How to Install Brave Browser on Ubuntu Linux

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	Version/Channel	Stability	Best For
APT Repository	Stable, Beta, Nightly	Stable for stable channel; Beta and Nightly may have bugs	Users wanting full channel access (including beta/nightly builds) with traditional package management and manual update control
Snap	Stable only	Stable, auto-updates daily	Users preferring sandboxed applications with automatic background updates and simplified management
Flatpak	Stable only	Stable, updates via Flathub	Users wanting cross-distribution compatibility, sandboxing, and control over update timing while maintaining isolation from system packages

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.

Most users should choose the APT stable repository for reliable performance with standard system integration and the best browser experience as recommended by Brave Software. The beta and nightly channels provide early access to upcoming features but may introduce instability or bugs suitable only for testing environments. Snap and Flatpak offer enhanced security through containerization, but the sandbox environment can cause desktop integration issues with file pickers, desktop notifications, system theme inheritance, and other native features. If you need bleeding-edge Brave features, use APT with the beta or nightly repository; for daily browsing, the APT stable method delivers the optimal experience.

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 process, update your Ubuntu system to minimize potential conflicts and ensure all dependencies are current.

To update your system, execute the following command in your terminal:

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 software-properties-common apt-transport-https curl ca-certificates -y

If unsure, run the command; it will not harm you. These are common software packages found on nearly all Linux distributions.

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.

Option 1 – Import Brave Browser Stable (Recommended)

To import the GPG key for the stable version of Brave Browser, execute the following command:

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

Option 2 – Import Brave Browser Beta

To import the GPG key for the beta version of Brave Browser, execute the following command:

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

Option 3 – Import Brave Browser Nightly

To import the GPG key for the nightly version of Brave Browser, execute the following command:

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.

To install the stable version of Brave Browser, execute the following command in your terminal:

sudo apt install brave-browser

After the installation is complete, you can verify the successful installation and check the build and version by running this command:

brave-browser --version

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 installation and check the beta version, execute the following command:

brave-browser-beta --version

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

After installing the nightly version, you can confirm the installation and check the nightly build version by running this command:

brave-browser-nightly --version

The following two methods, using Snap or Flatpak with Flathub to install Brave Browser, only support the stable version, which most users should use on their Ubuntu system. Use the APT method above if you need beta or nightly builds.

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

Canonical, the team behind Ubuntu, introduced Snap as a universal package management system. Confirm it exists on your machine before proceeding:

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

Here, ‘sudo’ grants you administrative rights, ‘snap’ calls the Snap package manager, ‘install’ instructs you to install a package, and ‘brave’ is the software you aim to install.

If Brave already exists as a Snap package, refresh it with the command below instead of reinstalling it to get the latest build.

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 preinstalled on some Ubuntu editions, but minimal images may omit it. Confirm whether Flatpak is available with the following command:

flatpak --version

If the command reports “flatpak: command not found,” follow our guide How to Install Flatpak on Ubuntu to set it up before continuing.

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

This command integrates the Flathub repository, providing access to various applications including the 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, proceed with the install command below. When Brave is already listed, update it with the command below:

sudo flatpak update com.brave.Browser

After setting up Flathub, install Brave Browser on your Ubuntu system with the command below:

sudo flatpak install flathub com.brave.Browser -y

This command installs the Brave Browser from Flathub, ensuring you receive the latest stable version.

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.

Additional Commands for 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

Alternatively, you can update Brave Browser directly without updating all the packages simultaneously. For example, to update the stable version of Brave Browser:

sudo apt upgrade brave-browser

Alternatively, Snap installations can run the following terminal command to blanket-check all packages installed for updates:

sudo snap refresh

Similar to Snap update command, the same command methodology can be used for Flatpak:

sudo flatpak update

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

Next, if you plan not to re-install Brave, you should remove the added repositories and use the following commands based on the version(s) you have installed:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.sources

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-beta.sources

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-nightly.sources

These commands will remove the specific Brave Browser repositories. By removing the repositories, you prevent future updates to the browser, and it will no longer appear in your package manager.

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

Similar to Snap, removing Brave Browser from Ubuntu installations is as simple as one command:

sudo flatpak uninstall flathub com.brave.Browser

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 Search: Use Brave’s search engine for privacy-focused browsing.
• Web Discovery Project: Learn about the Web Discovery Project and how it enhances your browsing experience while maintaining privacy.
• 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.