How to Install Joplin on Ubuntu

Joplin is an open-source note-taking and to-do application that organizes your notes into notebooks, supports full markdown editing, and synchronizes across devices via cloud services like Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, or WebDAV. Whether you need to capture research notes, manage project tasks, or import existing Evernote data, Joplin provides a privacy-focused alternative with end-to-end encryption and complete control over your data. By the end of this guide, you will have Joplin installed on Ubuntu with a working desktop launcher, ready for note-taking and synchronization setup.

Choose Your Joplin Installation Method

Specifically, Ubuntu offers several ways to install Joplin, each with different trade-offs for updates, integration, and maintenance. The following table summarizes your options:

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
Extrepo (APT)	Community Repo	Latest stable	Automatic via APT	Users who prefer native package management
Snap	Snapcraft	Latest stable	Automatic	Users wanting sandboxed, auto-updating apps
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Automatic via Flatpak	Users preferring Flatpak ecosystem
Official Bash Script	GitHub	Latest stable	Manual (re-run script)	Users who want the official AppImage installer

For most users, the Extrepo method is recommended because it integrates with APT for seamless updates alongside your system packages. The Snap method works well on stock Ubuntu installations where Snap is already configured, while Flatpak provides additional sandboxing. The official bash script installs an AppImage directly from the Joplin team but requires manual updates.

This guide supports Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS, and 26.04 LTS. All installation methods work identically across these releases, though package names differ slightly (documented where applicable). Commands shown work on all supported LTS releases.

Method 1: Install Joplin via Extrepo (Recommended)

Specifically, Extrepo simplifies adding third-party repositories by managing GPG keys and source configurations automatically. This method installs Joplin as a native .deb package that updates alongside your system packages.

Install Extrepo and Enable the Joplin Repository

To begin, install the extrepo package if it is not already present on your system:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install extrepo -y

Once extrepo is installed, enable the Joplin repository. This command downloads the repository configuration and GPG signing key:

sudo extrepo enable joplin

Subsequently, after enabling the repository, refresh your package index to make Joplin available:

sudo apt update

Install Joplin via APT

Then, with the repository enabled, install Joplin using the standard APT command:

sudo apt install joplin -y

As a result, Joplin installs to /opt/Joplin/ with a symbolic link at /usr/bin/joplin, and the installer creates a desktop launcher automatically.

Verify the Installation

Finally, confirm Joplin installed correctly by checking the package status:

apt-cache policy joplin

The output displays the installed version and confirms the package comes from the extrepo-managed repository:

joplin:
  Installed: 3.x.x
  Candidate: 3.x.x
  Version table:
 *** 3.x.x 500
        500 https://sourceforge.net/projects/joplin-desktop-linux-package/files/deb-repo packages/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Method 2: Install Joplin via Snap

Snap packages are self-contained and include all dependencies, making installation straightforward on Ubuntu systems where Snap is pre-installed. Additionally, the Snap version receives automatic updates from the Snapcraft store.

Ensure Snap is Available

Typically, Ubuntu desktop installations include Snap by default. However, minimal installations or systems where Snap was previously removed may need it installed first:

sudo apt install snapd -y

Install Joplin from Snapcraft

Next, install Joplin using the Snap package manager. The package name is joplin-desktop:

sudo snap install joplin-desktop

Verify the Installation

Once complete, confirm Joplin installed successfully by listing installed Snap packages:

snap list joplin-desktop

Consequently, the output confirms Joplin is installed and shows the current version:

Name            Version  Rev    Tracking       Publisher    Notes
joplin-desktop  v3.x.x   xxx    latest/stable  nicmord      -

Method 3: Install Joplin via Flatpak

Flatpak provides sandboxed application installation with automatic updates from Flathub. Additionally, this method works across different Linux distributions and offers strong isolation between applications.

Importantly, 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 our Flatpak installation guide for Ubuntu.

Add the Flathub Repository

Primarily, Flathub is the source for Flatpak applications. Add it to your system if not already configured:

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

Crucially, the --if-not-exists flag prevents errors if Flathub is already configured on your system.

Install Joplin from Flathub

Following this, install Joplin using the Flatpak application ID. The -y flag automatically confirms the installation:

sudo flatpak install flathub net.cozic.joplin_desktop -y

Verify the Installation

Once installed, confirm the installation by checking the application information:

flatpak info net.cozic.joplin_desktop

Ideally, the output displays version and installation details. Note that Flathub versions may lag slightly behind other sources:

Joplin - open source note taking and to-do application

          ID: net.cozic.joplin_desktop
         Ref: app/net.cozic.joplin_desktop/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
     Version: 3.x.x
      Origin: flathub
  Collection: org.flathub.Stable

Method 4: Install Joplin via Official Bash Script (AppImage)

The Joplin team provides an official installation script that downloads and configures the AppImage version. This method installs Joplin to your home directory and creates a desktop launcher, but requires manual script re-execution for updates.

Install Required Dependencies

Notably, the Joplin AppImage requires FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace) libraries to run. First, update your package index and install the prerequisite:

sudo apt update

Next, install the FUSE library. However, the package name differs between Ubuntu versions:

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS:

sudo apt install libfuse2 -y

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and 26.04 LTS:

sudo apt install libfuse2t64 -y

The package was renamed from libfuse2 to libfuse2t64 starting with Ubuntu 24.04 as part of the 64-bit time_t transition. Both packages provide the same functionality.

