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

Terminator is an open-source terminal emulator that supports split panes, tabbed sessions, and deep customization. It lets you monitor logs in one pane while editing files in another, manage multiple SSH connections side by side, and save layouts so every session starts exactly where you left off. This guide walks you through how to install Terminator on Ubuntu from the default repository or the Terminator Team PPA, verify the installation, learn essential keyboard shortcuts, troubleshoot common issues, and remove it cleanly.

Update Ubuntu Before Installing Terminator

Open a terminal, then update and upgrade your Ubuntu system to ensure all packages are current before installing new software:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Your user account must have sudo privileges to run the commands in this guide. See how to add a user to sudoers on Ubuntu if you need to configure this first.

Install Terminator on Ubuntu

Terminator is available through Ubuntu’s default APT repository and through a third-party PPA maintained by the Terminator development team. The default repository provides a stable, tested build, while the PPA delivers the latest upstream release.

Terminator Version Comparison by Ubuntu Release

Ubuntu Version	Default Repository	Terminator Team PPA
Ubuntu 26.04	2.1.5.x	2.1.5.x
Ubuntu 24.04	2.1.3.x	2.1.5.x
Ubuntu 22.04	2.1.1.x	2.1.5.x

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
Default Repository	Ubuntu Repos	Distribution default	Automatic via apt upgrade	Most users who prefer distro-tested packages
Terminator Team PPA	Launchpad	Latest stable	Automatic via apt upgrade	Users who need the newest features on older LTS releases

For most users, the default repository method is recommended because it provides automatic security updates and requires no extra repositories. Choose the PPA only if you need the latest Terminator features on Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 where the default version lags behind upstream.

Method 1: Install Terminator via Default Repository

Install Terminator directly from Ubuntu’s default APT repository with a single command:

sudo apt install terminator

This pulls the stable, tested Terminator build that receives security updates through your regular Ubuntu updates. For most users, this method provides the right balance of stability and features.

Method 2: Install Terminator via PPA for Latest Version

If you need the newest Terminator features before they reach Ubuntu’s default repository, install from the Terminator Team PPA instead. This PPA ships newer builds sooner, but third-party PPAs receive less testing than Ubuntu’s default packages.

A Personal Package Archive (PPA) is a third-party software repository that delivers packages outside Ubuntu’s core channels. Because PPAs bypass Ubuntu’s QA process, enable them only if you trust the maintainer and need the newer features.

If add-apt-repository is missing on minimal installs, install the helper package first:

sudo apt install -y software-properties-common

Next, add the PPA and refresh your package index:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gnome-terminator/ppa -y

Now install Terminator from the PPA:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install terminator

This pulls the latest Terminator version from the Terminator Team PPA. On Ubuntu 22.04, this upgrades the default 2.1.1 to 2.1.5.

To remove the PPA later, use sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:gnome-terminator/ppa to revert to Ubuntu’s default packages, or follow the steps in remove a PPA on Ubuntu for more cleanup options.

Verify Terminator Installation on Ubuntu

After installation, confirm that Terminator is available by checking the installed version:

terminator --version

The output displays the installed version number:

terminator 2.1.3

Your version number depends on your Ubuntu release and installation method. Ubuntu 26.04 ships 2.1.5, Ubuntu 24.04 ships 2.1.3, and Ubuntu 22.04 ships 2.1.1 from the default repository. The PPA provides 2.1.5 across all supported releases.

Launch Terminator Terminal on Ubuntu

Launch Terminator from the command line:

terminator

Alternatively, click the Show Applications icon on your taskbar, search for “Terminator,” and click the icon to launch.

Once Terminator launches, you see a blank terminal window ready for your commands. Use the keyboard shortcuts listed below to split panes, create tabs, and customize your workspace.

Essential Terminator Keyboard Shortcuts on Ubuntu

Terminator’s keyboard shortcuts keep your hands on the keyboard and eliminate the need to reach for the mouse when splitting panes, switching focus, or managing tabs. Below are the most useful shortcuts organized by function.

