How to Install DEB Packages on Linux: Easy Guide

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Install a deb file in Ubuntu using the GUI, apt, or dpkg

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: January 16, 2026 Fact Checked

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Using Ubuntu App Center

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Using Ubuntu Software Center

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Using Gdebi

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Using Apt

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Using Dpkg

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Video

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Q&A

Do you have a .DEB file that you need to install on Ubuntu, Debian, or Linux Mint? If you downloaded a DEB file for a program like Chrome from the web, you have several easy install options. If you prefer a graphical install method and use Ubuntu, you can use the App Center or Software Center to quickly install DEB files you downloaded from the web. Or, if you want to make sure you can easily install all dependencies for the program, try Gdebi, which has both graphical and command-line options. You can also use simple command-line tools like apt and dpkg, which both come preinstalled on all Debian-based systems. We'll walk you through 5 simple options for installing DEB files in Linux.

Install a DEB Package: Quick Steps

In Ubuntu and other Debian-based Linux distros, you can usually double-click the DEB file and select "Install" for a quick GUI installation.
Use Gdebi to install a DEB package and all of its related dependencies with one simple command.
To install with Advanced Package Tool (apt), use sudo apt install ./filename.deb
To install with dpkg, use sudo dpkg -i filename.deb

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Using Ubuntu App Center (24.04 & Later)

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1
Right-click the DEB file and select Open with App Center. If you're using Ubuntu 24.04 or later, you can use App Center to install DEB files.
- If you downloaded the DEB package using a web browser, it will be in your Downloads folder by default.
- If this doesn't work, try simply double-clicking the file. It should open in App Center by default.
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Click OK to display the DEB file's details. In most cases, you'll see a warning that tells you the file is potentially unsafe–this is just because you downloaded it from outside the App Center.^{[1]
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Click the green Install button. Again, you may see a warning–if so, click Install to confirm you really want to install the DEB package. The package will then install.
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Uninstall DEB packages from App Center. If you need to remove the package, you can uninstall it from App Center as long as it has a GUI. To do so, click Installed at the top of App Center, select the program, and click Remove.^{[2]
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- If it doesn't have a GUI, use Synaptic, apt, or dpkg to uninstall it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Using Ubuntu Software Center (22.04 and Earlier)

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Double-click the DEB file. If you're using an older version of Ubuntu, this method will guide you through one of the most straightforward ways to install DEB packages. Start by double-clicking the file in your file manager, which will instantly open the Ubuntu Software tool.
- If that doesn't work, right-click the file and choose Open with software install.
- If you run into trouble with dependencies when using this method, try using Gdebi instead.
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Click the Install button. If prompted, you may need to enter your password to complete the installation process. Once the software is installed, you'll find its name and icon in your app grid.
- Having trouble finding your installed package? Just press the Super key (also known as the Windows key) on your keyboard, search for the application name, and then click it in the search results.
- To uninstall a package, just launch Ubuntu Software, click Installed, choose the package you want to delete, and then click Remove.^{[3]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Using Gdebi Package Installer

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Open a terminal window. If you're logged into a shell account, just skip to the next step. Otherwise, you can press Ctrl + Alt + T to open a terminal window in most desktop environments.
- If you're using Linux Mint, GDebi is already the default for installing DEB files. You can install the DEB file now through Gdebi by double-clicking it in your file manager and selecting Install Package.
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Install Gdebi if you haven't already done so. Gdebi is one of the most reliable ways to install DEB packages because of its ability to determine and resolve dependencies. If you're not using Linux Mint, you'll need to install it. Here's how:^{[4]
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Research source} If Gdebi finds that the program requires other programs or libraries to run, the tool will also install those required files.
- On Ubuntu, you can get Gdebi from Ubuntu Software or App Center. For any other Debian-based distro (or if you prefer using apt in Ubuntu), use these steps:
  - Type sudo apt update and press Enter.
  - Enter your password when prompted.
  - Type sudo apt install gdebi and press Enter or Return.
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Use cd to navigate to the directory with the DEB file. For example, if you saved the file to /home/username/Downloads, type cd /home/username/Downloads and press Enter.
- Alternatively, if you want to use the Gdebi GUI, right-click the DEB file, and select Open with Other Application. Choose Gdebi when prompted, and then click Install Package to complete the installation.
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Type sudo gdebi filename.deb and press ↵ Enter. Replace filename.deb with the DEB file's actual name. This installs the DEB package and all related dependencies.
- If you want to make Gdebi the default install tool for DEB packages in Ubuntu or any Ubuntu-related distribution, it's easy:
  - Right-click a .DEB file and choose Properties.
  - Click the "Open with" drop-down menu and choose Gdebi Package Installer.
- If you want to uninstall a package you installed with Gdebi, use the apt command. The syntax is sudo apt remove packagename.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Using Apt

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Open a terminal window. If you're logged into a shell account, just skip to the next step. Otherwise, you can press Ctrl + Alt + T to open a terminal window in most window managers.
- Apt is normally used to download and install software from remote sources, but you can use it to install local DEB packages using a special syntax.
For example, if you saved the file to /home/username/Downloads, type cd /home/username/Downloads and press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return.
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Run the installation command. Type sudo apt install ./filename.deb and press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return. The software will now install.
- Be sure to replace filename.deb with the actual name of the file, and take note of the ./ before it—if you leave it out, the apt tool will try searching for the package in remote repositories.
- To see a list of all installed packages with apt, use the command sudo apt list --installed.
- To uninstall a package with apt, use the command sudo apt remove packagename.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Using Dpkg

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1
Open a terminal window. If you're logged into a shell account, just skip to the next step. Otherwise, you can press Ctrl + Alt + T to open a terminal window in most window managers.^{[5]
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- Dpkg comes preinstalled on all Debian-based Linux systems, including Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
- Unlike using apt, dpkg may not install needed dependencies. If you run into trouble, try using Gdebi or apt instead.
For example, if you saved the file to /home/username/Downloads, type cd /home/username/Downloads and press ↵ Enter.
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Type sudo dpkg -i filename.deb and press ↵ Enter. Replace filename.deb with the name of the DEB file. This command will install the package.^{[6]
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- Make sure you enter the -i using a lowercase i, as Dpkg commands are case-sensitive.
- If it's the first time you've run a command using sudo in this window, you'll have to enter your password when prompted to continue.
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Resolve any dependency errors (optional). If the previous command threw an error about dependencies, run sudo apt-get install -f to resolve them.
- To see a list of all installed packages with Dpkg, use the command sudo dpkg-query -l | less.
- You can easily remove packages with Dpkg using dpkg -r packagename.^{[7]
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Question

How do you install a .deb file in Windows?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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While .deb files cannot be used to install Windows apps, you can install them if you're using Windows Subsystem for Linux. If you've enabled WSL and are using the default Linux distribution (Ubuntu), you can install the .deb file using the command "sudo apt install ./filename.deb".

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Does Debian use Apt or Yum to install packages?

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Debian, and Debian-based distributions like Ubuntu, uses the Apt package manager. Yum comes with Red Hat-based Linux distributions like RHEL, Fedora, and CentOS.

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Where are Debian packages installed on Ubuntu?

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Install locations vary, but binary files will usually be installed in /usr/bin, and libraries in /usr/lib or /lib. To find out where a DEB package was installed, use the command "dpkg -L ".

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