How to Install Brave Browser on Ubuntu

Brave Browser offers a Chromium-based alternative focused on privacy and performance. Unlike Chrome or Firefox, Brave blocks ads and trackers by default without extensions, supports most Chrome extensions for compatibility, and includes optional features like Brave Rewards for cryptocurrency earnings and built-in Tor browsing for enhanced anonymity. The browser delivers faster page loads by eliminating ad processing while maintaining full access to the Chrome Web Store ecosystem.

This guide covers installing Brave Browser on Ubuntu using three methods: APT repository with stable, beta, or nightly builds for traditional package management; Snap for sandboxed installations with automatic updates; and Flatpak for cross-distribution compatibility. You’ll learn complete setup from repository imports and GPG key verification through browser launch, with guidance on choosing the installation method that best fits your update preferences and system configuration.

Choose Your Brave Browser Installation Method

Brave Browser offers three installation paths on Ubuntu, each with different trade-offs for version access, update control, and system integration. The APT repository method provides the widest channel selection (stable, beta, nightly) with traditional Debian package management. Snap and Flatpak deliver sandboxed installations that isolate the browser from system files, but both only offer the stable channel. Choose based on whether you need bleeding-edge features or prefer automatic containerized updates.

Method	Channel	Stability	Best For
APT Repository	Brave Official	Stable, Beta, or Nightly	Users wanting full channel access with traditional package management and manual update control
Snap	Snapcraft	Stable, auto-updates	Users preferring sandboxed applications with automatic background updates
Flatpak	Flathub	Stable, updates via Flathub	Users wanting cross-distribution compatibility and sandboxing with update control

Brave Software officially recommends using the APT repository method over Snap or Flatpak when possible. While Brave maintains both Snap and Flatpak packages, they acknowledge these containerized versions are “not yet working as well” as native packages due to sandboxing limitations that can affect desktop integration, performance, and certain browser features. Choose Snap or Flatpak only if you specifically need cross-distribution portability or enhanced isolation.

For most users, the APT stable repository is recommended because it provides reliable performance with full system integration, as officially recommended by Brave Software. The beta and nightly channels offer early access to upcoming features but may introduce instability or bugs suitable only for testing environments. Snap and Flatpak provide enhanced security through containerization, but the sandbox environment can cause desktop integration issues with file pickers, notifications, system theme inheritance, and other native features. For daily browsing, the APT stable method delivers the optimal experience; choose beta or nightly only when you need specific upcoming functionality.

The Brave repository uses a universal package format that works on all current Ubuntu releases, including LTS versions and interim releases. Commands shown in this guide work identically regardless of your specific Ubuntu version.

Prerequisites for Installing Brave Browser on Ubuntu

Any Ubuntu desktop or laptop with sudo access and an internet connection can install Brave Browser with no extra hardware requirements. Make sure you can open a terminal and run commands with sudo, then keep a stable network connection active while the repositories synchronize.

It also helps to refresh your package lists ahead of time with sudo apt update so new Brave packages appear immediately after you add the repository.

Method 1: Install Brave Browser via APT Repository

Check If Brave Browser Is Already Installed

Verify whether Brave already exists on your system, especially if you tested beta or nightly builds in the past.

command -v brave-browser && brave-browser --version

If you use the beta or nightly channels, adjust the command to brave-browser-beta or brave-browser-nightly. When a version number prints, you can skip directly to the update instructions later in this section.

Update System Package Index

Before starting the installation, update your package lists and upgrade existing packages to ensure all dependencies are current:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Install Repository Management Tools

Install the necessary packages for managing third-party repositories and secure key handling. Run the following command in your terminal:

sudo apt install curl ca-certificates -y

The curl utility downloads files from URLs, and ca-certificates provides the trusted certificate authorities needed for HTTPS connections to Brave’s repository. Both packages are typically pre-installed on standard Ubuntu systems but may be missing on minimal or container installations.

