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

Brasero is a GNOME CD and DVD burner for creating audio CDs from your music collection, backing up files to data discs, writing ISO images for operating system installs, and producing video DVDs. Available in the Ubuntu universe repository and on Flathub, Brasero integrates with the GNOME desktop and includes disc verification to confirm each burn completed without errors.

After you install Brasero on Ubuntu, you will have a working disc burner with recommended burn settings, codec support for MP3, FLAC, and OGG audio, and commands to troubleshoot drive permissions and common burn failures.

Install Brasero on Ubuntu

Brasero is available as a native Ubuntu package and as a sandboxed Flatpak build from Flathub. Pick the approach that matches how you prefer to manage desktop software:

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
APT (recommended)	Ubuntu Repos	3.12.3.x	With system updates	Most users who want zero extra setup and full GNOME integration
Flatpak	Flathub	3.12.3	Via Flatpak refresh	Users who prefer per-app sandboxing or a consistent Flatpak workflow

For most users, the APT method is recommended because it integrates with system updates and requires no additional setup. Flatpak is a good alternative if you already use it for other applications or want per-app sandboxing.

These steps cover Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04 LTS. Both installation methods use universal repositories, so the commands work identically across all supported LTS releases.

Update Ubuntu Before Installing Brasero

Open a terminal from the Activities overview or your desktop applications menu, then update your package index and apply pending upgrades to prevent dependency conflicts:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

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

Method 1: Install Brasero with APT (Recommended)

Ubuntu ships Brasero in the universe repository with dependencies for burning CD-R/RW, DVD±R/RW, and BD-R/RE media, handling MP3, FLAC, WAV, and OGG audio, and writing ISO, TOC, or CUE images:

sudo apt install brasero

APT typically installs recommended optical-drive helpers such as brasero-cdrkit (command-line recording tools that Brasero calls during burns) alongside the main package, so you can launch Brasero immediately after the installation completes.

Verify the Brasero APT Installation

Confirm the version that landed on your system to ensure the install succeeded:

apt show brasero | grep Version

The output confirms the installed version:

Version: 3.12.3-8

The packaging revision after 3.12.3 may differ between Ubuntu releases, but 3.12.3 in the output confirms a successful installation.

Method 2: Install Brasero via Flatpak and Flathub

Flatpak offers a sandboxed Brasero build that tracks upstream GNOME releases independently of Ubuntu’s package cadence. This method isolates Brasero from your system libraries, which is useful on shared machines or when you already manage other applications through Flatpak.

Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu. If you have not set it up yet, follow our Flatpak installation guide for Ubuntu to install the Flatpak framework and add the Flathub repository; this typically takes under five minutes.

Ensure Flathub is available as a remote source. The --if-not-exists flag safely skips this step if you already added Flathub during initial Flatpak setup:

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

Then install Brasero from the Flathub remote. The -y flag skips the interactive confirmation prompt:

sudo flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Brasero -y

Launch Flatpak builds from the terminal whenever you need to bypass the Activities menu:

flatpak run org.gnome.Brasero

You can confirm the Flatpak version at any time with:

flatpak info org.gnome.Brasero | grep Version

The output shows the installed Flatpak version:

Version: 3.12.3

The Flathub build typically matches the latest upstream GNOME release, though version numbers may differ from the APT package.

Launch Brasero on Ubuntu

Once installation completes, you can launch Brasero from either the terminal or your applications menu.

Launch Brasero from Terminal

To launch Brasero from the command line, run the command that matches how you installed it:

APT installation:

brasero

Flatpak installation:

flatpak run org.gnome.Brasero

Brasero opens with your saved preferences after either command.

Launch Brasero from Applications Menu

Alternatively, launch Brasero from your application menu:

1. Click the Activities overview in the top-left corner or press the Super key to open the application search.
2. Select the “Show Applications” (nine-dot) icon at the bottom of the dock or start typing “Brasero” to search.
3. Click “Brasero” when it appears in the list to launch the application.

Configure Your First Brasero Disc Project

When Brasero opens, the main window displays project type options for common disc-burning tasks.

Start Your First Brasero Burn

Select a project type from the main window based on your needs:

• Audio project: Create music CDs playable in standard CD players. Brasero converts formats like MP3, FLAC, and OGG automatically.
• Data project: Back up files and folders to CD or DVD. Useful for archiving documents, photos, or system backups.
• Video project: Create video DVDs playable on DVD players. Brasero handles format conversion automatically.
• Disc copy: Create exact duplicates of existing discs or copy disc contents to an ISO image file.
• Burn image: Write ISO, TOC, or CUE disc images to CD or DVD for operating system installations or software distributions.

Use CD-R discs for audio CDs rather than CD-RW, since most standalone CD players lack the laser sensitivity to read rewritable formats reliably. CD-RW discs work well for data backups where you need to erase and reuse the media.

Configure Brasero Burn Settings

Before starting your burn, configure these settings for optimal results:

• Burning speed: Lower speeds (4x-8x) provide more reliable burns for older or cheaper media. However, maximum speed works well for quality discs.
• Burnproof: Enabled by default, this feature prevents buffer underrun errors that can ruin discs. Keep this enabled unless you have specific reasons to disable it.
• Temporary directory: Brasero needs space to prepare files before burning. Ensure your /tmp directory has sufficient free space (at least twice the project size).

