How to Install LibreOffice on Debian (13, 12, 11)

LibreOffice is a complete office suite for document creation and editing on Debian. The suite includes Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheet), Impress (presentations), Draw (vector graphics), Base (database), and Math (formula editor). LibreOffice reads and writes DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, ODT, PDF, and more, making it fully compatible with Microsoft Office and other office software.

This guide covers three ways to install LibreOffice on Debian: APT for stable, distro-tested releases; Flatpak for the newest versions with sandboxing; or manual DEB packages for specific version control and offline installation. By the end, you will have LibreOffice installed and verified, with update, removal, and troubleshooting steps for common issues like missing fonts or slow launch times.

Install LibreOffice on Debian

LibreOffice offers three installation paths on Debian, each with different version availability, update mechanisms, and integration levels. Choose the method that best matches your need for stability, newest features, or version control.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
APT Package Manager	Debian Repos	Stable (Debian-tested)	Automatic via apt upgrade	Most users who prefer system-integrated packages with distro-tested stability
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Automatic via flatpak update	Desktop users who want newest releases with sandboxing and frequent updates
Manual DEB Package	LibreOffice Downloads	User-selected	Script-assisted or manual redownload	Users who need specific versions, offline installation, or version control

For most users, the APT method is recommended because it provides automatic security updates and requires minimal maintenance. However, you should only use Flatpak if you specifically need the newest features, or manual DEB packages if you require a specific version unavailable in repositories.

Method 1: Install LibreOffice on Debian via APT

Update Debian Linux Before LibreOffice Installation

Update existing packages on your Debian system before installing new software to ensure compatibility:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This guide uses sudo for commands that need root privileges. If your user is not in the sudoers file yet, see how to add a user to sudoers on Debian.

Install LibreOffice via APT

Install the LibreOffice suite using APT:

sudo apt install libreoffice

Verify LibreOffice Installation

After installation completes, you should verify LibreOffice is installed correctly by checking the version:

libreoffice --version

Expected output:

LibreOffice x.x.x.x ...

The version shown depends on your Debian release. Debian 13 (Trixie) provides LibreOffice 25.x, Debian 12 (Bookworm) provides 7.4.x, and Debian 11 (Bullseye) provides 7.0.x.

Method 2: Install LibreOffice on Debian via Flatpak

Flatpak provides the latest LibreOffice releases directly from Flathub with sandboxing that isolates the application from your system. This method delivers newer versions than the Debian repositories without modifying your system’s package configuration.

Check Flatpak Installation

Verify that Flatpak is installed on your system:

flatpak --version

Expected output:

Flatpak 1.x.x

If Flatpak is not installed, visit how to install Flatpak on Debian to install it first before continuing with the steps below.

Enable Flathub for LibreOffice

Add the Flathub repository to access LibreOffice and other Flatpak applications:

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

Install LibreOffice via Flatpak Command

Install LibreOffice from Flathub:

sudo flatpak install flathub org.libreoffice.LibreOffice -y

Verify Flatpak Installation

Confirm LibreOffice was installed successfully:

flatpak list | grep -i libre

Expected output:

LibreOffice    org.libreoffice.LibreOffice    25.x.x    stable    flathub    system

Flathub updates frequently. The version shown will be the current stable release at the time of installation.

Method 3: Install LibreOffice on Debian via Manual DEB Package

The manual DEB package method gives you direct control over which LibreOffice version to install. LibreOffice provides pre-built DEB packages in a tarball that contains all necessary components, making this approach useful for offline installation or when you need a specific version unavailable in repositories. You can either download and install the packages step by step (Option 1) or use an automated script that handles downloading, installing, and future updates (Option 2).

Option 1: Download and Install LibreOffice Manually

Visit the LibreOffice download page, select “Linux x64 (deb)” as your operating system, and note the current version number. Download the tarball using wget (install it first with sudo apt install wget if not already present):

cd /tmp
wget https://download.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/stable/25.8.3/deb/x86_64/LibreOffice_25.8.3_Linux_x86-64_deb.tar.gz

Replace 25.8.3 with the current version from the download page. This version number appears in both the URL path (/stable/25.8.3/) and the tarball name.

