How to Install OpenShot on Ubuntu Linux

OpenShot Video Editor simplifies video production for creators who need multi-track editing without the complexity of professional suites. Whether you’re cutting together YouTube tutorials, adding titles and transitions to podcast clips, or creating educational videos with picture-in-picture overlays, OpenShot provides an accessible timeline-based editor with keyframe animation, chroma key compositing, and hardware-accelerated encoding. This guide walks through installation using Ubuntu’s default repositories, the official OpenShot PPA for newer releases, and Flatpak for sandboxed deployment. By following these steps, you’ll have OpenShot installed with version verification and understand which update path matches your stability preference.

These instructions work on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and 22.04 LTS. Commands are version-agnostic unless noted.

Choose an OpenShot Installation Method

OpenShot offers multiple installation paths depending on your update preferences and version requirements. First, Ubuntu’s default repositories provide stable, tested releases that are suitable for most users. Second, the official OpenShot PPA delivers newer features and faster updates directly from the development team. Finally, Flatpak provides sandboxed deployment with automatic updates that operate independent of your Ubuntu release.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
Ubuntu Repository	Ubuntu Repos	Distribution default	Via apt upgrade with system updates	Users preferring Ubuntu-tested stability
OpenShot Stable PPA	Stable PPA	Latest stable	Via apt upgrade after PPA add	Users wanting newest features and faster bug fixes
OpenShot Development PPA	Daily Builds PPA	Nightly builds	Via apt upgrade after PPA add	Testers and developers wanting cutting-edge features
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Automatic via Flatpak update	Users preferring sandboxed apps with cross-distro consistency

For most users, the Ubuntu repository method is recommended because it integrates with system updates and receives security patches through Ubuntu’s standard channels. However, choose the PPA if you need features unavailable in the Ubuntu version or want faster access to upstream releases. Alternatively, Flatpak suits users who prefer containerized applications or run multiple Ubuntu versions with consistent software.

Method 1: Install OpenShot via APT

The APT method installs OpenShot from either Ubuntu’s default repositories or the official OpenShot PPA. First, update your package cache to ensure package metadata is current:

sudo apt update

Ubuntu Repository vs OpenShot PPA

Ubuntu’s repository provides stable releases tested against your system packages, while the OpenShot PPA delivers the latest upstream version with newer features and faster bug fixes.

Option 1: Install OpenShot from Ubuntu Repository

Ubuntu’s repository version receives testing and integration with system libraries before release, making it the most stable choice for production workflows:

sudo apt install openshot-qt

After installation completes, verify it by checking the version:

openshot-qt --version

Example output:

3.1.1

Option 2: Install OpenShot from Official PPA

The OpenShot Developers PPA provides the latest stable releases directly from the upstream project. Before proceeding, you must choose between the stable PPA (recommended for most users) or the development PPA (daily builds with experimental features).

Stable PPA (recommended):

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:openshot.developers/ppa -y

Development PPA (daily builds):

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:openshot.developers/libopenshot-daily -y

The stable PPA receives tested releases suitable for production use. In contrast, the development PPA contains daily snapshots that may include incomplete features or regressions. Therefore, most users should choose the stable PPA.

Once you’ve added the PPA, update the package cache and install OpenShot:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install openshot-qt

After installation completes, verify it:

openshot-qt --version

Example output (PPA version):

3.3.0

Method 2: Install OpenShot via Flatpak

Flatpak provides sandboxed deployment with automatic updates independent of your Ubuntu release. Therefore, this method suits users who prefer containerized applications or need consistent versions across multiple systems.

Ubuntu does not include Flatpak by default. If you haven’t configured Flatpak yet, follow our Flatpak installation guide for Ubuntu to set up Flathub before continuing.

Next, install OpenShot system-wide from Flathub:

flatpak install --system flathub org.openshot.OpenShot -y

After the installation completes, verify it with:

flatpak list | grep -i openshot

Example output:

OpenShot Video Editor    org.openshot.OpenShot    3.3.0    stable    system

Launch OpenShot

Once installation is complete, you can launch OpenShot from the terminal or applications menu depending on your workflow preference.