Run the Official Installation Script

To proceed, download and execute the official Joplin installation script. This command fetches the script from GitHub and pipes it to bash for execution:

wget -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Joplin_install_and_update.sh | bash

Specifically, the script performs several tasks automatically: it downloads the latest Joplin AppImage to ~/.joplin/, sets execution permissions, downloads the application icon, and creates a desktop launcher entry. You will see progress output as each step completes.

Verify the Installation

Once the script finishes, confirm the AppImage was installed by checking the installation directory:

ls -la ~/.joplin/

Here, the output shows the AppImage executable and a VERSION file tracking the installed release:

total 256000
drwxr-xr-x  2 user user      4096 Jan  1 12:00 .
drwxr-x--- 25 user user      4096 Jan  1 12:00 ..
-rwxr-xr-x  1 user user 262000000 Jan  1 12:00 Joplin.AppImage
-rw-r--r--  1 user user         7 Jan  1 12:00 VERSION

Usefully, you can also check the installed version directly:

cat ~/.joplin/VERSION

Launch Joplin

After installation, launch Joplin either from the terminal or through your desktop environment application menu.

Launch from the Application Menu

Conveniently, all installation methods create a desktop launcher. To open Joplin graphically:

• First, click the Show Applications icon in your Ubuntu dock (typically at the bottom left of the screen).
• Next, type Joplin in the search bar. The Joplin icon will appear as you type.
• Finally, click the Joplin icon to launch the application.

Launch from Terminal

However, the terminal command differs based on your installation method:

Extrepo (APT) installation:

joplin

Snap installation:

snap run joplin-desktop

Flatpak installation:

flatpak run net.cozic.joplin_desktop

Bash script (AppImage) installation:

~/.joplin/Joplin.AppImage

Manage Joplin

Update Joplin

Generally, keeping Joplin updated ensures you have the latest features and security fixes. The update process depends on your installation method:

Extrepo (APT) installation:

Conveniently, Joplin updates automatically when you upgrade your system packages. To check for and apply updates manually:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade joplin

Snap installation:

By default, Snap packages update automatically in the background. However, to trigger an immediate update:

sudo snap refresh joplin-desktop

Flatpak installation:

Instead, update Joplin along with all Flatpak applications:

flatpak update

Alternatively, to update only Joplin:

flatpak update net.cozic.joplin_desktop

Bash script (AppImage) installation:

The official installation script doubles as an updater. Simply re-run the same command used for installation:

wget -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Joplin_install_and_update.sh | bash

As a result, the script checks your installed version against the latest release and only downloads if an update is available.

Remove Joplin

Eventually, if you need to uninstall Joplin, use the removal method that matches your installation.

Before removing Joplin, export any notes you want to keep. Your notebooks, notes, tags, and attachments will be deleted with the application data. Use File → Export all → JEX (Joplin Export File) to create a backup.

Extrepo (APT) installation:

sudo apt remove --purge joplin -y
sudo apt autoremove -y

Additionally, to disable the repository:

sudo extrepo disable joplin
sudo apt update

Snap installation:

sudo snap remove joplin-desktop

Note that Snap data is stored in ~/snap/joplin-desktop/. To remove this data directory as well:

rm -rf ~/snap/joplin-desktop/

Flatpak installation:

sudo flatpak uninstall net.cozic.joplin_desktop -y

Next, to remove unused Flatpak runtimes after uninstallation:

flatpak uninstall --unused

Similarly, Flatpak application data is stored in ~/.var/app/net.cozic.joplin_desktop/. To remove this data:

rm -rf ~/.var/app/net.cozic.joplin_desktop/

Bash script (AppImage) installation:

First, remove the Joplin installation directory and desktop launcher:

rm -rf ~/.joplin/
rm -f ~/.local/share/applications/appimagekit-joplin.desktop
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/512x512/apps/joplin.png

Additionally, the AppImage method stores your notes separately in ~/.config/joplin-desktop/. To remove your notes and settings:

rm -rf ~/.config/joplin-desktop/

Troubleshooting

AppImage Fails to Launch with FUSE Error

For instance, if you see an error about libfuse when running the AppImage, the FUSE library is not installed. Install the appropriate package for your Ubuntu version:

To confirm, check the error message:

Error: Can't get libfuse2 on system, please install libfuse2

To resolve this, install the missing library (use libfuse2t64 on Ubuntu 24.04+ or libfuse2 on Ubuntu 22.04):

sudo apt install libfuse2t64 -y

Extrepo Repository Not Found

If extrepo enable joplin fails, first verify extrepo is installed and then check available repositories:

extrepo search joplin

For example, expected output confirming the repository is available:

Found joplin:
---
description: Joplin note-taking

Flatpak Installation Shows “No Remote Refs Found”

This error typically occurs when Flathub is not properly configured. First, verify your Flatpak remote configuration:

flatpak remotes

Therefore, if Flathub is missing from the output, add it:

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

Conclusion

In summary, you now have Joplin installed on Ubuntu and ready for use. Now, begin creating notebooks, writing markdown notes, and configuring synchronization with your preferred cloud service. For an enhanced workflow, explore Joplin’s plugin ecosystem and keyboard shortcuts.

Useful Links

Additionally, the following resources provide additional information about Joplin:

• Joplin Official Website: Download options, feature overview, and documentation for the note-taking application.
• Joplin GitHub Repository: Source code, issue tracker, and release notes for development and bug reports.
• Joplin Community Forum: User discussions, troubleshooting help, and feature requests from the community.
• Joplin Help Documentation: Detailed guides on synchronization setup, markdown formatting, and advanced configuration.