How to Install Opera Browser on Ubuntu

Installing Opera browser on Ubuntu gives you a privacy-focused browsing experience with built-in ad blocking, free VPN, and battery-saving features designed to extend laptop runtime. Whether you need ad-free browsing without extensions, secure public WiFi connections through Opera’s integrated VPN, or want to manage WhatsApp and Telegram directly in your sidebar, Opera consolidates tools that typically require multiple browser add-ons into a single cohesive interface. Opera joins other browsers like Google Chrome, Chromium, Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi, and Brave in Ubuntu’s software ecosystem, each offering distinct privacy and performance features.

On Ubuntu, you can install Opera using extrepo for simplified repository management, or configure the official Opera APT repository manually for full control over your installation. Both methods provide access to stable, beta, and developer builds with automatic security updates directly from Opera’s development team.

Choose Your Opera Channel

Opera offers multiple release channels that serve different use cases. Understanding the differences helps you select the channel that matches your stability requirements and feature needs.

Opera Channel	Primary Focus	Best For	Trade-offs
Stable	Production reliability, tested updates	Daily browsing, production work, users who prioritize stability	Updates arrive 4-6 weeks after features debut in Beta
Beta	Testing next release features with community feedback	Early adopters, power users who want new features before general release	Occasional bugs, minor instability possible
Developer	Bleeding-edge experimentation, nightly builds	Developers, testers, enthusiasts willing to troubleshoot issues	Frequent bugs, potential crashes, rapid changes

The Stable channel strikes a balance between reliability and feature currency, making it ideal for daily use. Beta provides access to upcoming features with minimal risk, while Developer delivers the absolute latest changes at the cost of stability. Production environments and mission-critical browsing should favor Stable, while development machines and testing setups can tolerate Developer’s experimental nature.

All three channels coexist independently on the same system without conflicts, allowing you to install multiple versions simultaneously for testing or comparison purposes.

Choose Your Opera Installation Method

Ubuntu offers two approaches for installing Opera from the official repository. Both methods provide access to all three Opera channels and receive automatic security updates.

Method	Source	Channels	Updates	Best For
Extrepo	Extrepo Database	Stable, Beta, Developer	Automatic via APT	Users who prefer simplified repository management
Manual APT Repository	Opera Repository	Stable, Beta, Developer	Automatic via APT	Users who want full control over repository configuration

For most users, the extrepo method is recommended because it handles GPG key management automatically and requires fewer manual steps. The manual method provides identical packages but gives you direct control over the repository configuration file.

The Opera repository uses a universal package format that works on all current Ubuntu releases, including LTS versions and interim releases. Commands shown in this guide work identically regardless of your specific Ubuntu version.

Update Ubuntu Before Installation

Before installing Opera, ensure your Ubuntu system is current with all available packages. Updating first prevents compatibility issues and reduces potential conflicts during installation.

Open your terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This command refreshes your package index and upgrades any outdated packages. Confirm any prompts to proceed with the upgrade.

Method 1: Install Opera with Extrepo (Recommended)

Extrepo simplifies external repository management by handling GPG keys and repository configuration automatically. This method requires enabling the non-free policy since Opera is proprietary software.

Install Extrepo

First, install the extrepo package from Ubuntu’s Universe repository:

sudo apt install extrepo

Enable Non-Free Policy

By default, extrepo only enables repositories hosting DFSG-free software. Since Opera is proprietary, you must enable the non-free policy before adding Opera’s repository. Run the following command to enable non-free repositories:

sudo sed -i 's/# - non-free/- non-free/' /etc/extrepo/config.yaml

This command uncomments the non-free policy line in extrepo’s configuration file. You can verify the change by viewing the enabled policies:

grep -A3 "enabled_policies:" /etc/extrepo/config.yaml

enabled_policies:
- main
# - contrib
- non-free

Search for Opera Repository

Before enabling the repository, verify it exists in extrepo’s database:

extrepo search opera

Found opera_stable:
---
description: The Opera Browser (final releases)
policy: non-free
source:
  Architectures: amd64 i386
  Components: non-free
  Suites: stable
  Types: deb
  URIs: https://deb.opera.com/opera-stable

Enable Opera Repository

Enable the Opera repository with extrepo:

sudo extrepo enable opera_stable

Extrepo creates the repository configuration file at /etc/apt/sources.list.d/extrepo_opera_stable.sources and downloads the GPG key to /var/lib/extrepo/keys/opera_stable.asc.