Extract the tarball and install all DEB packages. These commands use wildcard patterns so they work regardless of the specific version number in the extracted directory:

tar -xzf LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_deb.tar.gz
cd LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_deb/DEBS
sudo apt install ./*.deb

The extracted directory includes a four-digit version (for example, 25.8.3.2) that differs from the three-digit download version (25.8.3). The wildcard * handles this difference automatically.

Install the desktop integration package to add LibreOffice to your application menu and enable file associations:

cd desktop-integration
sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Option 2: Automated LibreOffice Install and Update Script

This bash script automates the entire process: it detects the latest stable LibreOffice version from The Document Foundation’s download server, downloads the correct tarball, extracts and installs all DEB packages, and adds desktop integration. You can rerun the same script at any time to update LibreOffice when a newer version becomes available.

Create the script file:

nano ~/update-libreoffice.sh

Paste the following script:

#!/bin/bash
set -e

# LibreOffice DEB Installer and Updater
# Downloads the latest stable release from The Document Foundation
# and installs or updates the DEB packages on Debian.
# Rerun this script at any time to check for newer versions.

DOWNLOAD_DIR="/tmp"
BASE_URL="https://download.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/stable"

# Do not run as root
if [ "$(id -u)" -eq 0 ]; then
  echo "Error: Run this script as a regular user, not root."
  echo "The script uses sudo only when installing packages."
  exit 1
fi

# Check required tools
for cmd in curl tar dpkg; do
  if ! command -v "$cmd" > /dev/null; then
    echo "Error: $cmd is required but not installed."
    exit 1
  fi
done

echo "Checking for latest LibreOffice version..."

# Fetch latest stable version from the download server
LATEST_VERSION=$(curl -sL "$BASE_URL/" \
  | grep -oE 'href="[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+/"' \
  | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' \
  | sort -V | tail -1)

if [ -z "$LATEST_VERSION" ]; then
  echo "Error: Could not detect the latest version."
  echo "Check your internet connection or visit:"
  echo "https://www.libreoffice.org/download/"
  exit 1
fi

# Detect currently installed version
CURRENT_VERSION="none"
if ls /opt/libreoffice*/program/soffice 1> /dev/null 2>&1; then
  for dir in /opt/libreoffice*/; do
    if [ -x "${dir}program/soffice" ]; then
      CURRENT_VERSION=$("${dir}program/soffice" --version \
        | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -n 1 || echo "none")
      break
    fi
  done
fi

echo "Current installed version: $CURRENT_VERSION"
echo "Latest available version:  $LATEST_VERSION"

if [ "$CURRENT_VERSION" = "$LATEST_VERSION" ]; then
  echo "Already up to date."
  exit 0
fi

echo ""
read -rp "Continue with install/update? (y/n) " CONFIRM
if [ "$CONFIRM" != "y" ] && [ "$CONFIRM" != "Y" ]; then
  echo "Cancelled."
  exit 0
fi

TARBALL="LibreOffice_${LATEST_VERSION}_Linux_x86-64_deb.tar.gz"
DOWNLOAD_URL="${BASE_URL}/${LATEST_VERSION}/deb/x86_64/${TARBALL}"

echo ""
echo "Downloading LibreOffice ${LATEST_VERSION}..."
cd "$DOWNLOAD_DIR"

# Clean up leftover files from previous runs
rm -rf LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_deb/ LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_deb.tar.gz

curl -fLO --progress-bar "$DOWNLOAD_URL"

echo "Extracting archive..."
tar -xzf "$TARBALL"

echo "Installing LibreOffice DEB packages (requires sudo)..."
cd LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_deb/DEBS
sudo apt install ./*.deb -y

echo "Installing desktop integration..."
cd desktop-integration
sudo dpkg -i *.deb

echo ""
echo "Cleaning up temporary files..."
cd "$DOWNLOAD_DIR"
rm -rf "$TARBALL" LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_deb/

echo ""
echo "Verifying installation..."
/opt/libreoffice*/program/soffice --version
echo ""
echo "Installation complete!"

