How to Install FreeCAD on Ubuntu (26.04, 24.04, 22.04)

This guide shows you how to install FreeCAD on Ubuntu using the default Ubuntu repositories, the FreeCAD stable and daily PPAs, Snap, and Flatpak. You will also get method-specific verification commands, troubleshooting for common Ubuntu release issues, and clean removal steps.

FreeCAD is a parametric 3D CAD modeler used for product design, mechanical engineering, BIM workflows, and 3D printing. Because package availability differs across Ubuntu releases, choosing the right installation method first saves time and avoids failed installs.

Install FreeCAD on Ubuntu

Before installing, check how FreeCAD is currently packaged on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS, and 22.04 LTS.

FreeCAD Availability by Ubuntu Release

Ubuntu Release	Default Ubuntu Repository	Stable PPA	Daily PPA	Recommended Path
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS	FreeCAD 1.0.x available in Universe	Not currently published for resolute	Not currently published for resolute	Use APT, Snap, or Flatpak
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	No freecad candidate in default repo	FreeCAD 0.21.x available	FreeCAD 1.1 pre-release available	Use Snap or Flatpak first; use stable PPA only for APT-native workflows
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	FreeCAD 0.19.x available in Universe	FreeCAD 0.21.x available	FreeCAD 1.1 pre-release available	Use Snap or Flatpak first for newer releases; keep APT for distro-pinned installs

Ubuntu 24.04 is the key difference: sudo apt install freecad from default repositories currently fails there, so use Snap or Flatpak first. Use the stable PPA only if you specifically want APT-native package management.

Choose Your FreeCAD Installation Method for Ubuntu

Use this comparison to pick the method that matches your Ubuntu release, update preference, and stability requirements.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
Snap	Snapcraft	Stable channel plus candidate/edge tracks	Automatic through Snap	Recommended for most users who want a current stable release with minimal repository maintenance
Flatpak	Flathub	Stable app stream	Automatic through Flatpak	Recommended for desktop users already using Flathub or wanting app isolation
Ubuntu Repository (APT)	Ubuntu Packages	Distribution default	Automatic with APT upgrades	Users who prefer distro-managed packages on releases where FreeCAD is available
FreeCAD Stable PPA	Launchpad Stable PPA	Legacy stable branch package line	Maintainer cadence (can lag upstream stable releases)	APT-native fallback for users who accept slower update cadence
FreeCAD Daily PPA	Launchpad Daily PPA	Development pre-release package line	Maintainer cadence (not guaranteed to match weekly upstream releases)	Advanced testing workflows that still require APT-based packaging

For most users, Snap or Flatpak is the best starting point: they currently provide the most practical path to newer FreeCAD builds on Ubuntu. Use Ubuntu repositories when you want distro-pinned packages, and treat PPAs as APT-specific fallback options.

This guide covers Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS, and 22.04 LTS. As of February 6, 2026, Launchpad shows FreeCAD stable PPA packages for noble and jammy still on the 0.21.2 branch (published 2024-07-14 for noble and 2024-01-26 for jammy), while daily PPA builds for noble and jammy show 1.1~pre1 packages published 2025-08-27. Prefer Snap or Flatpak first; use PPAs only when you specifically need APT-native packaging.

Method 1: Install FreeCAD from Ubuntu Repositories (APT)

This method uses Ubuntu-managed packages and is the most conservative path on releases where freecad is currently available in the default repositories.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install freecad -y

If Ubuntu returns E: Package 'freecad' has no installation candidate (currently common on Ubuntu 24.04), use Method 4 (Snap) or Method 5 (Flatpak) first. Use Method 2 (stable PPA) only if you require APT-native package management.

Verify the installed FreeCAD CLI version:

freecadcmd --version

FreeCAD 1.0.x Revision:

Method 2: Install FreeCAD from the FreeCAD Stable PPA on Ubuntu (APT Fallback)

Use the stable PPA only when you explicitly need an APT-managed FreeCAD package on Ubuntu 24.04 or 22.04 and accept that package cadence can lag upstream stable releases.

As of February 6, 2026, Launchpad lists FreeCAD stable PPA packages at 0.21.2 for noble (published 2024-07-14) and jammy (published 2024-01-26), while upstream stable FreeCAD is in the 1.0.x series. Check the PPA package page before choosing this method if you need current features.

Install the repository management dependency (safe to run even if already installed):

sudo apt install software-properties-common -y

Add the stable PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:freecad-maintainers/freecad-stable -y

Update package lists and install FreeCAD:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install freecad -y

Confirm APT is selecting the PPA package and then verify the installed version:

apt-cache policy freecad | sed -n '1,12p'
freecadcmd --version

freecad:
  Installed: 2:0.21.x~ubuntu24.04.1
  Candidate: 2:0.21.x~ubuntu24.04.1
  Version table:
     2:0.21.x~ubuntu24.04.1 500
        500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/freecad-maintainers/freecad-stable/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages
FreeCAD 0.21.x Revision: 33771 (Git)

Method 3: Install FreeCAD Daily Builds from the FreeCAD Daily PPA on Ubuntu (Advanced)

The daily PPA tracks development builds and may include regressions or temporary packaging issues. As of February 6, 2026, its latest noble and jammy package entries show 1.1~pre1 published on 2025-08-27, so verify Launchpad publish dates before assuming it matches the newest upstream weekly release.

Install the dependency used to add PPAs:

sudo apt install software-properties-common -y

Add the daily PPA and install the daily package:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:freecad-maintainers/freecad-daily -y
sudo apt update
sudo apt install freecad-daily -y

Run the daily build:

freecad-daily

Verify the daily CLI build:

/usr/lib/freecad-daily/bin/freecadcmd-python3 --version

FreeCAD 1.1.0 Revision: 43087 (Git)

The daily install uses freecad-daily as the launcher, so it can coexist with a stable freecad install on the same system.

