How to Install Opera Browser on Fedora

Installing Opera Browser on Fedora gives you a privacy-focused alternative to mainstream browsers with a built-in VPN, ad blocker, and integrated social media sidebars. Whether you want a daily driver with fewer extensions to manage or a testing environment with beta and developer builds, Opera provides options for both workflows. By the end of this guide, you will have Opera installed on Fedora with automatic updates configured, ready for secure browsing.

This guide covers two installation methods: Opera’s official RPM repository (stable, beta, and developer builds with direct updates from Opera) and Flatpak from Flathub (sandboxed stable build only). The comparison table below helps you choose the right method for your needs.

Choose Your Opera Installation Method

Opera can be installed through two channels on Fedora, each with distinct trade-offs for updates, isolation, and available builds.

Method	Channel	Builds Available	Updates	Best For
Opera RPM Repository	Official upstream	Stable, Beta, Developer	Automatic via dnf upgrade	Users who want all build options and direct Opera updates
Flatpak (Flathub)	Flathub	Stable only	Automatic via flatpak update	Users who prefer sandboxed apps with automatic updates

For most users, the RPM repository method is recommended because it provides access to all three build channels and integrates with standard system updates. Choose Flatpak if you prefer application sandboxing, want to isolate Opera from your system, or already manage other apps through Flathub.

Method 1: Install Opera Browser via DNF

Update Fedora Before Opera Installation

First, update your Fedora system to ensure all existing packages are current. This step reduces the risk of dependency conflicts during installation. If package downloads feel slow, consider optimizing DNF speed on Fedora. Run the following command in your terminal:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Import Opera Browser RPM Repository

Opera Browser is not available in Fedora’s default repositories, so you must add Opera’s official repository to your system. Begin by importing the Opera Browser GPG key, which verifies that packages you download are authentic:

sudo rpm --import https://rpm.opera.com/rpmrepo.key

Next, create the repository configuration file. This command writes the repository definition directly to the appropriate location:

sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/opera.repo <<RPMREPO
[opera]
name=Opera packages
type=rpm-md
baseurl=https://rpm.opera.com/rpm
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://rpm.opera.com/rpmrepo.key
enabled=1
RPMREPO

Install Opera Browser Stable Build

With the repository configured, install the stable version of Opera Browser. The stable build receives production-ready updates and is suitable for everyday browsing:

sudo dnf install opera-stable -y

After installation completes, verify the installed version:

opera --version

125.0.5729.49

Install Opera Browser Beta or Developer Build

Opera offers beta and developer builds for users who want early access to new features before they reach the stable channel. You can install either the beta or the developer build alongside the stable version, giving you multiple Opera installations for different purposes.

You cannot install the beta and developer builds at the same time because they share internal build identifiers that cause file conflicts. However, you can run stable alongside either beta or developer without issues.

To install the beta build, which receives features approximately 2-4 weeks before stable:

sudo dnf install opera-beta -y

Verify the beta installation:

opera-beta --version

126.0.5750.11

To install the developer build instead, which contains the newest experimental features:

sudo dnf install opera-developer -y

Verify the developer installation:

opera-developer --version

126.0.5748.0

Method 2: Install Opera Browser via Flatpak with Flathub

Flatpak provides a sandboxed installation method that isolates Opera from your system. This method only offers the stable build; if you need beta or developer builds, use the RPM repository method above.

Verify Flatpak Installation

Fedora Workstation includes Flatpak by default. If you use a minimal installation or have removed Flatpak, reinstall it with this command:

sudo dnf install flatpak -y

Enable Flathub Repository

With Flatpak installed, add the Flathub repository to access Opera and thousands of other applications:

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

Install Opera Browser via Flatpak

Now install Opera Browser from Flathub. The Flatpak version includes full codec support and DRM configuration for streaming services like Netflix:

flatpak install flathub com.opera.Opera -y

After installation, verify Opera appears in your Flatpak applications:

flatpak list | grep -i opera

Opera	com.opera.Opera	125.0.5729.15	stable	flathub

You may need to log out and back in for the Opera desktop entry to appear in your applications menu.

Fix Disabled Flathub Remote Error

If the Flatpak installation fails, a common cause is a disabled Flathub remote. This typically occurs when Flathub was previously removed or disabled through GNOME Software settings. You may see this error:

error: Unable to load summary from remote flathub: Can't fetch summary from disabled remote 'flathub'.

