freedom matters. [Right to repair](https://vid.puffyan.us/watch?v=Npd_xDuNi9k) matters. Many people use [proprietary](https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary.html) boot firmware, even if they use [GNU+Linux](https://www.gnu.org/distros/). Non-free firmware often [contains](faq.html#intel) [backdoors](faq.html#amd), and can be buggy. Libreboot was founded in in December 2013, with the express purpose of making Free Software accessible for non-technical users at the firmware level. Libreboot can be called Open Source, [but you should call it Free Software](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.en.html). Libreboot uses [coreboot](https://www.coreboot.org/) for [hardware initialization](https://doc.coreboot.org/getting_started/architecture.html). Coreboot is notoriously difficult to install for most non-technical users; it handles only basic initialization and jumps to a separate [payload](https://doc.coreboot.org/payloads.html) program (e.g. [GRUB](https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/), [Tianocore](https://www.tianocore.org/)), which must also be configured. *Libreboot solves this problem*; it is a *coreboot distribution* with an [automated build system](docs/build/) that builds complete *ROM images*, for more robust installation. Documentation is provided. Libreboot has advanced features like [encrypted /boot/](docs/gnulinux/encrypted_debian.md) and [GPG support](docs/gnulinux/grub_hardening.html). Binary blobs are excluded, making Libreboot *100% free software*, [endorsed by the Free Software Foundation](https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/replace-your-proprietary-bios-with-libreboot). It has [helped](https://www.gnu.org/education/how-i-fought-to-graduate-without-using-non-free-software.html) many people, [including the FSF, GNU project](https://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2017/fall/six-months-of-equipment-upgrades-at-the-fsf) and [even Richard Stallman](https://stallman.org/stallman-computing.html). How to help ----------- Check the [tasks](tasks/) page and pick a task to work on. You can also check bugs listed on the [bug tracker](https://notabug.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues). If you spot a bug and have a fix, [here are instructions for how to send patches](git.md), and you can also report it. Also, this entire website is written in Markdown and hosted in a [separate repository](https://notabug.org/libreboot/lbwww) where you can send patches. Libreboot development discussion and user support are all done on the IRC channel. More information is on the [contact page](contact.md).