How to Install FileZilla on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

FileZilla is an easy-to-use, free FTP client with cross-platform support. You can download it for Windows or Linux on both server and client sides! It also supports sftp connections, so you can transfer files without having them wrapped up in (.zip) archives too much—this way, there’s less traffic on your network while still getting everything done quickly.

Some of the features include:

• Supports FTP, FTP over SSL/TLS (FTPS), and SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
• Cross-platform. Runs on Windows, Linux, *BSD, OSX, and more
• IPv6 support
• Available in many languages
• Supports resume and transfer of large files >4GB
• Powerful Site Manager and transfer queue
• Bookmark
• Drag and drop support
• Configurable Speed limits
• Filename filters
• Directory Comparison
• Network configuration wizard
• The ability to use Notepad or any other program to edit a file online
• HTTP/1.1, SOCKS5, and FTP Proxy support
• Logging to file
• Synchronized directory browsing
• Remote file search

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install the latest version of FileZilla on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish using a recommended Launchpad PPA repository or the alternative third-party package manager Flatpak to provide the most up-to-date version using the command line terminal.

Update Ubuntu

Before you begin, update your system to ensure all existing packages are up to date to avoid any conflicts during the installation.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install Dependencies

Use the following command to install or check if the packages are installed.

sudo apt install software-properties-common apt-transport-https -y

Install FileZilla FTP Application – APT Method (Ubuntu Repository)

The first method is to install FileZilla directly from the Ubuntu default repository. This would be the easiest option, but the version can often fall behind the latest releases, which can bring new features and bug fixes.

Use the following command to install FileZilla.

sudo apt install filezilla -y

Alternatively, if you want the latest version, use the second method below using a PPA, which has been around and is well known.

Install FileZilla FTP Application – APT Method (PPA Launchpad)

First, import the “xtradeb packaging” team PPA that contains the latest up-to-date version.

Use the following command to import the PPA as follows.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xtradeb/apps -y

Before running the installation command, run an apt update to reflect the new imported PPA.

sudo apt-get update

Install the software using the following command.

sudo apt install filezilla -y

For an alternative to the APT Method using the default Ubuntu repository or the PPA repository, use the Flatpak package manager.

DO NOT INSTALL FILEZILLA WITH SNAPCRAFT/SNAPS, AND YOU WILL INSTALL A THREE-YEAR-OLD OUTDATED VERSION.

Install FileZilla FTP Application – Flatpak Method

The last option is to use the Flatpak package manager, which is not installed on Ubuntu distributions, given Snap, which is Flatpak’s rival, is owned by Canonical and Ubuntu. However, Flatpak is still available to install from Ubuntu’s default repository.

The extra benefit of using Flatpak installations is that you will always have the most up-to-date version compared to Ubuntu which focuses on stability with older versions that only see updates for security issues or serve bugs.

First, install the Flatpak manager; this can be skipped if you already have it installed.

sudo apt install flatpak -y

Next, you need to enable Flatpack using the following command in your terminal:

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

Ideally, you should reboot at this stage; if you skip this and notice icons not appearing, the reboot will generate the paths required for the future.

reboot

Now run the installation using the following flatpak command.

flatpak install flathub org.filezillaproject.Filezilla -y

How to Launch FileZilla FTP Application

Now that you have the software installed, launching can be done in a few ways.

Use the following command to launch the FTP client immediately in your terminal.

filezilla

If you would like to launch and use the terminal simultaneously, send it to the background to continue using the current terminal.

filezilla &

Lastly, Flatpak users can run from the terminal using the following command.

flatpak run org.filezillaproject.Filezilla

However, this is not practical for desktop users, and you would use the following path on your desktop. 

Activities > Show Applications > FileZilla

Example:

Once you open FileZilla, users that have used the software or a similar FTP software will instantly get a feel for how to create profiles to connect to remote FTP resources. For new users of FTP, I would suggest checking out the FileZilla documentation wiki that will quickly help you use the software; it has information and examples.

Example:

How to Update/Upgrade FileZilla FTP Application

Updates should appear in notifications, but if these fail to show sometimes, it is recommended to check using the terminal regardless use one of the following commands to check for updates.

APT Method

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Flatpak Method

Note that you need to run this to check for updates on Ubuntu systems. As stated, checking for updates using the terminal for any package manager is often more desirable than relying on automatic updates using a desktop UI.

flatpak update

How to Remove (Uninstall) FileZilla FTP Application

Use one of the following commands to suit the original installation method for users who no longer require the application.

APT Method

FileZilla, when installed, adds quite a few dependencies, so ideally, using the autoremove command is best to keep your system clean and not bloated.

sudo apt autoremove filezilla -y

Next, for users that installed FileZilla using the LaunchPAD PPA, remove it if you have no desire to re-install the software. The command will see the same as importing but with the –remove syntax added to the command.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:xtradeb/apps -y

Flatpak Method

flatpak remove  --delete-data org.filezillaproject.Filezilla -y

Next, run the following command for any leftover clean-ups required, similar to the autoremove command described for the apt remove example command.

flatpak remove --unused

Comments and Conclusion

In the tutorial, you have learned how to install the latest FTP software FileZilla on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish.

FileZilla is an excellent FTP application that can be used to transfer files between your computer and a server. It offers FTPS and SFTP support, making it a versatile option for file transfers. The client is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS, while the server is only available for Windows. FileZilla is an excellent choice if you’re looking for an easy-to-use FTP application with cross-platform support. Have you tried using FileZilla for your file transfers? Let us know in the comments!