Add Brave Repository and GPG Key

Next, Brave Browser offers three repository options: stable, beta, and nightly builds. The stable version is recommended for most users as it delivers reliable performance. However, advanced users or those curious about upcoming features can install the beta or nightly repositories, which run as separate installations alongside the stable version.

Beta and nightly channels provide early access to new features but may introduce bugs or instability. Use these channels only in testing environments or when you need specific upcoming functionality. The stable channel receives thorough testing and offers the most reliable browsing experience for daily use.

Import Brave Stable Repository (Recommended)

First, import the GPG signing key for the stable repository:

sudo curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg

Next, download and add the stable repository configuration by running this command:

sudo curl -fsSLo /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.sources https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/brave-browser.sources

Import Brave Beta Repository

Import the GPG signing key for the beta repository:

sudo curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-beta-archive-keyring.gpg https://brave-browser-apt-beta.s3.brave.com/brave-browser-beta-archive-keyring.gpg

Next, download and add the beta repository configuration by running this command:

sudo curl -fsSLo /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-beta.sources https://brave-browser-apt-beta.s3.brave.com/brave-browser.sources

Import Brave Nightly Repository

Import the GPG signing key for the nightly repository:

sudo curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-nightly-archive-keyring.gpg https://brave-browser-apt-nightly.s3.brave.com/brave-browser-nightly-archive-keyring.gpg

Next, download and add the nightly repository configuration by running this command:

sudo curl -fsSLo /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-nightly.sources https://brave-browser-apt-nightly.s3.brave.com/brave-browser.sources

Update APT Package Lists

After adding the desired Brave repository, update the package list to include the newly added packages. Execute the following command:

sudo apt update

Install Brave Browser from Repository

Now that the repositories are configured, you can install the Brave Browser stable version or any other channel (beta or nightly). The commands below cover all installation options.

Install the stable version of Brave Browser:

sudo apt install brave-browser

After the installation completes, verify the installation succeeded by checking the installed version:

brave-browser --version

The output confirms Brave is accessible from your terminal and shows the installed version:

Brave Browser 1.x.x Chromium: 1xx.x.xxxx.xxx

Install Brave Browser Beta Build

If you have imported the beta repository and would like to install the beta version of Brave Browser, run the following command:

sudo apt install brave-browser-beta

To verify the beta installation, check the version:

brave-browser-beta --version

Brave Browser Beta 1.x.x Chromium: 1xx.x.xxxx.xxx

Install Brave Browser Nightly Build

If you have imported the nightly repository and wish to install the nightly version of Brave Browser, use this command:

sudo apt install brave-browser-nightly

Confirm the nightly installation by checking the version:

brave-browser-nightly --version

Brave Browser Nightly 1.x.x Chromium: 1xx.x.xxxx.xxx

The following two methods use Snap or Flatpak to install Brave Browser. Both provide only the stable channel since beta and nightly builds are exclusive to the APT repository. Choose these methods if you prefer sandboxed installations or need cross-distribution compatibility.

Method 2: Install Brave Browser via Snap

Snap offers a straightforward method for managing and deploying software. This section guides you through installing the Brave Browser through Snap.

Verify Snap Installation

Ubuntu desktop editions include Snap (snapd) by default. Confirm it is available on your system:

snap version

If the command prints version information, Snap is ready. When you see a command not found message, install Snap with the following command:

sudo apt install snapd -y

This command sets up the Snap Daemon (snapd) that manages your snap packages.