Refresh Package Index and Discover Available Packages

Update the package index to include packages from the newly added Opera repository:

sudo apt update

After the update completes, search for available Opera packages to see all three channels:

apt search opera-

Sorting...
Full Text Search...
opera-beta/stable X.X.X amd64
  Fast, secure, easy-to-use web browser

opera-developer/stable X.X.X amd64
  Fast, secure, easy-to-use web browser

opera-stable/stable X.X.X amd64
  Fast, secure, easy-to-use web browser

This output confirms the repository is properly configured and all three Opera channels are available for installation.

Install Opera Stable

Install Opera Stable with the following command:

sudo apt install opera-stable

During installation, Opera prompts you to add its own repository file for version upgrades. Select No since extrepo already manages the repository configuration. Selecting Yes would create a duplicate repository entry.

After installation completes, verify the installed version:

opera --version

X.X.X.X

The version number confirms Opera Stable is installed and accessible from your terminal. You can now proceed to the Launch Opera section or continue to install Beta or Developer builds.

Method 2: Install Opera with Manual APT Repository

The manual method gives you direct control over the repository configuration file and GPG key placement. This approach is useful if you prefer not to install extrepo or need to customize the repository settings.

Install Required Dependencies

First, ensure your system has the necessary dependencies for secure package downloads:

sudo apt install ca-certificates curl gnupg

These packages provide essential functionality: ca-certificates validates SSL connections, curl downloads files securely, and gnupg handles GPG key verification. Most Ubuntu installations already include these packages, but running this command ensures they are present.

Import Opera’s GPG Key

Download and convert Opera’s GPG signing key to binary format, then save it to the system keyring directory:

curl -fsSL https://deb.opera.com/archive.key | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/opera-browser.gpg

This command downloads the ASCII-armored key, converts it to binary format using gpg --dearmor, and writes directly to the keyrings directory. Verify the key was imported successfully:

ls -la /usr/share/keyrings/opera-browser.gpg

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1790 Mon DD HH:MM /usr/share/keyrings/opera-browser.gpg

The file size and permissions confirm the key was created correctly. This security measure ensures that packages you install are genuine and have not been tampered with.

Add Opera APT Repository

Create the repository configuration file using the modern DEB822 format:

cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera.sources
Types: deb
URIs: https://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/
Suites: stable
Components: non-free
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/opera-browser.gpg
EOF

Verify the file was created correctly:

cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera.sources

Types: deb
URIs: https://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/
Suites: stable
Components: non-free
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/opera-browser.gpg

This configuration enables your system to recognize and fetch Opera packages directly from the official source, ensuring you receive verified updates and security patches.

Refresh Package Index and Verify Repository

Update the APT package index to include the newly added Opera repository:

sudo apt update

Verify the repository was added successfully by checking package availability:

apt-cache policy opera-stable

opera-stable:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: X.X.X.X
  Version table:
     X.X.X.X 500
        500 https://deb.opera.com/opera-stable stable/non-free amd64 Packages

The output shows the package is available from Opera’s repository and ready for installation.

Install Opera Stable

Install Opera Stable with the following command:

sudo apt install opera-stable

During installation, Opera prompts you to add its own repository file for version upgrades. Select No since you already configured the repository manually. Selecting Yes would create a duplicate repository entry that causes warnings during updates.

After installation completes, verify the installed version:

opera --version

X.X.X.X

The version number confirms Opera Stable is installed and accessible from your terminal.

Install Opera Beta and Developer Builds

Beta and Developer builds deliver Opera’s latest features before they reach the stable channel. These builds target users who want early access to upcoming functionalities and are willing to tolerate occasional instability. All Opera builds coexist independently, allowing you to install and use Stable, Beta, and Developer builds concurrently on the same system without conflicts.

Both the extrepo and manual repository methods provide access to all three Opera channels. The repository configuration is identical; only the package name changes.

Install Opera Beta

Install the Beta build with the following command:

sudo apt install opera-beta

When prompted to add Opera’s repository, select No to avoid duplicate entries. After installation completes, verify the Beta version:

opera-beta --version

X.X.X.X

Install Opera Developer

The Developer build provides the absolute latest features and developments from Opera’s team. Install it with the following command:

sudo apt install opera-developer

Select No when prompted about adding the repository. Verify the Developer build installation:

opera-developer --version

X.X.X.X

Launch Opera Browser

Launch from Terminal

Launch Opera directly from the terminal using the command that matches your installed version:

opera

For the Beta version:

opera-beta

For the Developer version:

opera-developer

For daily use, launching Opera from your desktop environment’s application menu is more convenient than terminal commands.

Launch from Applications Menu

Locate Opera through your desktop environment’s application menu by navigating to Activities and searching for Opera. Select Opera Stable, Opera Beta, or Opera Developer depending on which version you installed.

