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AppImage

How to Install Krita on Ubuntu 24.04

Use Krita’s official AppImage for the current Linux release, or choose Flatpak, Snap, or APT for a managed installation. Steps and fixes for Ubuntu 24.04.

By ThatPainter Team 7 min read
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On Ubuntu 24.04, download Krita’s Linux AppImage from the official Krita download page if you want the current release without adding a software repository. Make the file executable, then open it. Choose Flatpak instead if you want managed updates and a menu entry; Ubuntu’s APT package may be older than Krita’s current release.

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Check your Ubuntu version and computer architecture

These instructions are for Ubuntu Desktop 24.04. To check your system, open Terminal and run:

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lsb_release -a
uname -m

The official Linux AppImage is built for x86_64. If uname -m returns x86_64, it matches that build. If it returns aarch64 or arm64, do not assume the x86_64 file will run; look for a compatible build for your system. Krita’s published general requirements list 4 GB RAM minimum and 16 GB recommended, along with OpenGL 3.0 or higher or Direct3D 11 graphics support. These are general requirements, not a performance guarantee for a particular Ubuntu computer. See the Krita download page for current requirements and downloads.

Install Krita with the official AppImage

An AppImage is a portable application bundle, not a conventional Ubuntu package. It does not need to be installed through APT, but you do need to allow it to run. The current release is the one shown on Krita’s official download page; use that page rather than relying on a version number in an older guide.

  1. Open the official Krita download page.
  2. Under Linux, download Linux 64-bit AppImage.
  3. In Files, find the downloaded file, right-click it, and select Properties.
  4. Open the Permissions tab and enable Allow executing file as program.
  5. Close Properties and double-click the AppImage to start Krita.

This is the standard AppImage download, mark-executable, and run workflow described in the AppImage quickstart.

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Launch it from Terminal

The downloaded filename changes between releases. In Terminal, go to Downloads and use the actual filename shown on your computer:

cd ~/Downloads
chmod +x krita-*.appimage
./krita-*.appimage

If you have more than one matching AppImage, replace the wildcard with the exact filename so you do not accidentally launch an older copy. For example:

chmod +x krita-5.3.3-x86_64.appimage
./krita-5.3.3-x86_64.appimage

The example filename is not a promise that this is the current release. AppImage documentation also describes running the file directly with ./filename.AppImage.

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Keep it handy or add a menu entry

You can keep the AppImage in Downloads or move it to a folder such as ~/Applications and launch it there. AppImages do not automatically appear in Ubuntu’s application menu like a package-manager installation. You can keep opening the file directly, or use a reputable AppImage integration tool or create a desktop launcher yourself. The AppImage guide to running AppImages explains their portable-bundle behavior and desktop integration.

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Fix AppImage errors on Ubuntu 24.04

“AppImages require FUSE to run”

Ubuntu 24.04 uses the package name libfuse2t64 for the older FUSE library needed by some AppImages. Install it, then try the AppImage again:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install libfuse2t64
./krita-*.appimage

If FUSE still cannot be used, try AppImage’s extraction-and-run fallback:

./krita-*.appimage --appimage-extract-and-run

This fallback extracts the bundled files to run the program and is less efficient than running with FUSE. The AppImage FUSE troubleshooting guide documents both the Ubuntu 24.04 package name and the fallback.

“Permission denied”

First make sure the executable bit is set:

chmod +x ~/Downloads/krita-*.appimage

If the file is on a drive or shared location mounted with execution disabled (noexec), repeating chmod will not resolve that mount restriction. Move the file to your home directory and run it there:

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mkdir -p ~/Applications
mv ~/Downloads/krita-*.appimage ~/Applications/
cd ~/Applications
chmod +x krita-*.appimage
./krita-*.appimage

If the wildcard matches multiple files, substitute the exact filename in these commands.

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The AppImage does not run on this computer

Check uname -m. The official download is x86_64, so an ARM system should not be expected to run it. A 32-bit architecture is not suitable for this 64-bit build either. Check Krita’s download page for a build compatible with your system instead of trying to force the x86_64 file to run.

Install Krita with Flatpak

Flatpak is a good choice if you want package-managed updates and an application-menu entry. Krita’s installation manual describes the Flathub build as stable, but maintained by the Flathub community rather than Krita’s core developers. The first command below installs Flatpak if it is not already present; the remaining commands add Flathub for your user, install Krita, and launch it:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install flatpak
flatpak --user remote-add --if-not-exists flathub 
  https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak --user install flathub org.kde.krita
flatpak run org.kde.krita

The application ID is org.kde.krita. Krita’s installation manual provides the Flathub setup and installation details.

