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For the simplest Ubuntu-integrated setup, install GIMP with APT; for a newer upstream release, use GIMP’s official Flatpak from Flathub and check its version after installation. GIMP’s official downloads page lists version 3.2.4, released April 17, 2026, as stable at the time of writing. The version available through Ubuntu repositories depends on your Ubuntu release. Check GIMP’s download page before choosing a package.
GIMP is a free image editor for photo editing, painting, compositing, and graphics. This guide covers installation, a practical first edit, and the Ubuntu-specific snags most likely to interrupt your workflow.
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Choose one installation method
APT is the natural choice if you want Ubuntu’s package-management and update workflow. Flatpak is a good choice if you want the current upstream GIMP release without relying on the version bundled for your Ubuntu release. Snap suits people who already use Snap, while AppImage can be useful for trying a build without installing it conventionally—but GIMP’s current AppImage has a compatibility warning.
| Method | Best for | Updates and trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| APT | Ubuntu integration and routine package management | Updates through Ubuntu; version depends on the release repositories. |
| Flatpak | Getting a current upstream build | Updated with Flatpak; sandbox permissions and runtimes can affect file access and disk use. |
| Snap | Readers already using Snap | Updates through Snap; check the Store’s version and publisher details. |
| AppImage | Trying GIMP without a package-manager installation | Manual updates and weaker desktop integration; the official page says its AppImage is supported on Debian 13 or newer distributions, so do not assume it will work on every Ubuntu release. |
Avoid installing several formats casually. They can create duplicate launchers, different versions, separate plug-in or preference locations, and uncertainty about which copy you are updating.
Check Ubuntu and any existing GIMP installation
To identify your operating system and see whether the shell can find GIMP, run:
lsb_release -a
gimp --versionIf the second command reports a version, GIMP is installed in some form; it does not tell you whether a Snap or Flatpak copy is also present. Use the checks below to identify package-managed copies before adding another one:
which gimp
apt policy gimp
snap list gimp
flatpak list | grep -i gimpwhich gimp reports the executable found first in your shell’s PATH. It cannot rule out other installations. Ubuntu’s App Center provides a graphical way to install applications, and may show a Snap where one is available. Check the displayed source and version rather than assuming it is an APT package. Ubuntu’s App Center guide explains the installation flow.
Install with APT: the Ubuntu-native route
APT is the straightforward option if you are comfortable with Ubuntu’s repository version, which can be older than the latest GIMP release. Check what your repositories offer with apt policy gimp; do not assume every Ubuntu release provides GIMP 3.x.
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Refresh package information and install GIMP:
sudo apt update sudo apt install gimp -
Check the installed version:
gimp --version -
Open the applications overview, search for GIMP, and launch it, or run
gimpin a terminal.The Tool Desk
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APT packages are updated through Ubuntu’s usual update process. To remove this APT installation while retaining user configuration, run sudo apt remove gimp. To remove it along with package configuration files, use sudo apt purge gimp; this does not delete your image files.
Install the official Flatpak from Flathub
GIMP’s download page provides the Flathub installation command. Flatpak may not be installed by default. If needed, install it and add Flathub first. Ubuntu’s App Center and GNOME Software do not natively handle Flatpak in the same way they handle Snap on all releases, and setting up Flatpak support can add another software-center application. See Flatpak’s Ubuntu setup guidance.
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Install Flatpak if necessary:
sudo apt update sudo apt install flatpak -
Add the Flathub repository if it is not already configured:
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo -
Install GIMP using the command on GIMP’s official download page:
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Look for GIMP in the applications overview. If it is not listed, launch it directly:
flatpak run org.gimp.GIMP//stable -
Check the version from GIMP’s About dialog or with the application’s version information. Update Flatpak applications with
flatpak update; remove GIMP withflatpak uninstall org.gimp.GIMP.
Flatpak separates applications from much of the host system. This can limit access to files in unusual locations, such as another partition. Try opening a file under your home directory first. If the file chooser cannot see a location, review Flatpak permissions; avoid granting broad filesystem access unless you understand the implications. Flatpak’s usage documentation covers installing, running, and updating applications.
Install with Snap
Use Snap if it is already part of your Ubuntu setup and its package details suit you. GIMP lists this installation command:
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sudo snap install gimpLaunch it with snap run gimp. Snap normally updates applications automatically; you can request a refresh with sudo snap refresh. Before installing, check the version and publisher shown in the Snap Store. Snap confinement can affect access to files or integrations, and a Snap can coexist with an APT or Flatpak copy, so check for duplicates first. See GIMP in the Snap Store.
Try the official AppImage
GIMP’s download page offers AppImages for x86_64 and AArch64/ARM64 and publishes SHA-256 hashes. Download from the official GIMP page, select the build for your processor, and compare its checksum with the value shown there. The current page warns that the AppImage is supported on Debian 13 or newer distributions; compatibility with a particular Ubuntu release is not guaranteed.
After downloading, use the actual filename in these commands:
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chmod +x GIMP-3.2.4-x86_64.AppImage
./GIMP-3.2.4-x86_64.AppImageAn AppImage does not automatically mean a menu entry will be created, and you are responsible for getting later updates. If it does not run, confirm that it is executable and that your Ubuntu release meets its compatibility requirements.
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Get oriented in GIMP
GIMP 3.x presents the image on a central canvas, with tools and dialogs around it. The exact arrangement can change: panels may be docked, moved, or hidden.
- Toolbox: tools for selecting, painting, transforming, cropping, and adding text.
- Tool Options: settings for whichever tool is selected.
- Canvas: the image you are editing.
- Layers dialog: the stack of image components; the selected layer is the one many tools affect.
- Menus and docks: commands for files, images, layers, colors, filters, and other dialogs.
