How to Install Celluloid on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04 and 22.04

When you want mpv’s playback engine in a normal GTK video player, Celluloid gives Ubuntu a lighter desktop front end without losing playlist, subtitle, and broad codec handling. You can install Celluloid on Ubuntu from the Ubuntu archive, the upstream-documented xuzhen666 PPA, Snapcraft, or Flathub, and the best choice depends on how current you need the package to be.

Celluloid is available for Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04 through four package paths. Ubuntu’s package is simplest, the PPA gives the newest APT-managed build for each release, Flathub currently tracks Celluloid 0.30, and Snapcraft is still on 0.29. GitHub releases provide source tarballs rather than an official Ubuntu .deb installer.

Install Celluloid on Ubuntu

Package choice depends on how you balance Ubuntu integration, APT-managed PPA updates, store-packaged freshness, and automatic refresh behavior.

Method	Source	Channel	Updates	Best Fit
APT	Ubuntu Universe	Distribution default	Automatic via apt upgrade	Clean desktop integration
APT PPA	xuzhen666 PPA	Release-specific APT builds	Automatic via apt upgrade	Newest APT-managed Celluloid build
Snap	Snapcraft	Store stable channel	Automatic background updates	Hands-off store updates
Flatpak	Flathub	Flathub stable channel	Manual via sudo flatpak update	Same app build across supported LTS releases

Start with Ubuntu’s repository package when integration matters more than the newest upstream release. Use the PPA when you want APT-managed builds newer than Ubuntu’s archive, choose Flathub for the current 0.30 Flatpak build, or use Snap when automatic background updates matter more than matching the newest upstream release.

• Choose the Ubuntu repository when you want the least maintenance and the best fit with the rest of your desktop.
• Choose the xuzhen666 PPA when you want the newest APT-managed Celluloid build available for your Ubuntu release.
• Choose Snap when automatic background updates matter more than using the newest upstream release.
• Choose Flathub when you want the current 0.30 app build across Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04.

Ubuntu Release	Default Celluloid	Newer Package Option	What Changes
Ubuntu 26.04	0.29.x	0.30.x from the xuzhen666 PPA or Flathub	The PPA and Flathub move beyond Ubuntu’s archive package.
Ubuntu 24.04	0.26.x	0.27.x from the xuzhen666 PPA, or 0.30.x from Flathub	The PPA stays inside APT, while Flathub reaches the current upstream branch.
Ubuntu 22.04	0.20.x	0.24.x from the xuzhen666 PPA, or 0.30.x from Flathub	The older archive package makes alternate sources more useful.

The xuzhen666 PPA currently publishes packages for Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04, but the packaged version differs by release. Flathub is the consistent 0.30 option across the supported LTS set, while Snapcraft currently provides 0.29.

Refresh APT package metadata before using an APT-based method or installing prerequisites such as snapd or software-properties-common.

sudo apt update

If your account cannot use sudo yet, follow add a new user to sudoers on Ubuntu before continuing.

Install Celluloid from Ubuntu’s Default Repository

Ubuntu’s Universe repository gives you the cleanest package-manager experience, and on Ubuntu 26.04 it ships Celluloid 0.29. The package name and the launcher name are both celluloid, so the install and launch commands stay simple.

Install the package after the metadata refresh finishes.

sudo apt install celluloid

Verify the installed package with apt-cache policy. For GUI apps, this is more dependable than assuming a version flag stays headless-safe in every environment.

apt-cache policy celluloid

celluloid:
   Installed: 0.29-3
   Candidate: 0.29-3
   Version table:
 *** 0.29-3 500
            500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages
            100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Ubuntu 24.04 reports 0.26-1build2 after installation, and Ubuntu 22.04 reports 0.20-2. If you need a newer release after installing the archive package, add the PPA for an APT-managed upgrade or use Flathub for the current 0.30 build. If you would rather use the playback engine without the GTK layer, install mpv media player on Ubuntu instead.