Save the file by pressing Ctrl+O, then Enter, then exit with Ctrl+X. Make the script executable and run it:

chmod +x ~/update-libreoffice.sh
~/update-libreoffice.sh

Expected output for a fresh installation:

Checking for latest LibreOffice version...
Current installed version: none
Latest available version:  25.x.x

Continue with install/update? (y/n) y

Downloading LibreOffice 25.x.x...
######################################## 100.0%
Extracting archive...
Installing LibreOffice DEB packages (requires sudo)...
[sudo] password for user:
...
Installing desktop integration...

Cleaning up temporary files...

Verifying installation...
LibreOffice 25.x.x.x ...

Installation complete!

The script compares your installed version with the latest release and only downloads when an update is available. If you are already on the latest version, it reports “Already up to date” and exits without making changes.

Avoid automating this script with cron. DEB package installations can fail from network issues or download server changes, so always run the script manually to monitor the output and address any problems.

Verify Manual DEB Installation

After installation, verify LibreOffice is working by checking the version from the install path:

/opt/libreoffice*/program/soffice --version

Expected output:

LibreOffice x.x.x.x ...

The version shown matches the DEB package you installed. The installation path uses the major.minor version (for example, /opt/libreoffice25.8/). If you used the automated script, this verification was already performed during the script’s final step.

After installing the desktop integration package, LibreOffice appears in your application menu. You can also create a symbolic link to /usr/local/bin/libreoffice if you prefer launching from the terminal using just libreoffice.

Launch LibreOffice on Debian

LibreOffice can be opened from the terminal or through the application menu, depending on your installation method and preference.

Launch LibreOffice from the Terminal

Open a terminal and run the following command to launch LibreOffice:

libreoffice

For Flatpak installations, use the Flatpak run command instead:

flatpak run org.libreoffice.LibreOffice

For manual DEB package installations, use the full path (the wildcard matches any installed version):

/opt/libreoffice*/program/soffice

Launch LibreOffice from the Application Icon

Search for “LibreOffice” in your application menu or Activities dashboard and click the icon. The LibreOffice Start Center opens, where you can select a specific application such as Writer, Calc, or Impress.

Manage LibreOffice on Debian

Update LibreOffice

Update via APT

Check for available LibreOffice updates through APT:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade libreoffice

Verify the update:

libreoffice --version

Update via Flatpak

Update the Flatpak installation of LibreOffice:

sudo flatpak update org.libreoffice.LibreOffice

Verify the update:

flatpak info org.libreoffice.LibreOffice | grep Version

Update Manual DEB Installation

If you installed LibreOffice using the automated script (Option 2), rerun the script to check for and install the latest version:

~/update-libreoffice.sh

The script compares your installed version with the latest stable release. If an update is available, it downloads, installs, and verifies the new version automatically. When already on the latest version, the script exits with:

Checking for latest LibreOffice version...
Current installed version: 25.x.x
Latest available version:  25.x.x
Already up to date.

If you installed manually (Option 1), check your current version, then repeat the download and install steps from Option 1 using the newer version number from the LibreOffice download page. The new version overwrites the old installation in /opt/.

Remove LibreOffice

The removal process varies depending on your installation method.

Remove APT Installation

Remove LibreOffice and its unused dependencies:

sudo apt remove libreoffice
sudo apt autoremove

To remove configuration files as well, use purge instead:

sudo apt purge libreoffice
sudo apt autoremove

Verify removal:

sudo apt update
apt-cache policy libreoffice

Expected output:

libreoffice:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: x.x.x-x

Confirm the command is no longer available:

libreoffice --version

Expected output:

bash: libreoffice: command not found

Remove Flatpak Installation

Remove the Flatpak version of LibreOffice:

sudo flatpak uninstall org.libreoffice.LibreOffice -y

Verify removal:

flatpak list | grep -i libre

This command should return no output.

