How to Install LibreOffice on Ubuntu

LibreOffice is a full-featured office suite that handles word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, diagrams, databases, and formula editing. Whether you need to create professional documents, manage complex data, or collaborate on presentations, LibreOffice provides the tools without licensing costs. This guide walks through installing LibreOffice on Ubuntu using APT, the LibreOffice PPA for newer versions, Flatpak, or Snap. By the end, you will have a working LibreOffice installation with all components ready to use.

Ubuntu Desktop typically includes LibreOffice by default, but server installations and minimal setups omit it. Additionally, even if LibreOffice is already installed, you may want a newer version than Ubuntu’s default repositories provide. The methods below cover both fresh installations and upgrades.

Choose Your LibreOffice Installation Method

LibreOffice is available through several channels on Ubuntu, and each method offers different trade-offs between version freshness, update frequency, and system integration. To help you decide, the comparison table below summarizes your options:

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
APT (Default)	Ubuntu Repos	Distribution default	Automatic via apt upgrade	Most users who prefer stability
LibreOffice PPA	Launchpad PPA	Latest stable	Automatic via apt upgrade	Users who need newer features
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Automatic via flatpak update	Sandboxed installation with isolation
Snap	Snapcraft	Latest stable	Automatic background updates	Users preferring Snap ecosystem

For most users, the default APT method is recommended because it integrates seamlessly with Ubuntu’s package management and receives security updates through standard system updates. Only use the PPA if you specifically need features unavailable in your Ubuntu version’s default LibreOffice, or choose Flatpak/Snap if you prefer application sandboxing.

This guide supports Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS installations. The LibreOffice PPA provides packages for both LTS releases, while Flatpak and Snap methods remain compatible across all Ubuntu versions. Commands shown work identically on both supported LTS releases.

Install LibreOffice from Ubuntu Default Repositories

The simplest approach uses Ubuntu’s default repositories. Because this method provides a stable version tested with your Ubuntu release, it receives security patches through regular system updates.

Update Package Index

First, refresh your package lists to ensure APT knows about the latest available versions:

sudo apt update

Install LibreOffice

Next, install the LibreOffice metapackage, which includes all core applications (Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math):

sudo apt install libreoffice

APT automatically resolves and installs all required dependencies. As a result, the download size is approximately 500 MB, depending on what packages are already installed on your system.

Verify Installation

Once the installation completes, confirm that LibreOffice is accessible by checking its version:

libreoffice --version

You should see output similar to the following, showing the installed version:

LibreOffice 24.x.x 30(Build:x)

The exact version number varies depending on your Ubuntu release. For reference, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS ships LibreOffice 24.2.x by default, while Ubuntu 22.04 LTS includes version 7.3.x.

Install LibreOffice from the Official PPA

For users who need the latest features, the LibreOffice Packaging team maintains a PPA (Personal Package Archive) with the latest stable releases. This method provides newer versions than Ubuntu’s default repositories while still using APT for updates.

Add the LibreOffice PPA

Several PPA options are available depending on your needs. The table below compares each repository to help you choose the right one:

PPA	Channel	Version	Best For
Fresh (Stable)	ppa:libreoffice/ppa	Latest stable release	Most users wanting newer features
Pre-Release	ppa:libreoffice/libreoffice-prereleases	Release candidates and betas	Testers comfortable with potential bugs
Still (Backports)	ppa:libreoffice/libreoffice-still	Previous major version	Users preferring proven stability

For the Fresh (Stable) PPA, which is recommended for most users, run:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libreoffice/ppa -y

Alternatively, if you want to test upcoming features, add the Pre-Release PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libreoffice/libreoffice-prereleases -y

For maximum stability with the previous major version, use the Still PPA instead:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libreoffice/libreoffice-still -y

You can only have one LibreOffice PPA active at a time. If you later want to switch from pre-release to stable, remove the current PPA first using the removal instructions at the end of this guide, then add the new PPA.

Refresh Package Index and Install

After adding the PPA, update your package lists to make the new packages available:

sudo apt update

To confirm that APT recognizes the PPA, check the package policy:

apt-cache policy libreoffice | head -10

If successful, the output will show a candidate version from the PPA repository (ppa.launchpadcontent.net):

libreoffice:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 4:25.x.x~rc2-0ubuntu0.24.04.1~lo1
  Version table:
     4:25.x.x~rc2-0ubuntu0.24.04.1~lo1 500
        500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/libreoffice/ppa/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages

Now you can install LibreOffice from the PPA:

sudo apt install libreoffice

If you already have LibreOffice installed from the default repositories, APT automatically upgrades it to the PPA version.

Install LibreOffice via Flatpak

Another option is Flatpak, which provides LibreOffice in a sandboxed environment that runs independently of your system’s package manager. As a result, this method ensures you always have the latest version regardless of your Ubuntu release.

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.

Once Flatpak and Flathub are configured, install LibreOffice:

flatpak install flathub org.libreoffice.LibreOffice -y

This command downloads the application along with any required runtimes. Consequently, the initial download is larger than APT packages (approximately 1 GB) because Flatpak bundles its own runtime libraries.