Launch OpenShot from Terminal

For command-line users, launch OpenShot with these commands depending on your installation method. With APT installations (Ubuntu repository or PPA):

openshot-qt

For Flatpak installations, use this command instead:

flatpak run org.openshot.OpenShot

Launch OpenShot from Applications Menu

Alternatively, launch OpenShot from your desktop environment’s application menu by searching for “OpenShot Video Editor” or checking the Graphics or Video category.

Manage OpenShot

Update OpenShot

To keep OpenShot current with security patches and feature updates, use the method matching your installation.

If using APT installations (repository or PPA), update the package cache first, then upgrade only OpenShot without touching other system packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade openshot-qt

When using Flatpak installations, update OpenShot system-wide:

flatpak update --system org.openshot.OpenShot

Remove OpenShot

Should you need to uninstall later, remove OpenShot using the method matching your installation.

Remove APT Installation

To begin, remove OpenShot and its orphaned dependencies:

sudo apt remove openshot-qt && sudo apt autoremove

If you added the OpenShot PPA, you should remove it after confirming no other packages depend on it. To verify this, check installed PPA packages:

apt list --installed | grep openshot

If only openshot-qt appears (and you’ve already removed it), proceed to safely remove the PPA:

Stable PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:openshot.developers/ppa -y

Development PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:openshot.developers/libopenshot-daily -y

Afterward, verify the PPA was removed:

sudo apt update && apt-cache policy openshot-qt

As expected, the output should show only Ubuntu’s default repository, not the PPA.

Remove Flatpak Installation

To remove the Flatpak version, uninstall OpenShot and delete associated user data:

flatpak uninstall --system --delete-data org.openshot.OpenShot -y

Troubleshooting Common Issues

OpenShot Fails to Launch

If OpenShot crashes on startup or displays library errors, check the error output first:

openshot-qt 2>&1 | grep -i error

Common error example:

ImportError: libopenshot.so.25: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

To resolve this issue, reinstall OpenShot with all dependencies:

sudo apt install --reinstall openshot-qt

Subsequently, verify the fix by launching OpenShot again. If successful, it should open without errors.

Hardware Acceleration Not Working

First, check if your GPU is recognized by the system:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"

Example output showing working GPU:

OpenGL renderer string: Mesa Intel(R) Graphics (ADL GT2)

If output shows “llvmpipe” or “software rasterizer,” your GPU drivers are not loaded. In this case, you’ll need to install appropriate drivers for your hardware. After installing the drivers, enable hardware encoding in OpenShot at Preferences → Performance and select your GPU vendor (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel).

Export Fails or Produces Corrupted Files

To begin troubleshooting, check available disk space because 4K exports require substantial temporary storage:

df -h /home

Ensure at least 10-20 GB free for large projects. If disk space is adequate, reduce preview quality during editing to conserve resources, then export at full resolution. Alternatively, when exports consistently fail, try a different codec preset. For most projects, H.264 MP4 with Medium quality works reliably.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully installed OpenShot using your chosen method, whether that’s the Ubuntu repository for stability, the official PPA for latest features, or Flatpak for sandboxed deployment. After verifying the installation with version checks, you can now create multi-track timelines with drag-and-drop clips, apply keyframe animations to titles and effects, and export videos with hardware-accelerated encoding. To enhance production workflows, consider configuring automatic backups in Preferences → Autosave and enable proxy editing for 4K footage to improve timeline performance. Additionally, explore our OBS Studio installation guide for Ubuntu for screen recording, install Videomass on Ubuntu for batch video conversion, or learn how to install Flatpak on Ubuntu Linux to access additional multimedia tools.

Additional Resources

• OpenShot Official Website
• OpenShot User Guide
• OpenShot GitHub Repository