How to Install Blender on Ubuntu Linux

Blender is a free, open-source 3D creation suite that handles the complete graphics pipeline from modeling and rigging to animation, simulation, rendering, and video editing. Whether you need to create 3D artwork for games, produce animated films, design architectural visualizations, or edit videos with motion tracking, Blender provides all these capabilities in a single application. By the end of this guide, you will have Blender installed and running on Ubuntu, ready for your creative projects.

Choose Your Blender Installation Method

Ubuntu offers multiple paths to install Blender, each with different trade-offs between version freshness and system integration. The table below summarizes your options:

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
APT	Ubuntu Repos	Distribution default	Automatic via apt upgrade	Users who prefer distro-tested stability
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Automatic via flatpak update	Users wanting the newest features with sandboxing
Snap	Snapcraft	Latest stable	Automatic background updates	Users preferring Canonical’s universal package format

For most users, APT is recommended for simplicity and seamless system integration. However, if you need the latest Blender features (version 5.0 as of late 2024), choose Flatpak or Snap since Ubuntu’s APT repository ships older versions.

This guide supports Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS installations. The APT method provides Blender 3.0.1 on Ubuntu 22.04 and Blender 4.0.2 on Ubuntu 24.04, while Flatpak and Snap provide the latest upstream release regardless of your Ubuntu version. Commands shown work identically on both supported LTS releases.

Method 1: Install Blender via APT

Update Ubuntu Before Blender Installation

To ensure a smooth installation process, it’s essential to start by updating your Ubuntu system. This step ensures that all existing packages are up-to-date, minimizing the risk of conflicts during the installation process.

Execute the following command to update your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Install Blender via APT Command

Ubuntu’s default repository includes Blender, making APT installation the quickest method. However, distribution repositories prioritize stability over the latest features, so the version available depends on your Ubuntu release.

Run the following command to install Blender using this method:

sudo apt install blender

After installation completes, verify Blender is installed correctly by checking its version:

blender --version

Expected output (version varies by Ubuntu release):

Blender 4.0.2

Method 2: Install Blender via Flatpak and Flathub

Flatpak provides an alternative installation method that delivers the latest Blender version regardless of your Ubuntu release. Unlike APT packages, Flatpak applications run in a sandbox, isolating them from your system while still providing full functionality.

Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu. If you have not set it up yet, install it with sudo apt install flatpak and restart your session before continuing. For detailed setup including the Flathub repository, follow our Flatpak installation guide for Ubuntu.

Enable Flathub For Blender

Before installing Blender through Flatpak, you must enable the Flathub repository, the primary source for Flatpak applications. To enable Flathub, execute the following command in your terminal:

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

The --if-not-exists flag prevents errors if Flathub is already configured. After running this command, your system can access any application published on Flathub.

Install Blender via Flatpak

With Flathub enabled, you can now install Blender system-wide using the following command. The -y flag automatically confirms prompts during installation:

sudo flatpak install flathub org.blender.Blender -y

After installation, verify Blender was installed correctly:

flatpak info org.blender.Blender

Expected output showing installation details:

Blender - Free and open source 3D creation suite

          ID: org.blender.Blender
         Ref: app/org.blender.Blender/x86_64/stable
      Branch: stable
      Origin: flathub
     Version: 5.0

Method 3: Install Blender via Snap

Snap is Ubuntu’s default universal package format, pre-installed on all standard Ubuntu desktop and server installations. Since Snap is already available, installing Blender takes only one command.

Ubuntu includes Snap by default, but minimal or server installations may lack it. If the snap command is not found, install it with sudo apt install snapd before continuing.

Install Blender via Snap Command

Blender requires classic confinement to access system resources like files and GPU drivers. The --classic flag grants this access, allowing Blender to function without sandbox restrictions:

sudo snap install blender --classic

After installation, verify the installed version:

snap info blender | grep installed

Expected output showing the installed version:

installed:   5.0 (4972) 1.03GB classic

Launch Blender

Once you’ve installed Blender on your system, several launch methods are available. This section covers various starting methods, ensuring quick and convenient access to the application.