Enable Brasero Disc Verification

Brasero offers a verification checkbox in the burn dialog that compares burned data against the source files. The check adds a few minutes to the burn time but confirms your data was written correctly, which is strongly recommended for critical backups and operating system installer discs.

Troubleshoot Brasero on Ubuntu

Fix Brasero Disc or Drive Not Detected

If Brasero doesn’t detect your optical drive or inserted disc, try these solutions:

• Verify the disc is properly seated in the drive tray
• Check if the drive appears in file manager (Files application)
• Try a different disc to rule out media defects
• Restart Brasero after inserting the disc

Next, confirm that your account belongs to the cdrom group with this command:

groups

The output lists all groups your account belongs to:

username adm cdrom sudo dip plugdev lpadmin sambashare

If cdrom does not appear in this list, you need to add your user to that group (covered in the Permission Errors section below).

Fix Brasero Burn Failures and Buffer Underruns

If burns fail or produce unusable discs, consider these solutions:

• First, reduce burning speed to 4x or 8x for more reliable writes
• Close other applications during burning to free system resources
• Check available space in the /tmp directory
• Ensure Burnproof is enabled in burn settings
• Try different disc brands – quality varies significantly between manufacturers
• For rewritable discs (CD-RW/DVD-RW), blank the disc completely before attempting another burn if previous writes failed

Use this command to see how much temporary space you have available:

df -h /tmp

The output shows available space on the /tmp partition:

Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
tmpfs           3.9G   48K  3.9G   1% /tmp

Brasero needs at least twice the project size available in /tmp for temporary files. If your /tmp partition shows less than 10 GB free, clear temporary files or set a different temporary directory in Brasero’s preferences.

Fix Brasero DVD Compatibility Issues

If you experience problems burning DVDs, verify these compatibility factors:

• Check if your drive accepts DVD+ or DVD- discs (drives labeled “multi” typically accept both)
• Verify your disc matches your drive’s capabilities – some drives cannot write to dual-layer discs
• For DVD-R discs, ensure they haven’t been written to previously
• For DVD-RW discs, blank them before writing if they contain data

Fix Brasero Permission Errors

If Brasero reports permission errors when accessing the drive, add your user to the cdrom group:

sudo usermod -a -G cdrom $USER

For terminal work, activate the new group membership in your current shell without logging out:

newgrp cdrom

You still need to log out and back in for the group membership change to reach graphical apps, even if you refresh the terminal session with newgrp.

Fix Brasero Unsupported Format Errors

If Brasero can’t recognize audio or video files, start by installing the broader GStreamer plugin sets for codec coverage:

sudo apt install gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly

Add proprietary codecs for AAC or WMA playback when you need to process media ripped from older libraries:

sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras

This meta-package also installs Microsoft core fonts and extra multimedia libraries, so skip it if you prefer to keep proprietary components off your system.

Finally, verify file integrity, because corrupted files cannot be converted or burned successfully. Run a checksum on troublesome media files or ISO images and compare it to the source download page to ensure your copy isn’t damaged:

sha256sum /path/to/download.iso

Grant Brasero Flatpak Access to Optical Drives

The Flatpak build runs in a sandbox, so it may not see your optical drive or removable media path until you grant extra access. First, allow Brasero to reach your media mount directory and the drive hardware:

sudo flatpak override --filesystem=/run/media/$USER --device=all org.gnome.Brasero

This override keeps the sandboxed application from throwing “device not found” errors when blank discs are inserted. The $USER variable expands automatically to your login name, so the path resolves to your personal media directory. When you no longer need the extra access, reset to Flatpak’s default sandbox restrictions:

sudo flatpak override --reset org.gnome.Brasero

Manage Brasero Updates and Removal on Ubuntu

Update Brasero on Ubuntu

Updates follow the channel you selected during installation. To update only Brasero through APT without upgrading every package on the system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade brasero

Flatpak installations: Update the sandboxed build directly from Flathub:

sudo flatpak update org.gnome.Brasero

Remove Brasero from Ubuntu

Remove Brasero with the command that matches your installation source.

APT installation:

sudo apt remove brasero

After removing the main package, clean up orphaned dependencies that were installed alongside Brasero:

sudo apt autoremove

To remove everything including configuration data, use purge instead:

sudo apt purge brasero && sudo apt autoremove

Verify the removal with apt-cache policy:

apt-cache policy brasero

The output confirms Brasero is no longer installed:

brasero:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 3.12.3-8
  Version table:
     3.12.3-8 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages

Installed: (none) confirms the package was removed. The candidate version still appears because the Ubuntu repository still offers the package for reinstallation.

Flatpak installation:

sudo flatpak uninstall org.gnome.Brasero

After removing the application, clean up unused Flatpak runtimes:

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Brasero is now installed and configured on Ubuntu for creating audio CDs, backing up data to optical media, burning ISO images, and producing video DVDs. Whether you chose APT or Flatpak, you have GNOME-integrated disc-burning controls, optional verification, and codec-friendly workflows for personal archives and system installation media. Keep Brasero updated through your chosen package manager so you always have a reliable burn tool ready.