Manage Opera Browser

Update Opera

Opera receives updates through the standard APT upgrade process. Run the following commands to check for and install updates:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This command upgrades all outdated packages system-wide, including Opera. To update only a specific Opera package without affecting other software, use the --only-upgrade flag:

sudo apt install --only-upgrade opera-stable

For Beta or Developer versions, replace opera-stable with opera-beta or opera-developer respectively.

Remove Opera

To remove Opera from your system, use the apt remove command for the installed version:

sudo apt remove opera-stable

For Beta or Developer versions:

sudo apt remove opera-beta

sudo apt remove opera-developer

To remove Opera along with its system configuration files, use purge instead of remove:

sudo apt purge opera-stable

After removing the package, clean up orphaned dependencies that were installed alongside Opera:

sudo apt autoremove

Remove Opera Repository

After removing Opera, you can optionally remove the repository configuration to complete the cleanup. The commands differ depending on which installation method you used.

If you used extrepo:

sudo extrepo disable opera_stable

This command adds Enabled: no to the sources file, disabling the repository while preserving the configuration for easy re-enabling later. To completely remove the extrepo-managed repository file:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/extrepo_opera_stable.sources

If you used the manual method:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera.sources
sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/opera-browser.gpg

Refresh the APT cache to remove references to the deleted repository:

sudo apt update

Verify the removal was successful by checking that the package is no longer available:

apt-cache policy opera-stable

N: Unable to locate package opera-stable

This output confirms that the Opera repository has been removed and the package is no longer available from APT.

Remove User Data (Optional)

Warning: The following commands permanently delete your Opera profile data, including bookmarks, saved passwords, browsing history, and extensions. Export any data you want to keep before proceeding.

To remove Opera’s user configuration and cache directories:

rm -rf ~/.config/opera
rm -rf ~/.cache/opera

For Beta and Developer builds, the directories use different names:

rm -rf ~/.config/opera-beta ~/.cache/opera-beta
rm -rf ~/.config/opera-developer ~/.cache/opera-developer

Troubleshoot Opera Installation

Duplicate Repository Warnings

If you see duplicate repository warnings when running apt update, Opera likely created its own repository file after you selected Yes during installation. This creates two sources for the same packages.

Check for duplicate repository files:

ls /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ | grep opera

opera-stable.list
opera.sources

If you see both files (or multiple opera-related files), remove the duplicates and keep only your preferred configuration. For the manual method, remove Opera’s auto-generated file:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera-stable.list
sudo apt update

For extrepo users, remove any non-extrepo Opera files:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera*.list
sudo apt update

GPG Key Errors

If you encounter GPG signature errors during apt update, the signing key may be missing or corrupted. Re-import the key:

curl -fsSL https://deb.opera.com/archive.key | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/opera-browser.gpg

Then refresh the package index:

sudo apt update

Package Not Found After Adding Repository

If apt-cache policy opera-stable shows no available versions after adding the repository, verify the repository file exists and contains correct content:

cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera.sources

The file should contain the Types, URIs, Suites, Components, and Signed-By fields. If the file is empty or malformed, recreate it using the commands in the manual installation section.

Also verify the GPG key file exists:

ls -la /usr/share/keyrings/opera-browser.gpg

If the file is missing, re-import the GPG key as shown in the GPG Key Errors section above.

Opera Language Not Switching

Opera’s language detection relies on system locale settings, but the browser sometimes fails to switch languages through its GUI preferences alone. If Opera defaults to English despite correct system locale configuration, you can force the language by modifying the desktop entry file.

Edit the desktop entry to include a language flag. For example, to set German:

sudo sed -i 's/Exec=opera %U/Exec=opera --lang=de %U/g' /usr/share/applications/opera.desktop

Common language codes include: de (German), es (Spanish), fr (French), it (Italian), pt (Portuguese), ja (Japanese), ko (Korean), zh-CN (Simplified Chinese), zh-TW (Traditional Chinese), ru (Russian), nl (Dutch), and pl (Polish).

For Beta or Developer versions, modify their respective desktop files:

• Opera Beta: /usr/share/applications/opera-beta.desktop
• Opera Developer: /usr/share/applications/opera-developer.desktop

If language issues persist, install additional Ubuntu language packs:

sudo apt install $(check-language-support -l de)

Replace de with your desired language code.

Conclusion

You now have Opera browser installed on Ubuntu with access to stable, beta, and developer builds through either extrepo or the manual APT repository. Both methods deliver automatic security updates directly from Opera’s servers. The extrepo approach simplifies repository management, while the manual method provides full control over configuration files. With built-in ad blocking, free VPN access, and integrated productivity tools, Opera offers a feature-rich browsing experience without requiring additional extensions.