Install Brave Browser with Snap

Once Snap is confirmed installed, check whether Brave is already present as a Snap package:

snap list brave

If the command reports Brave is not installed, run the install command below. When the list output shows Brave is already present, use the refresh command after the install block to pull the latest build.

sudo snap install brave

The installation downloads the Brave Snap package and sets up automatic updates. Once complete, verify the installation:

snap info brave

The output shows the installed version and confirms Brave is available:

name:      brave
summary:   Browse faster and safer with Brave.
publisher: Brave Software (brave✓)
store-url: https://snapcraft.io/brave
installed: 1.x.x (xxx) xxxMB
tracking:  latest/stable

If Brave already exists as a Snap package, update it to the latest version:

sudo snap refresh brave

Method 3: Install Brave Browser via Flatpak and Flathub

This section introduces you to installing the Brave Browser via the Flatpak package manager. Like Snap, Flatpak offers a unique approach to software deployment, ensuring applications can run across almost any Linux distribution through an isolated runtime environment.

Verify Flatpak Installation

Flatpak is not pre-installed on standard Ubuntu editions. Check whether it is available:

flatpak --version

Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu. If the command reports “flatpak: command not found,” install it with sudo apt install flatpak and restart your session. For detailed setup including the Flathub repository, follow our guide How to Install Flatpak on Ubuntu.

Enable Flathub Repository

To install the Brave Browser using Flatpak, first activate the Flathub repository, a primary source for Flatpak apps. Run the following command to add Flathub to your Flatpak setup:

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

The --if-not-exists flag ensures the command succeeds even if Flathub is already configured. Once added, Flathub provides access to thousands of applications including Brave Browser.

Install Brave Browser with Flatpak

Check whether the Brave Flatpak is already present before installing:

flatpak list --app | grep -i brave

If no output appears, install Brave Browser with Flatpak:

sudo flatpak install flathub com.brave.Browser -y

After the installation completes, verify Brave is available:

sudo flatpak info com.brave.Browser

The output shows the installed Brave version and confirms the Flatpak is ready:

Brave - com.brave.Browser

          ID: com.brave.Browser
         Ref: app/com.brave.Browser/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
     Version: 1.x.x
      Origin: flathub

If Brave was already installed, update it to the latest version:

sudo flatpak update com.brave.Browser

Launch Brave Browser

After successfully installing Brave Browser, you can launch the browser using either command-line or graphical methods. Choose the approach that suits your workflow.

Launch from Command Line

You can launch Brave Browser directly from the terminal by executing the appropriate command based on the version you have installed:

Stable installations of the Brave browser can use one of the following commands that match the method of installation:

APT installations

brave-browser

Snap installations:

snap run brave

Flatpak installations:

flatpak run com.brave.Browser

For Brave beta and nightly APT installations, use the following commands depending on the version you installed and want to run:

brave-browser-beta

brave-browser-nightly

Launch from Application Menu

Alternatively, you can easily find and launch Brave Browser from your desktop environment using the following steps:

1. Click on Activities or your system’s application launcher.
2. Click on Show Apps or a similar option to display the installed applications.
3. Locate the Brave Web Browser icon and click on it to launch the browser.

Manage Brave Browser

Update Brave Browser

To keep Brave Browser up-to-date, you can use the APT package manager. First, check for available updates for your entire system:

sudo apt update

If there is an update available for Brave Browser, you can upgrade all packages:

sudo apt upgrade

To update only Brave Browser without upgrading other packages, use the --only-upgrade flag:

sudo apt install --only-upgrade brave-browser

This command upgrades Brave only if it is already installed, leaving other packages unchanged. For beta or nightly builds, replace brave-browser with brave-browser-beta or brave-browser-nightly.

Snap packages update automatically in the background. To manually check for and apply updates:

sudo snap refresh brave

For Flatpak installations, update Brave manually with:

sudo flatpak update com.brave.Browser

Remove Brave Browser

Uninstall Brave Browser APT Package

If you need to uninstall Brave Browser, follow these steps based on the installed version(s).

sudo apt remove brave-browser

sudo apt remove brave-browser-beta

sudo apt remove brave-browser-nightly

After removing the package, clean up any orphaned dependencies:

sudo apt autoremove

If you do not plan to reinstall Brave, also remove the repository configuration and GPG signing key. Run the appropriate commands based on the channel you installed:

Stable channel cleanup:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.sources
sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg

Beta channel cleanup:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-beta.sources
sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-beta-archive-keyring.gpg

Nightly channel cleanup:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-nightly.sources
sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-nightly-archive-keyring.gpg

After removing the repository files, run sudo apt update to refresh the package cache. The Brave repository will no longer appear in your sources.