Method 4: Install FreeCAD via Snap on Ubuntu

Snap is a recommended first-choice method because it provides a consistent package across Ubuntu releases and handles updates through Snap channels.

Standard Ubuntu installations include Snap. If snap is missing (minimal or container-like environments), install it first with sudo apt install snapd -y.

sudo snap install freecad

Verify the Snap package:

snap list freecad

Name     Version  Rev   Tracking       Publisher   Notes
freecad  1.0.x    1634  latest/stable  freecad...  -

Launch the Snap build:

snap run freecad

Method 5: Install FreeCAD via Flatpak on Ubuntu (Flathub)

Flatpak is a recommended first-choice method if you already manage desktop applications through Flathub or want FreeCAD isolated from system library changes.

Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu. Install it with sudo apt install flatpak -y and follow the full setup steps in our Flatpak installation guide for Ubuntu if you have not configured Flathub yet.

Add Flathub and install the current FreeCAD Flatpak app ID:

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

Verify the Flatpak install:

flatpak info org.freecad.FreeCAD

ID: org.freecad.FreeCAD
Ref: app/org.freecad.FreeCAD/x86_64/stable
Branch: stable
Runtime: org.kde.Platform/x86_64/6.9

Launch the Flatpak build:

flatpak run org.freecad.FreeCAD

If you previously installed org.freecadweb.FreeCAD, migrate to the current app ID with flatpak uninstall org.freecadweb.FreeCAD -y and reinstall using org.freecad.FreeCAD.

Launch FreeCAD on Ubuntu

Use the launcher that matches your installation method:

# APT or stable PPA
freecad

# Daily PPA
freecad-daily

# Snap
snap run freecad

# Flatpak
flatpak run org.freecad.FreeCAD

You can also open FreeCAD from your desktop application menu by searching for FreeCAD.

Update FreeCAD on Ubuntu

Update APT or Stable PPA Install

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade freecad

Update Daily PPA Install

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade freecad-daily

Update Snap Install

sudo snap refresh freecad

Update Flatpak Install

sudo flatpak update org.freecad.FreeCAD

Troubleshooting FreeCAD on Ubuntu

APT Shows “Package ‘freecad’ Has No Installation Candidate” on Ubuntu 24.04

E: Package 'freecad' has no installation candidate

This means the default Ubuntu 24.04 repository currently does not provide a freecad package. Use Snap or Flatpak first, then fall back to the stable PPA only if you need APT-native package management.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:freecad-maintainers/freecad-stable -y
sudo apt update
sudo apt install freecad -y

Verify that APT now sees the PPA package:

apt-cache policy freecad | sed -n '1,12p'

FreeCAD PPA Returns “Does Not Have a Release File” on Ubuntu 26.04

E: The repository 'https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/freecad-maintainers/freecad-stable/ubuntu resolute Release' does not have a Release file.

This indicates the PPA is not currently published for resolute. On Ubuntu 26.04, use Ubuntu repositories, Snap, or Flatpak.

If you already added one or both FreeCAD PPAs on Ubuntu 26.04, remove them first so apt update succeeds again:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:freecad-maintainers/freecad-stable -y
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:freecad-maintainers/freecad-daily -y
sudo apt update

Then install FreeCAD using an Ubuntu-supported method:

# Ubuntu repository path on 26.04
sudo apt install freecad -y

# Alternative universal methods
sudo snap install freecad
sudo flatpak install flathub org.freecad.FreeCAD -y

Flatpak Install Uses Old FreeCAD App ID

Flathub moved FreeCAD from org.freecadweb.FreeCAD to org.freecad.FreeCAD. If your command uses the old ID, migrate to the new one.

flatpak uninstall org.freecadweb.FreeCAD -y
flatpak install flathub org.freecad.FreeCAD -y

FreeCAD GUI Version Check Fails in Headless Shells

Aborted (core dumped)

In non-graphical shells, freecad --version may abort because it initializes GUI components. Use CLI-specific binaries for verification.

# Stable APT/PPA installs
freecadcmd --version

# Daily PPA installs
/usr/lib/freecad-daily/bin/freecadcmd-python3 --version

Remove FreeCAD from Ubuntu

Use the removal commands that match your installation method, then clean up unused dependencies and repository entries.

Remove APT or Stable PPA FreeCAD

sudo apt remove freecad -y
sudo apt autoremove -y

If you added the stable PPA, remove it after uninstalling FreeCAD. For deeper repository cleanup patterns, see our guide on removing PPAs from Ubuntu.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:freecad-maintainers/freecad-stable -y
sudo apt update
apt-cache policy freecad | sed -n '1,10p'

Remove Daily PPA FreeCAD

sudo apt remove freecad-daily -y
sudo apt autoremove -y
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:freecad-maintainers/freecad-daily -y
sudo apt update

Remove Snap FreeCAD

sudo snap remove freecad

Remove Flatpak FreeCAD

sudo flatpak uninstall --delete-data org.freecad.FreeCAD -y
sudo flatpak uninstall org.freecadweb.FreeCAD -y

FreeCAD on Ubuntu FAQ

Final Thoughts on Installing FreeCAD on Ubuntu

You now have a release-aware FreeCAD installation workflow for Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04, with Snap and Flatpak prioritized for most users, Ubuntu repository and PPA fallback paths when needed, and practical troubleshooting for real package-availability failures. With update and removal commands for each method, you can keep one clean FreeCAD install path that fits your workflow and maintenance preferences.