Launch Blender from Terminal

To launch Blender immediately from the terminal, type the following command:

blender

For Flatpak users, you will need to use a different command to launch Blender from the terminal:

flatpak run org.blender.Blender

Lastly, Snapcraft installations can launch the software with the following command:

snap run blender

Launch Blender from Applications Menu

For everyday use, launching Blender from your desktop environment is more convenient than typing terminal commands. Navigate through your application menu as follows:

Open the Activities overview, click Show Applications, then search for and click the Blender icon.

Manage Blender

Update Blender

It’s essential to keep Blender up-to-date to ensure that you always have the latest features, bug fixes, and performance improvements. The commands to update Blender depend on the installation method you initially used.

Update via APT

If you installed Blender using the APT package manager, execute the following commands in your terminal to update your system and upgrade Blender:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Update via Flatpak

If you installed Blender using Flatpak, you can update it by running the following command in your terminal:

flatpak update

Update via Snap

Lastly, Snapcraft installations need to run a single command to refresh and proceed with upgrades as follows:

sudo snap refresh blender

Remove Blender

If you no longer require Blender on your system, you can uninstall it using the appropriate command based on the installation method you used.

Remove APT Installation

To remove Blender installed via APT, run the following command. The autoremove portion cleans up any dependencies that were installed specifically for Blender and are no longer needed:

sudo apt remove blender && sudo apt autoremove

This command removes the application but preserves any configuration files in your home directory. To also remove Blender’s user configuration, delete the following folder after uninstallation:

rm -rf ~/.config/blender

Remove Flatpak Installation

Flatpak stores application data separately from the application itself. To fully remove Blender and all associated user data (projects saved within the sandbox, preferences, cache), use the --delete-data flag:

The following command permanently deletes all Blender data stored in ~/.var/app/org.blender.Blender/. If you have projects or custom settings you want to keep, back them up before proceeding.

flatpak uninstall --delete-data org.blender.Blender

Remove Snap Installation

Snap packages bundle application data within the snap environment. Remove Blender with:

sudo snap remove blender

By default, Snap retains a snapshot of your data for potential restoration. To remove Blender completely including all snapshots, add the --purge flag:

sudo snap remove --purge blender

Troubleshoot Common Blender Issues

Blender Fails to Detect GPU

If Blender does not detect your GPU for Cycles rendering, verify that your graphics drivers are installed correctly. For NVIDIA users, check that the proprietary driver is active:

nvidia-smi

If this command returns “command not found” or an error, your NVIDIA driver is not installed or not active. Follow our NVIDIA driver installation guide for Ubuntu to resolve this.

Blender Shows OpenGL Errors on Launch

OpenGL errors typically indicate missing or outdated graphics drivers. Ensure your system has the latest Mesa libraries (for Intel/AMD) or NVIDIA drivers installed. Update your system and restart:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo reboot

Flatpak Blender Cannot Access Certain Folders

Flatpak applications run in a sandbox with limited filesystem access by default. If Blender cannot open or save files in specific directories, grant additional permissions using Flatseal or the command line:

flatpak override --user org.blender.Blender --filesystem=/path/to/your/folder

Replace /path/to/your/folder with the actual directory path you need Blender to access.

Closing Thoughts

You now have Blender installed and verified on Ubuntu using your preferred method. Whether you chose APT for stability, Flatpak for sandboxed updates, or Snap for automatic background updates, Blender is ready for 3D modeling, animation, rendering, and video editing. If you experience GPU rendering issues, ensure your NVIDIA drivers on Ubuntu are properly installed.

Useful Links

Here are some valuable links related to using Blender:

• Blender Official Website: Download options, release notes, and project news.
• Blender Manual: Comprehensive official documentation covering all features and workflows.
• Blender Community: Forums, chat, and events for connecting with other Blender users.
• Blender Foundation YouTube: Official tutorials, feature showcases, and development updates.