The GIMP 3.0 manual’s getting-started guide describes the interface and common tasks. Menu labels below refer to GIMP 3.x; some details can differ in GIMP 2.10.
Make a first edit and keep an editable master
GIMP’s native project format, XCF, preserves layers for continued editing. Export a separate copy for sharing or delivery: JPEG and PNG do not preserve an editable GIMP layer stack. A reliable habit is to save an XCF master first and export a final image when ready.
-
Open a picture. Choose File → Open or press Ctrl+O, select the image, and choose Open. To bring another picture into the current project as a layer, use File → Open as Layers. The GIMP menu reference lists these file commands.
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Duplicate the image layer before experimenting. In the Layers dialog, select the layer and use its duplicate control or context menu. Rename layers by double-clicking their names. The eye icon toggles visibility; drag layers in the list to change their stacking order.
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Crop the composition. Select the Crop Tool, drag a rectangle around the area to keep, adjust its handles, and press Enter to apply. Check the tool options: a crop set to affect only the active layer behaves differently from one that crops the whole image.
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Add text if needed. Select the Text Tool, click the canvas, and type. Use Tool Options to set font, size, and color. Text remains on its own layer so you can edit it separately.
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Save the editable project. Choose File → Save As and save with an
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Export a shareable image. Choose File → Export As, enter a filename ending in
.jpgor.png, and follow the format options. JPEG suits photographs when transparency is not needed; PNG supports transparency and often suits screenshots and graphics. WebP is another option when your intended viewer or website supports it. The manual’s dialogs and export documentation covers the format-specific settings.
Save and export are different operations. Save writes the editable XCF project; Export As makes a final-format copy. The quick reference lists Ctrl+S for Save, Ctrl+Shift+S for Save As, and Ctrl+E for Export. GIMP keyboard-shortcut reference (PDF).
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common image-editing operations
Resize the whole image
Choose Image → Scale Image. Enter a width or height, keep the chain icon linked to preserve the aspect ratio, then choose Scale. This changes the dimensions of the whole image.
Resize one layer
Select the layer in the Layers dialog, then choose Layer → Scale Layer and enter its new dimensions. This changes that layer, not the image’s overall canvas dimensions.
Add a layer or make an area transparent
Create a layer from the Layers dialog’s new-layer control. To remove a background non-destructively, add an alpha channel to the image layer if needed, then make a selection around the subject and add a layer mask; painting black on the mask hides pixels, while white reveals them. For a simple deletion, select the area and press Delete after confirming the correct layer is active and has transparency support. A checkerboard indicates transparent canvas; it is not a printed background.
Undo, redo, and move between layers
Use Ctrl+Z to undo and Ctrl+Y to redo. Before painting or deleting, confirm that the intended layer is selected and visible. A selection may restrict edits to a small area; choose Select → None to clear it when appropriate.
Add fonts and other resources
Fonts
GIMP uses Linux’s font infrastructure. A per-user font can be placed in ~/.local/share/fonts/; a system-wide font can be placed in /usr/local/share/fonts/. Restart GIMP or refresh the Fonts dialog. A Flatpak or Snap may have different visibility or access behavior for host resources, so a font available to Ubuntu is not necessarily visible to every packaged application. The GIMP text and font guidance explains font handling.
Brushes and plug-ins
Resource and plug-in locations depend on GIMP version and packaging format. Check GIMP’s preferences for its configured folders and use plug-ins only from sources you trust. A plug-in built for one major version or package format may not work in another; do not assume an APT plug-in will be visible to Flatpak or Snap.
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GIMP is installed but missing from the applications overview
Try launching from a terminal using the command for your package: gimp, flatpak run org.gimp.GIMP, or snap run gimp. If the command works, sign out and back in or check whether the package completed installation and registered its desktop entry.
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The wrong GIMP version opens
Check gimp --version, apt policy gimp, snap list gimp, and flatpak list | grep -i gimp. Launch the desired format explicitly rather than relying on a generic shortcut. Remove a duplicate you no longer want using that format’s package manager.
A Flatpak cannot see a file
Test with a file in your home directory. For a file on another drive or in a restricted location, inspect the file chooser’s locations and Flatpak permissions. Grant access only to the necessary location rather than the entire filesystem.
An AppImage will not run
Make sure you used chmod +x on the downloaded file, chose the correct processor architecture, and checked the official compatibility warning. Compare its SHA-256 checksum against the one on GIMP’s downloads page.
A tool appears to do nothing
Check the active layer, its visibility, and whether the target lies within that layer’s boundaries. Look for a floating selection, an active or hidden selection, or a selected layer group rather than an editable image layer. Indexed color mode can also restrict some edits. These common causes are covered in GIMP’s troubleshooting guide.
Transparent areas export with a solid background
Confirm that the image has an alpha channel and that the background layer is hidden or removed. JPEG does not support transparency; export as PNG or another format that preserves it.
Panels or docks have disappeared
Reopen the relevant dialogs from the Windows menu, or restore the default dock arrangement using GIMP’s interface preferences. A hidden dock is a layout issue, not necessarily a damaged image.
GIMP crashes while loading fonts
Try starting with gimp --no-fonts. This disables font loading and the Text Tool for that launch, which can help isolate a font-scanning problem. The option is documented in the font troubleshooting section.
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Configuration paths vary by GIMP version and packaging. Quit GIMP, locate its user configuration folder using the manual or the application’s preferences, and make a backup. Rename the folder instead of deleting it, then launch GIMP to create a fresh configuration. If the reset fixes the problem, restore custom resources selectively; avoid copying the entire old configuration back at once.
Further help
For detailed tool behavior, layers, selections, and file formats, use the GIMP 3.0 manual index. For release details and downloads, use GIMP’s official download page.
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