Next, verify the installation by checking the Flatpak info:

flatpak info org.libreoffice.LibreOffice

LibreOffice - The LibreOffice productivity suite

          ID: org.libreoffice.LibreOffice
         Ref: app/org.libreoffice.LibreOffice/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
      Origin: flathub
     Version: 25.x.x

Alternatively, to launch the Flatpak version from the terminal, use:

flatpak run org.libreoffice.LibreOffice

Install LibreOffice via Snap

Snap packages are another option, offering containerized applications that update automatically in the background. Since Ubuntu includes Snap by default, this is a straightforward installation option.

To install LibreOffice from the Snap Store, run:

sudo snap install libreoffice

Snap handles the download and installation automatically. Once the process completes, verify the installation with:

snap info libreoffice | grep -E 'installed|tracking'

installed:   25.x.x                    (xxx) 1.1GB -
tracking:    latest/stable

If you have LibreOffice installed via APT and also install the Snap version, both will coexist. Desktop launchers may point to the APT version by default. To avoid confusion, remove the APT version if you prefer using Snap exclusively.

Launch LibreOffice

After completing the installation, you can launch LibreOffice either through the applications menu or directly from the terminal.

Launch from Applications Menu

Search for “LibreOffice” in the Activities overview. You will see entries for the main LibreOffice Start Center as well as individual applications like Writer, Calc, and Impress. Simply click any entry to launch that component.

Launch from Terminal

For APT or PPA installations, use the libreoffice command to open the Start Center:

libreoffice

Additionally, you can launch specific applications directly using command-line flags:

libreoffice --writer   # Word processor
libreoffice --calc     # Spreadsheet
libreoffice --impress  # Presentations
libreoffice --draw     # Vector graphics
libreoffice --base     # Database
libreoffice --math     # Formula editor

Troubleshooting LibreOffice Installation

LibreOffice Base Requires Java

LibreOffice Base (the database component) requires a Java Runtime Environment to function. Therefore, if you attempt to open Base without Java installed, you will see an error message about missing Java.

To resolve this issue, install the default JRE:

sudo apt install default-jre

After installing Java, restart LibreOffice. Then navigate to Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Advanced to verify that Java is detected and enabled.

PPA Package Not Found

If apt update reports errors about the LibreOffice PPA, the PPA may not support your Ubuntu version yet. Check the Launchpad PPA page to see which Ubuntu releases have available packages. As of writing, the PPA supports Ubuntu 22.04 (jammy) and 24.04 (noble).

In that case, use Flatpak or Snap instead, which work across all Ubuntu versions.

Conflicting LibreOffice Versions

If you have installed LibreOffice through multiple methods (APT, Flatpak, and Snap), desktop launchers may behave unexpectedly. In this case, remove the versions you do not need:

# Remove APT version
sudo apt remove libreoffice

# Remove Flatpak version
flatpak uninstall org.libreoffice.LibreOffice

# Remove Snap version
sudo snap remove libreoffice

As a best practice, keep only one installation method to avoid version confusion.

Update LibreOffice

The update process depends on how you installed LibreOffice. Below are the commands for each installation method.

For APT or PPA installations, updates come through standard system updates:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

If you installed via Flatpak, run the following command to check for updates:

flatpak update

Finally, Snap installations update automatically in the background. However, you can trigger a manual update with:

sudo snap refresh libreoffice

Remove LibreOffice

If you no longer need LibreOffice, follow the removal steps below based on your installation method.

Remove APT Installation

First, uninstall LibreOffice and clean up orphaned dependencies:

sudo apt remove libreoffice*
sudo apt autoremove

The autoremove command removes packages that were installed as dependencies but are no longer needed.

Remove LibreOffice PPA

If you added a LibreOffice PPA, you should also remove it to prevent future package conflicts. Use the command matching the PPA you originally added:

# Remove Fresh (Stable) PPA
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:libreoffice/ppa -y

# Remove Pre-Release PPA
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:libreoffice/libreoffice-prereleases -y

# Remove Still (Backports) PPA
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:libreoffice/libreoffice-still -y

Afterwards, refresh your package lists:

sudo apt update

Remove Flatpak Installation

To remove the Flatpak version, uninstall the package and clean up unused runtimes:

flatpak uninstall org.libreoffice.LibreOffice
flatpak uninstall --unused

User data for the Flatpak version is stored in ~/.var/app/org.libreoffice.LibreOffice/. Remove this directory if you want to delete all settings and cached files:

rm -rf ~/.var/app/org.libreoffice.LibreOffice

Remove Snap Installation

For Snap installations, remove the package with:

sudo snap remove libreoffice

Snap automatically cleans up its data when you remove packages, so no additional steps are needed.

Conclusion

You now have LibreOffice installed on Ubuntu using your preferred method. The APT installation integrates with standard system updates, while the PPA provides access to the latest releases. Alternatively, Flatpak and Snap offer sandboxed installations that work consistently across Ubuntu versions. To maintain your installation, apply updates regularly to receive security patches and new features.

Useful Links

For additional resources on using and configuring LibreOffice:

• LibreOffice Official Website: Download options, release notes, and project information.
• LibreOffice Documentation: Official user guides for all applications in the suite.
• Ask LibreOffice: Community Q&A for troubleshooting and usage questions.