How to Install Blender on Ubuntu (26.04, 24.04, 22.04)

Jumping between separate apps for modeling, animation, and rendering slows down a 3D pipeline. Blender rolls all of that into one open-source tool. To install Blender on Ubuntu, pick from APT for the distro-tested build, Flatpak for the latest upstream release, or Snap for automatic background updates.

Install Blender on Ubuntu

Three installation paths are available, each with different trade-offs between version freshness and system integration:

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
APT	Ubuntu Repos	Distribution default	Automatic via apt upgrade	Users who prefer distro-tested stability
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Automatic via flatpak update	Users wanting the newest features with sandboxing
Snap	Snapcraft	Latest stable	Automatic background updates	Users preferring Canonical’s universal package format

APT is the simplest option and integrates with the rest of your system packages. Flatpak or Snap deliver the current upstream release (5.0.x as of early 2026) regardless of which Ubuntu version you run.

These steps cover Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04. The APT default version differs by release (see the table above), while Flatpak and Snap always provide the latest upstream build.

Install Blender on Ubuntu via APT (Default)

Update Ubuntu Before Installing Blender

Refresh the package index and apply any pending upgrades before installing new software:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This guide uses sudo for commands that need root privileges. If your user is not in the sudoers file yet, follow the guide on how to add a user to sudoers on Ubuntu.

Install Blender with APT

Ubuntu’s default repository includes Blender. The version you get depends on your release, but the install command is the same:

sudo apt install blender

Verify the installation:

blender --version

Example output on Ubuntu 26.04:

Blender 4.3.2

Ubuntu 24.04 ships 4.0.x and Ubuntu 22.04 ships 3.0.x. The exact patch level depends on the latest point release in your repository.

Install Blender on Ubuntu via Flatpak

Flatpak delivers the latest Blender version regardless of your Ubuntu release. The application runs in a sandbox, isolating it from the rest of your system while still providing full GPU and file access.

Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu. If you have not set it up yet, install it with sudo apt install flatpak and restart your session before continuing. For detailed setup including the Flathub repository, follow our Flatpak installation guide for Ubuntu.

Enable Flathub for Blender

Add the Flathub remote if it is not already configured:

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

The --if-not-exists flag skips this step if Flathub is already configured.

Install Blender with Flatpak

Install Blender system-wide from Flathub:

sudo flatpak install flathub org.blender.Blender -y

Confirm the installation details:

flatpak info org.blender.Blender

Example output:

Blender - Free and open source 3D creation suite

          ID: org.blender.Blender
         Ref: app/org.blender.Blender/x86_64/stable
      Branch: stable
      Origin: flathub
     Version: 5.0.1

Install Blender on Ubuntu via Snap

Snap is pre-installed on standard Ubuntu desktops, so no additional setup is needed.

Ubuntu includes Snap by default, but minimal or server installations may lack it. If the snap command is not found, install it with sudo apt install snapd before continuing.

Install Blender with Snap

Blender’s snap uses classic confinement so it can access GPU drivers and project files directly:

sudo snap install blender --classic

Check the installed version:

snap info blender | grep installed

Example output:

installed:   5.0.1 (6898) 417MB classic

Launch Blender on Ubuntu

The launch command depends on how you installed Blender.

Launch Blender from Terminal

APT installations launch with:

blender

Flatpak installations use:

flatpak run org.blender.Blender

Snap installations use:

snap run blender

Launch Blender from the Applications Menu

Open the Activities overview, click Show Applications, and search for Blender.

Update or Remove Blender on Ubuntu

Update Blender

The update command depends on the installation method you used.

Update via APT

A full system upgrade picks up any newer Blender packages from the Ubuntu repository:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Update via Flatpak

Update all Flatpak applications, including Blender:

sudo flatpak update

Update via Snap

Snap refreshes automatically, but you can force an immediate update:

sudo snap refresh blender

Remove Blender

Uninstall Blender using the command that matches your installation method.

Remove APT Installation

Remove Blender and clean up its unused dependencies:

sudo apt remove blender && sudo apt autoremove

This removes the application but preserves user configuration. To also delete your Blender settings:

This deletes all saved preferences, startup files, and custom add-on data. Back up ~/.config/blender first if you might need them.

rm -rf ~/.config/blender

Remove Flatpak Installation

Flatpak stores application data separately. Use the --delete-data flag to remove Blender and all sandboxed data at once:

This permanently deletes all Blender data stored in ~/.var/app/org.blender.Blender/. Back up projects or custom settings before proceeding.

sudo flatpak uninstall --delete-data org.blender.Blender

Remove Snap Installation

Remove the Snap package along with its bundled application data:

sudo snap remove blender

Snap retains a data snapshot for potential restoration by default. To remove Blender and all snapshots, add --purge:

sudo snap remove --purge blender

Troubleshoot Blender Issues on Ubuntu

Blender Does Not Detect the GPU

If Blender cannot find your GPU for Cycles rendering, confirm the proprietary NVIDIA driver is active:

nvidia-smi

If the command returns “command not found” or an error, the NVIDIA driver is missing. Follow the NVIDIA driver installation guide for Ubuntu to set it up. For Intel or AMD GPUs, make sure your Mesa drivers on Ubuntu are up to date.

Blender Shows OpenGL Errors on Launch

OpenGL errors usually mean outdated graphics drivers. Update your system and restart to load any newly installed driver modules:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo reboot

Flatpak Blender Cannot Access Project Folders

Flatpak’s sandbox limits filesystem access by default. Grant Blender permission to a specific directory:

flatpak override --user org.blender.Blender --filesystem=/path/to/your/folder

Replace /path/to/your/folder with the actual directory path you need Blender to access.

Useful Blender Resources

• Blender Official Website – downloads, release notes, and project news.
• Blender Manual – official documentation covering all features and workflows.
• Blender Community – forums, chat, and events.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Blender is running on Ubuntu and ready for 3D modeling, animation, rendering, and video editing. If Cycles rendering does not detect your GPU, check that your NVIDIA drivers on Ubuntu or Mesa drivers on Ubuntu are current. For post-production work, FFmpeg on Ubuntu handles format conversions and encoding that Blender’s output may need.