Window and Pane Management

Action	Shortcut	Use Case
Split Horizontally	Ctrl + Shift + O	Add a horizontal divider to create top and bottom panes
Split Vertically	Ctrl + Shift + E	Add a vertical divider to create left and right panes
Maximize Terminal	Ctrl + Shift + X	Toggle the current pane to fill the entire window
Switch Next Pane	Ctrl + Shift + N	Move focus to the next split pane
Switch Previous Pane	Ctrl + Shift + P	Move focus to the previous split pane
Move Up/Down/Left/Right	Alt + Arrow Keys	Jump directly to an adjacent pane without cycling
Close Pane	Ctrl + Shift + W	Close the current pane without affecting others
New Window	Ctrl + Shift + I	Open a new Terminator window

Tab Management

Action	Shortcut	Use Case
New Tab	Ctrl + Shift + T	Open a new terminal session in a tab
Next Tab	Ctrl + Page Down	Switch to the next open tab
Previous Tab	Ctrl + Page Up	Switch to the previous open tab
Cycle Next Terminal	Ctrl + Tab	Cycle focus to the next terminal across all panes and tabs
Cycle Previous Terminal	Ctrl + Shift + Tab	Cycle focus to the previous terminal

Text, Search, and Zoom

Action	Shortcut	Use Case
Copy	Ctrl + Shift + C	Copy selected text to clipboard
Paste	Ctrl + Shift + V	Paste clipboard contents into terminal
Search	Ctrl + Shift + F	Find text in terminal scrollback
Zoom In	Ctrl + +	Increase font size for better readability
Zoom Out	Ctrl + –	Decrease font size
Reset Zoom	Ctrl + 0	Return to default font size
Toggle Scrollbar	Ctrl + Shift + S	Show or hide the scrollbar
Broadcast to All	Alt + A	Type in all open terminals simultaneously
Broadcast Off	Alt + O	Stop broadcasting input
Fullscreen	F11	Toggle fullscreen mode for immersive work

Troubleshoot Terminator on Ubuntu

Terminator Fails to Launch Over SSH

If Terminator fails to launch over SSH, you may see an error like this:

Unable to init server: Could not connect: Connection refused
Cannot open display:

This means the remote server has no display available. Terminator is a graphical application and requires an X or Wayland display. To run Terminator remotely, connect with X11 forwarding enabled:

ssh -X user@remote-server

Then launch terminator from the forwarded session. Ensure the remote server has xauth installed and that X11Forwarding yes is set in /etc/ssh/sshd_config.

add-apt-repository Command Not Found

Minimal Ubuntu installs may not include the add-apt-repository command. Install the required package:

sudo apt install -y software-properties-common

After installing, retry the add-apt-repository command from the PPA section.

PPA Conflicts After Ubuntu Release Upgrade

After upgrading Ubuntu to a new release, the PPA may not have packages for the new version yet. If apt update reports errors for the Terminator PPA, temporarily remove it:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:gnome-terminator/ppa -y
sudo apt update

This reverts Terminator to the default Ubuntu repository version. Re-add the PPA once it publishes packages for your new Ubuntu release.

Remove Terminator from Ubuntu

If you no longer need Terminator, remove the package and clean up orphaned dependencies. For more details on APT removal options, see how to remove packages on Ubuntu.

sudo apt remove terminator
sudo apt autoremove

Terminator stores its user configuration in ~/.config/terminator/. The package itself installs no system-level configuration files, so apt purge offers no additional cleanup beyond apt remove. To delete your personal settings, remove the directory manually:

The following command permanently deletes your Terminator configuration, including saved layouts, profiles, and keybinding customizations. Back up the directory first with cp -r ~/.config/terminator ~/terminator-backup if you may want to restore these settings later.

rm -rf ~/.config/terminator

Verify Terminator has been fully removed:

dpkg -l terminator 2>&1 | head -2

If the package has been removed, the output confirms it is no longer installed:

dpkg-query: no packages found matching terminator

Downgrade from PPA to Default Repository

If you installed from the Terminator Team PPA and want to revert to the stable Ubuntu repository version, remove the PPA and reinstall:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:gnome-terminator/ppa -y
sudo apt update
sudo apt install terminator

This replaces the PPA version with the default repository build for your Ubuntu release.

Conclusion

You now have Terminator installed on Ubuntu and configured for productive terminal sessions. Start by splitting your first pane with Ctrl + Shift + E for side-by-side views, then explore tabs for organizing separate workflows. Customize fonts, colors, and window layouts through Terminator’s preferences to match your working style. For further terminal customization, consider installing Zsh on Ubuntu as your default shell inside Terminator. Visit the Terminator project site and GitHub repository for documentation, plugins, and community support.