How to Install DeSmuME on Ubuntu

DeSmuME remains useful on an Ubuntu Linux desktop when you want a focused Nintendo DS emulator instead of a full multi-system frontend. To install DeSmuME on Ubuntu, choose between Ubuntu’s universe package and the Flathub build. The launch path then depends on the package source and Ubuntu release.

The release split matters. Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 package only the command-line frontend, while Ubuntu 22.04 still includes GTK launchers. Flathub keeps the graphical app available on all three releases. It is unverified and currently uses DeSmuME 0.9.11, so treat it as a GUI convenience choice rather than a newer upstream build.

Install DeSmuME on Ubuntu

Choose the DeSmuME Installation Method on Ubuntu

APT is the cleaner package-manager path because it comes from Ubuntu’s own archive and updates with the rest of the system. Flatpak is the practical GUI path on Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 because those APT packages install only desmume-cli.

If you searched for a direct DeSmuME Linux download, the official DeSmuME download page currently points to the 0.9.13 GitHub release. That release includes a Linux source archive, not a ready-made Ubuntu .deb or AppImage, so the managed APT and Flatpak paths are better fits for normal desktop installs.

Stick to known sources: Ubuntu’s archive, the Flathub app page, or the official DeSmuME site and GitHub release. Avoid random emulator download mirrors, ROM bundles, or third-party installers that mix the emulator with game files.

Method	Source	Ubuntu Release Behavior	Update Path	Best Fit
APT package	Ubuntu universe	26.04: 0.9.13 CLI only; 24.04: 0.9.11 CLI only; 22.04: 0.9.11 GTK and CLI	With normal APT upgrades	Users who prefer Ubuntu-packaged software or the newer 26.04 CLI build
Flatpak	Flathub	0.9.11 stable, graphical app, x86_64 and aarch64 builds	With Flatpak app and runtime updates	Users who need the graphical launcher on Ubuntu 26.04 or 24.04

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS, and 22.04 LTS are covered here. The APT package changes by release, so do not expect the same launcher or package version on every supported Ubuntu system.

Update Ubuntu Before Installing DeSmuME

Refresh the package index before installing the APT package or Flatpak prerequisites. If Ubuntu lists pending upgrades, review them before applying them so unrelated system changes do not get mixed into the emulator install.

sudo apt update

Install DeSmuME with APT

Ubuntu provides DeSmuME from the universe component. Standard desktop installs usually already have universe enabled, but minimal or customized systems may need it enabled first if APT cannot locate the package.

sudo apt install desmume

If Ubuntu returns E: Unable to locate package desmume, enable the repository component with the guide to enable Universe and Multiverse on Ubuntu, then rerun sudo apt update.

Verify the APT DeSmuME Package

Confirm the package state and installed version with dpkg-query:

dpkg-query -W -f='${db:Status-Abbrev} ${binary:Package} ${Version}\n' desmume

On Ubuntu 26.04, the installed package currently reports:

ii  desmume 0.9.13-4build1

Ubuntu 24.04 reports 0.9.11-7build2, while Ubuntu 22.04 reports 0.9.11-3build2. The installed binary set also differs: 26.04 and 24.04 provide /usr/games/desmume-cli only, while 22.04 also provides /usr/games/desmume, /usr/games/desmume-glade, and desktop launcher files.

Install DeSmuME with Flatpak

Use the Flatpak method when you want the graphical DeSmuME interface on Ubuntu 26.04 or 24.04. Flathub currently marks this app as unverified and potentially unsafe, and the current manifest requests broad device access. That permission can matter for input hardware such as controllers, but it makes Flatpak a packaging tradeoff rather than a stronger isolation choice.

Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu. If you have not set it up yet, install it with sudo apt install flatpak and restart your session before continuing. For detailed setup including the Flathub repository, follow the guide to install Flatpak on Ubuntu.

Add Flathub for DeSmuME

Add the Flathub remote if your Ubuntu system does not already have it. The --if-not-exists flag keeps the command repeat-safe when Flathub is already configured.

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

Install the DeSmuME Flatpak

Install the Flathub app ID with Flatpak:

sudo flatpak install flathub org.desmume.DeSmuME -y

Verify the installed Flatpak reference:

flatpak info --show-ref org.desmume.DeSmuME

On a typical 64-bit PC, the stable app returns:

app/org.desmume.DeSmuME/x86_64/stable

Launch DeSmuME on Ubuntu

DeSmuME launch behavior depends on the package source. Flatpak and the Ubuntu 22.04 APT package create graphical launchers, while Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 APT installs use the terminal-only desmume-cli frontend.

Launch from the Applications Menu

For Flatpak installs, open Activities, search for DeSmuME, and select the DeSmuME launcher. Ubuntu 22.04 APT installs can show two launchers, DeSmuME (Gtk) and DeSmuME (Gtk-Glade), because that older package still includes both GTK frontends.