Remove Manual DEB Installation

Manual DEB installations install to /opt/ and do not include an automated uninstaller. Remove the installation directory manually:

The following command permanently deletes the LibreOffice installation including any custom templates or extensions you may have added. Back up any customized templates or extensions from the installation directory (for example, /opt/libreoffice25.8/) before proceeding. Replace the version number below to match your installed version.

ls /opt/ | grep libreoffice
sudo rm -rf /opt/libreoffice*

Remove the desktop integration package (check the package name using dpkg -l | grep libreoffice):

dpkg -l | grep libreoffice
sudo apt remove libreoffice*-debian-menus

Clean up any downloaded tarball and extracted files:

rm -rf /tmp/LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_deb.tar.gz /tmp/LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_deb/

Verify the installation directory is removed:

ls /opt/ | grep libre

This command should return no output, confirming complete removal.

Troubleshoot Common LibreOffice Issues on Debian

Manual DEB: Command Not Found Error

If you installed the manual DEB package and receive libreoffice: command not found, this is expected. The manual installation places LibreOffice in /opt/, which is not in your system PATH by default.

Error message:

bash: libreoffice: command not found

Diagnostic: Check if LibreOffice is installed in /opt/:

ls /opt/ | grep libre

Expected output:

libreoffice25.8

Fix: Use the full path to launch LibreOffice, or create a symbolic link to /usr/local/bin. Identify the installed version first, then create the link:

ls /opt/ | grep libreoffice
sudo ln -sf /opt/libreoffice25.8/program/soffice /usr/local/bin/libreoffice

Replace libreoffice25.8 in the ln -sf command with the directory name returned by the ls command. When you update LibreOffice to a newer major.minor version, recreate this symlink with the updated path.

Verification:

libreoffice --version

Flatpak: Font Rendering Issues

Flatpak installations may not access system fonts properly, causing missing or incorrect font rendering in documents.

Diagnostic: Check if fonts are missing by opening a document and looking for font substitution warnings or unexpected font rendering.

Fix: Grant LibreOffice Flatpak access to system fonts:

flatpak override --user org.libreoffice.LibreOffice --filesystem=/usr/share/fonts:ro

For locally installed user fonts:

flatpak override --user org.libreoffice.LibreOffice --filesystem=~/.local/share/fonts:ro

Verification: Restart LibreOffice and check if the missing fonts now appear in the font selector.

Slow First Launch After Installation

LibreOffice may take 20-30 seconds to launch the first time after installation, regardless of installation method. This is completely normal behavior.

Diagnostic: LibreOffice performs first-run tasks during the initial launch including:

• Creating user profile directories
• Indexing help documentation
• Initializing Java runtime (if Base is included)
• Building font cache

Fix: No action needed. Subsequent launches will be significantly faster (typically 2-3 seconds). However, if slow launches persist after the first run, check system resources:

free -h
df -h

Ensure you have at least 1GB of free RAM and sufficient disk space for LibreOffice to operate smoothly.

LibreOffice Not Appearing in Application Menu

This issue typically occurs with manual DEB installations when the desktop integration package was not installed.

Diagnostic: Check if the desktop integration package is installed:

dpkg -l | grep libreoffice | grep menu

Fix: Install the desktop integration package from the extracted tarball:

cd /tmp/LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_deb/DEBS/desktop-integration
sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Verification: Log out and log back in, then check your application menu for LibreOffice entries. You can also update the desktop database manually:

sudo update-desktop-database

FAQ on LibreOffice and Debian

Conclusion

You now have LibreOffice configured on Debian with Writer, Calc, Impress, and Draw ready for document work. The APT method provides stable packages with automatic updates, Flatpak offers sandboxed newer releases, and manual DEB packages give precise version control. To extend functionality further, install Microsoft fonts on Debian for better compatibility, set up Timeshift backups to protect your work, or configure unattended upgrades to automate security updates.