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Update or remove the Flatpak

flatpak --user update org.kde.krita
flatpak --user uninstall org.kde.krita

To remove unused Flatpak runtimes as well, run flatpak --user uninstall --unused. Removing the application does not necessarily erase every Krita preference or piece of application data; review any removal prompts and preserve data you need.

Install through App Center only if you check the package type

You can open Ubuntu’s App Center, search for Krita, select a result, and choose Install. However, App Center can list more than one package format and displays Snap packages first when both Snap and Debian packages are available. If you specifically want Flatpak, confirm the package type rather than assuming a result named “Krita” is Flatpak. Ubuntu documents this behavior in its App Center installation instructions.

Install Krita as a Snap

Use Snap if you prefer Ubuntu’s App Center and Snap update workflow. Ubuntu normally includes Snap support. Install from Terminal with:

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sudo snap install krita

Or use App Center: search for Krita, check that the listing is a Snap, select Install, authenticate, and launch it from the application menu. Krita’s manual says its Snap package is provided by Ubuntu’s Snap developers and is not built or tested by Krita’s core developers.

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Update or remove the Snap

sudo snap refresh krita
sudo snap remove krita

Snaps are generally sandboxed and update automatically, though confinement and permissions vary. If Krita cannot reach a removable drive or another location, check Ubuntu’s application permission controls rather than weakening confinement globally. See Ubuntu’s explanation of Snap and deb packages for update and permission details.

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Install the Ubuntu repository version with APT

If you want Ubuntu to manage Krita through its normal package updates and do not need the newest release, install the repository package with:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install krita

Krita’s manual warns that Ubuntu’s default repository can contain a very old version compared with the current release. The exact package version can change, so check what your system offers rather than relying on an undated version number:

apt policy krita

APT is a reasonable choice when Ubuntu-repository integration matters more than release freshness, or when you need a particular older package. Krita’s installation manual discusses Ubuntu’s repository version and alternative installation formats.

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Choose a package format

Priority Suitable choice What to expect
Current official Linux build AppImage Downloaded from Krita’s official channel; portable and launched directly.
Managed updates and menu integration Flatpak Installed through Flathub; community-maintained, with sandbox permissions to consider.
Ubuntu App Center / Snap workflow Snap Convenient package-manager workflow; community-provided Krita Snap, with confinement and update behavior to consider.
Ubuntu-managed repository packages APT Uses Ubuntu’s repository, but may not offer the current Krita release.

These are packaging choices for Krita, not four different painting applications. They differ in where the package comes from, how it updates, how it integrates with the desktop, and how it handles access to files.

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Verify the installation and test your workflow

After launching Krita, create a blank document, save it as a .kra file, then open an existing image and confirm that the folders you use are accessible. If you draw with a tablet, check that the stylus is detected and responds as expected; actual behavior depends on the tablet, its drivers, and the desktop session.

Check the version using the command that matches your installation:

krita --version
flatpak info org.kde.krita
snap list krita

The first command applies to command-accessible installations such as APT; use the Flatpak or Snap command for those formats.

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Identify, remove, or switch installations

If you are unsure which format is installed, these checks can help:

which krita
snap list krita
flatpak info org.kde.krita
apt policy krita

Remove a package using its own manager: sudo snap remove krita for Snap, flatpak --user uninstall org.kde.krita for the per-user Flatpak above, or sudo apt remove krita for APT. An AppImage is a file, so remove it by deleting that file and any launcher you created. If you installed multiple formats, remove only the one you no longer want. Configuration and user files may remain or be shared between installations; uninstalling Krita is not a substitute for backing up documents or preferences.

Resolve file-access problems

Flatpak cannot open or save in a folder

Flatpak sandboxing can restrict access to locations outside standard user folders. First try opening or saving the file inside your home folders, such as Documents or Pictures. If you need access elsewhere, review the application’s permissions and grant only the access required; avoid disabling the sandbox broadly.

Snap cannot access removable media

Snap confinement may require permission for removable media. Check Ubuntu’s application permission controls for Krita and enable the relevant access if available. Ubuntu describes managing application permissions in its Snap and deb package guidance.

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AppImage opens, but is absent from the menu

This is expected for a portable AppImage that has not been integrated with the desktop. Launch it directly from its saved location or add a desktop launcher; the missing menu entry does not mean the application failed to run.

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