How to Install Calibre on Ubuntu 24.04, 22.04 or 20.04

Calibre is a powerful and open-source e-book manager designed to meet e-book readers and authors’ comprehensive needs. It stands out for its versatility and ease of use, offering a wide range of functionalities that cater to the diverse demands of its user base. From e-book conversion to syncing with your e-reader devices, Calibre simplifies digital library management without compromising depth or efficiency. Its user-friendly interface and vast array of customizable features make it the go-to software for organizing, reading, and managing your e-book collection.

Additionally, more key benefits and features of Calibre include:

Comprehensive e-book management: Organize your digital library seamlessly, with extensive metadata support for a well-structured collection.
E-book conversion capabilities: Convert between many e-book formats, ensuring device compatibility.
Syncing with e-reader devices: Effortlessly transfer your e-books to and from various e-reader devices.
Integrated e-book viewer: Read your e-books directly within Calibre, supporting various formats for your convenience.
News feed to e-book conversion: This feature automatically converts news feeds into e-book format, allowing you to read your favorite articles offline.
Web-based content server: Access your Calibre library from any device with an internet connection, anytime, anywhere.
Comprehensive search functionality: Find e-books in your collection with powerful search capabilities.
Customizable metadata and tags: Tailor your library’s metadata to your preferences for better organization and retrieval.

This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step approach to installing Calibre, ensuring you can start efficiently managing your e-book collection. Let’s dive into the installation process.

Method 1: Install Calibre via APT or PPA via Terminal Commands

Update Ubuntu Before Calibre Installation

Before we begin the installation process, ensuring that your Ubuntu system is up-to-date is essential. Updating your system helps prevent potential issues during installation and promotes overall system stability.

To update your Ubuntu system, open your terminal and enter the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This command will update your package lists and upgrade any installed packages to their latest versions.

Install Calibre on Ubuntu via APT Commands

Option 1: Install Calibre from Ubuntu Repository

There are multiple ways to install Calibre on Ubuntu. The first method we’ll discuss involves installing Calibre from the Ubuntu default repository. This approach guarantees a stable and reliable version of the software. However, remember that the version available in the default repository may not always include the latest features, as the focus of LTS releases is on stability.

To install Calibre using this method, enter the following command in your terminal:

sudo apt install calibre

This command will fetch and install Calibre and any necessary dependencies from the Ubuntu repository.

Option 2: Install Calibre on Ubuntu via Xtradeb PPA

Install Calibre through the Xtradeb PPA as an alternative approach. Recognized for offering updated versions of various popular open-source software applications, the Xtradeb PPA allows you to install and maintain the latest version of Calibre.

Start by executing the following command to import the repository:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xtradeb/apps -y

Next, update the package list to include the newly imported PPA:

sudo apt update

Lastly, install Calibre on Ubuntu with the following command:

sudo apt install calibre

Note: Even if you already have Calibre installed through Ubuntu’s repository, executing the install command will upgrade the version.

Method 2: Install Calibre via Flatpak and Flathub

An alternative method for installing Calibre is Flatpak, a versatile package management system that provides a sandboxed application environment. To install Calibre via Flatpak, you must add the Flathub repository containing the Calibre package.

Note: If Flatpak isn’t installed on your system, please refer to “How to Install Flatpak on Ubuntu with the Flatpak Team Official LaunchPAD PPA.”

Enable Flathub For Applications such as Calibre

Begin by opening the terminal and entering the following command to integrate the Flathub repository:

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

If it isn’t present, this command adds the Flathub repository to your system.

Install Calibre via Flatpak Command

Now, you can proceed with the Calibre installation using the following Flatpak command:

flatpak install flathub com.calibre_ebook.calibre -y

This command will download and install Calibre from the Flathub repository using the Flatpak package manager.

Launch Calibre via CLI or GUI Methods

Now that the application has been installed, there are several ways to launch Calibre. Here, we will discuss two different methods for starting the application: the command-line interface (CLI) or the graphical user interface (GUI).

CLI Commands to Launch Calibre

To launch Calibre using the command line interface, open your terminal and enter the following command:

calibre

For those who installed Calibre using Flatpak, you will need to use a different command to launch the application. Enter the following command in your terminal:

flatpak run com.calibre_ebook.calibre

GUI Method to Launch Calibre on Ubuntu

While launching Calibre through the command line is a viable option, many users prefer using the graphical user interface for convenience. To launch Calibre using the GUI, follow the steps below:

Click on the Activities button located at the top-left corner of your screen.
Select Show Applications (represented by a grid of dots).
Search for “Calibre” in the search bar or browse through the list of applications.
Click on the Calibre application icon to launch the software.

Calibre First-time Setup Wizard

Launching Calibre for the first time will guide you through a setup wizard to configure some initial settings. This section will walk you through the steps of the first-time setup process.

Set Calibre Installation Directory

A welcome wizard pop-up appears when you open Calibre for the first time. Most users recommend changing the default installation directory first.

Click on Next > to proceed.

Select Your Device

The wizard prompts Ubuntu users to select a device for e-book optimization. In most cases, select the Generic option.

Click on Next > to proceed.

Complete Calibre Welcome Wizard

Click Finish on the final welcome wizard screen to complete the setup and proceed to the main Calibre application.

Explore the Calibre Application

After completing the welcome wizard, the Calibre application interface will appear. Here, you can start managing your e-book library, converting e-book formats, editing metadata, and performing many other tasks.

Additional Commands for Calibre

Update Calibre

It’s essential to keep your Calibre installation up-to-date to ensure access to the latest features and improvements. Depending on the method you used to install Calibre, follow the appropriate steps below to update your installation.

APT Update Method For Calibre

To update Calibre using the APT package manager, open a terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt upgrade && sudo apt upgrade

Flatpak Update Method For Calibre

If you installed Calibre using Flatpak, you can update it by running the following command in the terminal:

flatpak update

Remove Calibre

If you no longer need Calibre on your Ubuntu system, you can uninstall it using one of the following commands based on your original installation method.

APT Remove Method For Calibre

To remove Calibre installed via the APT package manager, open a terminal and execute the following command:

sudo apt remove calibre

Flatpak Remove Method For Calibre

For those who installed Calibre using Flatpak, you can uninstall it along with its associated data by running the following command in the terminal:

flatpak uninstall --delete-data com.calibre_ebook.calibre

Conclusion

In this guide, we walked through the steps to install Calibre on Ubuntu 24.04, 22.04, or 20.04 LTS, offering two different methods to suit your preferences: using APT with the XtraDeb Applications LaunchPAD PPA or opting for Flatpak with Flathub. Whether you’re a voracious reader looking to organize your e-book collection or an author managing your publications, Calibre is an indispensable tool. Our final recommendation is to explore Calibre’s vast array of features to leverage its potential fully.

Useful Links

Here are some valuable links related to using Calibre:

Calibre Official Website: Visit the official Calibre website for information about the e-book management software, features, and download options.
Calibre Demo: Explore the Calibre demo to see how the software works and to understand its key features.
Calibre Help: Access comprehensive help and documentation for detailed guides on using and configuring Calibre.
Get Involved with Calibre: Learn how to contribute to the Calibre project, including ways to help with development, translation, and community support.
Calibre Forum: Join the Calibre forum to discuss issues, share solutions, and get support from other users.