Install Celluloid from the xuzhen666 PPA on Ubuntu

The xuzhen666 PPA still uses its older gnome-mpv name, but it packages Celluloid. It currently provides Celluloid 0.30 for Ubuntu 26.04, 0.27 for Ubuntu 24.04, and 0.24 for Ubuntu 22.04, so it is the APT-managed path when Ubuntu’s archive package is older than you want.

Minimal Ubuntu images may not include add-apt-repository. Install software-properties-common first only when that helper command is missing.

sudo apt install software-properties-common

Add the PPA next. The -y flag accepts the repository prompt automatically.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xuzhen666/gnome-mpv -y

Refresh APT again so Ubuntu can read the new Launchpad source.

sudo apt update

Install Celluloid after APT has refreshed the new Launchpad source.

sudo apt install celluloid

Confirm that APT selected the PPA build instead of the Ubuntu archive package.

apt-cache policy celluloid

celluloid:
   Installed: 0.30-1~26.04~ppa1
   Candidate: 0.30-1~26.04~ppa1
   Version table:
 *** 0.30-1~26.04~ppa1 500
            500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/xuzhen666/gnome-mpv/ubuntu resolute/main amd64 Packages
            100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
       0.29-3 500

Ubuntu 24.04 shows the same pattern with 0.27-1~24.04~ppa1 above 0.26-1build2. Launchpad currently publishes 0.24-1~22.04~ppa2 for Ubuntu 22.04, above Ubuntu’s 0.20-2 archive package.

Install Celluloid from Snap on Ubuntu

The Snap build tracks Celluloid 0.29 and updates itself in the background. Standard Ubuntu desktop installs already ship snapd, but minimal and server images may need the package first.

sudo apt install snapd

When snapd is already present, APT reports that it is already the newest version and you can move straight to the next command.

Install the Snap package from the stable channel.

sudo snap install celluloid

Verify the installed Snap package and channel after the install completes.

snap list celluloid

Name       Version  Rev  Tracking       Publisher         Notes
celluloid  0.29     322  latest/stable  sameersharma2006  -

Install Celluloid from Flathub on Ubuntu

Flathub currently publishes Celluloid 0.30 and keeps the same app build across Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04. This workflow uses system scope, so the remote, install, update, and removal commands all keep sudo for consistency. The package includes practical device and GVFS permissions for playback, so choose it for Flathub packaging consistency rather than strict isolation.

Ubuntu does not install Flatpak by default. If you still need the base package and Flathub setup, follow install Flatpak on Ubuntu first.

Add the Flathub remote with the current canonical descriptor URL. The --if-not-exists flag keeps repeat runs from failing.

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

The next check uses grep to show only the Flathub line, and grep command in Linux with examples explains how to adapt that filter later.

flatpak remotes | grep "^flathub"

flathub system

Install Celluloid from Flathub after the remote is visible. The -y flag accepts the runtime and app prompts automatically.

sudo flatpak install flathub io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid -y

Verify the installed Flatpak app and version with flatpak info.

flatpak info io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

The Celluloid Developers - Plays videos

               ID: io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid
             Ref: app/io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid/x86_64/stable
            Arch: x86_64
         Branch: stable
       Version: 0.30
         Origin: flathub
Installation: system

Launch Celluloid on Ubuntu

These launch commands open the GTK application window, so use them from a local desktop session or another environment with graphical access. Package installation can finish from a terminal, but the media player window still needs a GUI session.

Launch Celluloid from a Terminal on Ubuntu

Use the launcher that matches your package format.

APT or PPA build:

celluloid

Snap build:

snap run celluloid

Flathub build:

flatpak run io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

Launch Celluloid from the Ubuntu Applications Menu

Ubuntu desktop users can also open Celluloid from the application grid.

Activities > Show Applications > Celluloid

Celluloid can also load external mpv.conf and input.conf files from Preferences > Config Files. If you already keep input.conf under ~/.config/mpv/, point Celluloid to that file from the preferences dialog instead of assuming it will be loaded automatically. Celluloid is a libmpv front end, so playback tweaks usually belong in mpv configuration rather than a separate GStreamer or Celluloid plugin package. The official Celluloid configuration notes cover that workflow in more detail.