Launch from the Terminal

Run the Flatpak build with its app ID:

flatpak run org.desmume.DeSmuME

Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 APT installs require a ROM path because they provide only desmume-cli:

desmume-cli /path/to/your-game.nds

If your shell does not include /usr/games in $PATH, use the full binary path:

/usr/games/desmume-cli /path/to/your-game.nds

Ubuntu 22.04 APT users can start the GTK frontend without a ROM argument:

desmume

The alternate GTK-Glade frontend is also available on Ubuntu 22.04:

desmume-glade

Open ROMs and Configure Controls

In the graphical app, open Nintendo DS ROM files from the File menu, then adjust keyboard or controller mappings from the Config menu. Use ROMs you own or are otherwise allowed to run; DeSmuME is the emulator, not a source for game files.

Save states are convenient for quick pauses, but normal in-game saves are more durable across emulator changes. Native DeSmuME stores its profile under ~/.config/desmume, while the Flatpak profile stays under ~/.var/app/org.desmume.DeSmuME. If you rely on long-running saves, back up the matching profile directory before deleting profile data or switching package sources.

Update or Remove DeSmuME on Ubuntu

Update DeSmuME

APT installs update through Ubuntu’s package sources. Use --only-upgrade so APT upgrades DeSmuME only when the package is already installed.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade desmume

Flatpak installs update through Flathub:

sudo flatpak update org.desmume.DeSmuME -y

Remove the APT Package

Remove the Ubuntu package with APT:

sudo apt remove desmume

Confirm that the installed package row is gone:

dpkg -l desmume | grep '^ii' || echo "desmume not installed"

desmume not installed

If APT lists unused dependencies after removal, review them before deleting anything from the wider system:

sudo apt autoremove --dry-run

Run the actual cleanup only if the previewed package list looks safe for your system:

sudo apt autoremove

Removing this directory permanently deletes native DeSmuME settings, save states, and related profile data from ~/.config/desmume. Back it up first with cp -a ~/.config/desmume ~/desmume-native-profile-backup if you want to keep it.

rm -rf ~/.config/desmume

Remove the Flatpak App

Remove the Flathub app with Flatpak:

sudo flatpak remove org.desmume.DeSmuME -y

Verify that the app ID no longer appears in the installed application list:

flatpak list --app --columns=application | grep -Fx org.desmume.DeSmuME || echo "org.desmume.DeSmuME not installed"

org.desmume.DeSmuME not installed

Removing this directory permanently deletes the DeSmuME Flatpak profile under ~/.var/app/org.desmume.DeSmuME, including sandboxed settings and save data. Back it up first with cp -a ~/.var/app/org.desmume.DeSmuME ~/desmume-flatpak-profile-backup if you want to keep it.

rm -rf ~/.var/app/org.desmume.DeSmuME

If no other Flatpak apps need the runtimes DeSmuME used, Flatpak can remove unused runtimes interactively:

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused

Troubleshoot DeSmuME on Ubuntu

No Desktop Launcher After APT Install

Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 APT installs do not include desktop integration files for DeSmuME. This is expected package behavior, not a broken installation. Launch games with desmume-cli /path/to/game.nds, or install the Flatpak build if you need a graphical launcher on those releases.

DeSmuME Command Not Found

If a terminal launch returns a command-not-found error, first check whether you are using the right command for your package and release:

bash: desmume: command not found

On Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 APT installs, use desmume-cli instead of desmume:

desmume-cli /path/to/game.nds

If /usr/games is missing from your shell path, the absolute command still works:

/usr/games/desmume-cli /path/to/game.nds

For Flatpak installs, use the Flatpak app ID rather than an APT binary name:

flatpak run org.desmume.DeSmuME

ROM File Does Not Open

For command-line launches, verify that the ROM path points to a readable .nds file. Paths with spaces need quotes so the shell passes the full filename to DeSmuME.

desmume-cli "/path/to/My Game.nds"

For Flatpak installs, use the graphical file picker when possible. The file chooser grants access to the selected ROM through the desktop portal, which avoids path-access confusion inside the Flatpak sandbox.

Slow Emulation or Controller Issues

Slow emulation usually improves by disabling heavy filters, lowering frameskip expectations, or closing other CPU-heavy apps before starting a ROM. In the graphical frontend, check the Config and Emulation menus for video, frameskip, and control settings before changing package sources.

If a controller does not respond in the Flatpak build, confirm the controller works in Ubuntu first, then reopen DeSmuME and remap inputs from the Config menu. The current Flathub manifest requests device access, so a missing controller is usually a desktop input or mapping issue rather than a missing host package.

Conclusion

DeSmuME is available on Ubuntu through either the Ubuntu archive or Flathub, with the launch path matched to your release and package source. For a broader emulator frontend, install RetroArch on Ubuntu; for older Windows PC games and launchers, install Wine on Ubuntu.