Uninstall Brave Browser Snap Package

To remove Brave Browser that was installed via Snap, use the following command:

sudo snap remove brave

Uninstall Brave Browser Flatpak Package

For Flatpak installations, uninstall Brave with:

sudo flatpak uninstall com.brave.Browser

After uninstalling, you can optionally remove unused runtimes that were installed as dependencies:

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused

Remove Brave User Data (Optional)

Warning: The following commands permanently delete your Brave browsing data, including bookmarks, saved passwords, browsing history, and settings. Export any data you want to keep before proceeding.

For APT installations, Brave stores user data in your home directory:

rm -rf ~/.config/BraveSoftware

For Flatpak installations, user data is stored in the sandbox directory:

rm -rf ~/.var/app/com.brave.Browser

Troubleshoot Brave Browser Installation

GPG Key or Repository Errors

If apt update reports GPG signature errors after adding the Brave repository, the keyring file may be corrupted or missing. Re-download the GPG key:

sudo curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg

Then refresh the package cache:

sudo apt update

Brave Not Launching

If Brave fails to start, run it from the terminal to see error messages:

brave-browser --no-sandbox

The --no-sandbox flag temporarily disables the sandbox for troubleshooting. If this works, the issue is sandbox-related, which can occur on systems with restrictive security configurations. For production use, investigate the underlying sandbox issue rather than running with the sandbox disabled permanently.

Snap or Flatpak Desktop Integration Issues

Sandboxed installations (Snap and Flatpak) may experience issues with file pickers, system themes, or native notifications. These are known limitations of containerized browsers. If you encounter these problems, consider switching to the APT installation method, which provides full system integration.

For Flatpak-specific issues, ensure your system has the required portal backends:

sudo apt install xdg-desktop-portal xdg-desktop-portal-gtk

After installing the portals, log out and log back in to apply the changes.

Conclusion

Brave Browser delivers privacy-focused web browsing through Chromium with ad and tracker blocking by default. The installation process covers APT repository setup with stable, beta, and nightly channels, or universal Snap and Flatpak options for sandboxed installations. Your Ubuntu system now runs a privacy-first browser that blocks tracking without extensions, supports Chrome plugins, and offers optional Tor integration for enhanced anonymity.

Useful Links

Here are some valuable links related to using the Brave browser:

• Brave Official Website: Visit the official Brave website for information about the browser, its features, and download options.
• Brave Linux Installation Guide: Official documentation for installing Brave on Linux distributions.
• Brave Search: Use Brave’s privacy-focused search engine.
• Brave Privacy Features: Learn about Brave’s privacy protections including Shields, fingerprinting prevention, and tracker blocking.
• Brave FAQ: Find answers to frequently asked questions about using Brave.
• Brave Community: Join the Brave community forum to discuss issues, share solutions, and get support from other users.
• Brave Latest Release Notes: Stay updated with the latest release note updates from Brave.
• Brave Transparency: Explore Brave’s transparency reports and learn about their commitment to privacy and security.
• Brave GitHub Repository: Access the Brave GitHub repository to view the source code, report issues, and contribute to the development.
• Install Chromium on Ubuntu: Guide to installing Chromium, the open-source browser that Brave is built upon.
• Install Tor Browser on Ubuntu: Install Tor Browser for maximum anonymity and privacy-focused browsing.
• Install Vivaldi Browser on Ubuntu: Explore Vivaldi, a feature-rich Chromium-based browser with advanced customization options.
• Install Firefox Beta or Nightly on Ubuntu: Try Firefox’s development channels for early access to upcoming features.