To diagnose, check whether Flathub is enabled:

flatpak remotes

flathub	system	disabled

If Flathub shows as disabled, re-enable it:

flatpak remote-modify --enable flathub

Then retry the installation command. After successful installation, the flatpak remotes output should show Flathub as enabled:

flathub	system

Launching Opera Browser

Launch Opera from Terminal

After installation, you can launch Opera directly from the terminal. The command depends on which version you installed:

opera
opera-beta
opera-developer

If you installed Opera using Flatpak, launch it with this command:

flatpak run com.opera.Opera

Launch Opera from Applications Menu

For users who prefer the graphical interface, Opera Browser appears in your applications menu after installation. Search for “Opera” in Activities or follow this path:

• Open Activities (click in the top-left corner or press the Super key)
• Type “Opera” in the search field
• Click on Opera, Opera Beta, or Opera Developer depending on your installation

Managing Opera Browser on Fedora

Update Opera Browser

Update Opera with DNF

Opera Browser updates automatically when you run system updates. The following command checks for updates across all repositories, including Opera:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

To update only Opera without upgrading other packages, use:

sudo dnf upgrade opera-stable

Update Opera with Flatpak

If you installed Opera via Flatpak, update all Flatpak applications including Opera:

flatpak update

Remove Opera Browser

Remove Opera with DNF

To uninstall Opera Browser installed through DNF, use the command matching your installed version:

sudo dnf remove opera-stable

sudo dnf remove opera-beta

sudo dnf remove opera-developer

If you do not plan to reinstall Opera, disable the repository to prevent it from appearing in future updates:

sudo dnf config-manager setopt opera.enabled=0

This command disables the Opera repository without deleting the configuration file, allowing you to re-enable it later with sudo dnf config-manager setopt opera.enabled=1 if needed.

Remove Opera with Flatpak

To uninstall Opera Browser installed via Flatpak:

flatpak uninstall com.opera.Opera

The following command permanently deletes Opera’s Flatpak user data, including bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history. Export any data you want to keep before proceeding.

To remove Flatpak-specific user data after uninstalling:

rm -rf ~/.var/app/com.opera.Opera

Remove Opera User Data (DNF Installation)

The following commands permanently delete Opera’s bookmarks, passwords, browsing history, and settings. Export any data you want to keep before proceeding.

To completely remove Opera’s configuration and cache directories for a clean slate:

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

For beta or developer builds, the directories use the corresponding suffix:

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

Troubleshoot Opera on Fedora

Fix Hardware Acceleration Issues

If Opera displays graphical glitches or performs slowly, hardware acceleration may not be working correctly. Open opera://gpu in the address bar to check if hardware acceleration is active. If “Graphics Feature Status” shows “Software only” for features like WebGL, try launching Opera with GPU acceleration forced:

opera --enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder,VaapiVideoEncoder

To make this change permanent, edit the desktop file or create an alias in your shell configuration.

Fix Video Playback Issues

Opera requires proprietary codecs for some video formats. The Flatpak version includes these codecs by default. For the RPM installation, install the ffmpeg-free package if videos fail to play:

sudo dnf install ffmpeg-free

For full codec support including proprietary codecs, enable the RPM Fusion repository on Fedora and install the complete ffmpeg package with sudo dnf install ffmpeg.

Fix Opera Language Switching Issues

Skip this section if you use Opera Browser in English. The following steps address issues encountered when using Opera with non-English languages on Linux, where the browser’s internal language settings may not persist correctly.

Modify the Launch Command for Language Support

To force Opera to use a specific language, modify the browser’s desktop file. This adds a --lang flag to the launch command. Replace LANG_CODE with your desired language code (examples: de for German, es for Spanish, ja for Japanese, fr for French):

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

For Opera Beta or Developer, adjust the desktop file path accordingly:

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

Install System Language Packs

If language issues persist, install the corresponding system language pack. Fedora provides language packs that include fonts, input methods, and locale data:

sudo dnf install langpacks-<locale_code>

For example, to install German language support: sudo dnf install langpacks-de. A complete list of available language packs is available on the Fedora Wiki I18N page.

Common Language Codes

The table below lists common language codes for use with the --lang flag:

Language	Code
German	de
French	fr
Spanish	es
Italian	it
Portuguese	pt
Polish	pl
Japanese	ja
Korean	ko
Chinese (Simplified)	zh-CN
Russian	ru

Conclusion

You now have Opera Browser installed on Fedora using either the official RPM repository or Flatpak. The RPM method provides access to stable, beta, and developer builds with automatic updates through DNF, while Flatpak offers a sandboxed environment with built-in codec support. For users exploring alternative browsers on Fedora, consider installing Chromium for an open-source option or Google Chrome for full Google service integration.

Useful Links

For further information about Opera Browser:

• Opera Official Website: Browser features, download options, and product news
• Opera Browser Window Help: Navigation, tabs, and interface guides
• Opera Customization Help: Themes, extensions, and settings
• Opera FAQ: Answers to common questions