Update Celluloid on Ubuntu

Updates stay tied to the package format you picked during installation.

Update an APT Build of Celluloid on Ubuntu

APT users only need a metadata refresh plus a package-only upgrade command.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade celluloid

Update the Celluloid Snap on Ubuntu

Snap refreshes itself automatically, but you can force the check immediately.

sudo snap refresh celluloid

Update the Flathub Build of Celluloid on Ubuntu

System-scope Flatpak installs should stay on the same system scope for updates.

sudo flatpak update io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

If you prefer, sudo flatpak update refreshes every installed Flatpak app instead of only Celluloid.

Troubleshoot Celluloid on Ubuntu

Most install problems on Ubuntu come down to package-source mismatches or sandbox permissions.

Fix Celluloid Flatpak Drive Access on Ubuntu

The Flathub build already ships with Pictures and GVFS access, so it can see many user-mounted locations without extra overrides. Check the current sandbox permissions first before you add broader filesystem access.

flatpak info --show-permissions io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

[Context]
shared=network;ipc;
sockets=x11;wayland;pulseaudio;fallback-x11;
devices=all;
filesystems=xdg-run/pipewire-0:ro;xdg-pictures;xdg-run/gvfsd;xdg-run/gvfs;

If files mounted directly under /media still do not appear, add a user-scope override for that path. Overrides are stored per user, so the --user flag is intentional even when the app itself was installed system-wide.

flatpak override --user --filesystem=/media io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

Fix Celluloid Snap Access to Removable Media on Ubuntu

The Snap build needs the removable-media interface before it can browse files on external drives mounted outside your home directory.

sudo snap connect celluloid:removable-media :removable-media

Confirm that the interface is connected before testing playback again.

snap connections celluloid | grep removable-media

removable-media         celluloid:removable-media         :removable-media          manual

Remove Celluloid on Ubuntu

Use the removal path that matches the package format you installed. The verification step matters here too, because it confirms Ubuntu is no longer using the package source you removed.

Remove an APT or PPA Build of Celluloid on Ubuntu

Remove the package first.

sudo apt remove celluloid

Preview orphaned dependencies before removing them, especially on desktops where media libraries can be shared by other players.

sudo apt autoremove --dry-run

Continue only if the preview lists packages you no longer need.

sudo apt autoremove

If you installed the xuzhen666 PPA build, remove that source separately and refresh APT so Ubuntu falls back to its own archive again.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:xuzhen666/gnome-mpv -y
sudo apt update

Check the package state afterward. On Ubuntu 24.04, the PPA version disappears and the candidate drops back to the distro package.

apt-cache policy celluloid

celluloid:
   Installed: (none)
   Candidate: 0.26-1build2
   Version table:
       0.26-1build2 500
            500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 Packages

Ubuntu 26.04 shows 0.29-3 as the remaining candidate after removal, and Ubuntu 22.04 shows 0.20-2.

Remove the Celluloid Snap on Ubuntu

Use --purge so the remove step does not create a fresh automatic snapshot.

sudo snap remove --purge celluloid

Confirm that Snap no longer lists Celluloid.

snap list celluloid

error: no matching snaps installed

Remove the Flathub Build of Celluloid on Ubuntu

Uninstall the Flatpak app from the same system scope used during installation.

sudo flatpak uninstall io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid -y

Verify that Flatpak no longer sees the app afterward.

flatpak info io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

error: io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid/*unspecified*/*unspecified* not installed

These commands do not touch your media files. Snap stores per-user data under ~/snap/celluloid/, and Flatpak stores sandbox data under ~/.var/app/io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid/. Remove those directories only when you want to erase saved preferences and recent history as well.

Conclusion

Celluloid is installed on Ubuntu and ready for everyday playback, with mpv doing the heavy lifting behind the GTK interface. If you want the raw player underneath, install mpv media player on Ubuntu. If you want a broader codec-focused desktop alternative, install VLC media player on Ubuntu.