How to Install LibreCAD on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04 and 22.04

LibreCAD gives Ubuntu users a focused 2D CAD workspace for floor plans, mechanical sketches, templates, and DXF drawings without pulling in a larger 3D design suite. To install LibreCAD on Ubuntu 26.04 (Resolute), 24.04 (Noble), or 22.04 (Jammy), choose the Ubuntu repository for the package-managed path. Flathub provides a separate Flatpak build, and GitHub publishes the official AppImage for a standalone file.

LibreCAD works best as a DXF-based drafting tool. It can fit AutoCAD-adjacent workflows when drawings are exchanged as DXF, but DWG compatibility is limited and should not be treated as the main LibreCAD path. For 3D parametric modeling, see how to install FreeCAD on Ubuntu, and for PCB layout and schematic capture, see how to install KiCad on Ubuntu.

Install LibreCAD on Ubuntu

Start with the package source that best matches your update style. APT is the lowest-maintenance choice, while Flatpak and AppImage track the current upstream release more closely without requiring a local source build.

Method	Ubuntu 26.04	Ubuntu 24.04	Ubuntu 22.04	Best for
APT (Ubuntu repos)	2.2.0.x	2.2.0.x	2.1.x	Stable system package with normal APT updates
Flatpak (Flathub)	Flathub stable	Flathub stable	Flathub stable	Flathub packaging with separate app and runtime updates
AppImage (GitHub)	GitHub stable release	GitHub stable release	GitHub stable release	Official x86_64 download outside package managers

Update Ubuntu Before Installing LibreCAD

Refresh your package index and apply any pending upgrades before installing to avoid dependency conflicts.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

These commands require sudo. If your account lacks sudo access, see how to add a user to sudoers on Ubuntu before continuing.

Install LibreCAD from the Ubuntu Repository

LibreCAD is available from Ubuntu’s Universe repository. Standard Ubuntu desktop installs usually have Universe enabled; if a minimal system cannot locate the package, enable Universe first and rerun sudo apt update.

sudo apt install librecad

Confirm the installation succeeded by checking the installed version:

apt-cache policy librecad

Relevant output on Ubuntu 26.04 includes:

librecad:
  Installed: 2.2.0.2-1build3
  Candidate: 2.2.0.2-1build3
  Version table:
 *** 2.2.0.2-1build3 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Ubuntu 24.04 reports the same 2.2.0.2-1build3 package from Noble’s Universe repository. Ubuntu 22.04 ships 2.1.3-3 from Jammy’s Universe repository.

LibreCAD PPA Status on Ubuntu

The older alex-p/librecad PPA is no longer the best default path on Ubuntu. Launchpad currently lists Jammy and Noble builds, but no Resolute build for Ubuntu 26.04. The Jammy PPA build is newer than Ubuntu 22.04’s archive package, while the Noble PPA build is older than Ubuntu 24.04’s archive package. Use the Ubuntu repository for APT installs, or choose Flatpak or AppImage when you want the current upstream release.

Install LibreCAD on Ubuntu via Flatpak

Flatpak delivers LibreCAD from Flathub on all three supported Ubuntu releases. It runs separately from APT packages, which makes it a good choice when you want Flathub packaging without compiling anything locally. The Flathub manifest grants home-folder access so LibreCAD can open and save drawings normally, so treat this method as a packaging and update choice rather than strict file isolation.

Install Flatpak first if the command is not already available:

sudo apt install flatpak

Restart your desktop session after installing Flatpak for the first time. For a fuller setup walkthrough, see how to install Flatpak on Ubuntu.

Enable Flathub for LibreCAD

Add the Flathub remote at the same system scope used for the install, update, and removal commands below:

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

Install LibreCAD via Flatpak

Install LibreCAD from Flathub with its application ID:

sudo flatpak install flathub org.librecad.librecad -y

Verify the Flatpak installation with stable fields that do not depend on the current release number:

flatpak info org.librecad.librecad | grep -E '^[[:space:]]*(ID|Ref|Branch|Origin|Installation):'

          ID: org.librecad.librecad
         Ref: app/org.librecad.librecad/x86_64/stable
      Branch: stable
      Origin: flathub
Installation: system

Install LibreCAD AppImage on Ubuntu from GitHub

The official LibreCAD GitHub release publishes Linux AppImage downloads for users who want a portable upstream build. AppImages do not update through APT or Flatpak, so this method creates a small updater command that can refresh the same standalone file later.

Install AppImage Dependencies for LibreCAD

On Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04, install the time64 FUSE compatibility package plus the download helpers:

sudo apt install curl jq libfuse2t64

On Ubuntu 22.04, use the older FUSE package name:

sudo apt install curl jq libfuse2

The FUSE packages come from Ubuntu’s Universe repository. If APT cannot locate them on a minimal or customized install, enable Universe first, then rerun the matching command.

Create a LibreCAD AppImage Updater

Create a short update-librecad command instead of leaving the AppImage download as a long one-off path. The helper uses curl and jq to resolve the current x86_64 AppImage from GitHub, downloads it to $HOME/LibreCAD.AppImage, creates a librecad-appimage launcher, and adds a desktop menu entry:

mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/bin"

cat <<'EOF' > "$HOME/.local/bin/update-librecad"
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail

APPIMAGE_PATH="${LIBRECAD_APPIMAGE_PATH:-$HOME/LibreCAD.AppImage}"
API_URL="https://api.github.com/repos/LibreCAD/LibreCAD/releases/latest"
LAUNCHER_PATH="$HOME/.local/bin/librecad-appimage"
DESKTOP_FILE="$HOME/.local/share/applications/librecad-appimage.desktop"

if ! release_json=$(curl -fsSL "$API_URL"); then
  printf 'Could not fetch the latest LibreCAD release metadata.\n' >&2
  exit 1
fi

if ! appimage_url=$(printf '%s' "$release_json" | jq -er '[.assets[] | select(.name | endswith("x86_64.AppImage")) | .browser_download_url][0]'); then
  printf 'No x86_64 AppImage asset found in the latest LibreCAD release.\n' >&2
  exit 1
fi

mkdir -p "$(dirname "$APPIMAGE_PATH")" "$HOME/.local/bin" "$HOME/.local/share/applications"
tmp_file=$(mktemp "${APPIMAGE_PATH}.XXXXXX")
cleanup() {
  rm -f "$tmp_file"
}
trap cleanup EXIT

printf 'Fetching latest LibreCAD AppImage...\n'
curl -fL --silent --show-error "$appimage_url" -o "$tmp_file"
chmod +x "$tmp_file"
mv "$tmp_file" "$APPIMAGE_PATH"
trap - EXIT

cat <<'LAUNCHER' > "$LAUNCHER_PATH"
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
exec "${LIBRECAD_APPIMAGE_PATH:-$HOME/LibreCAD.AppImage}" "$@"
LAUNCHER
chmod +x "$LAUNCHER_PATH"

cat <<DESKTOP > "$DESKTOP_FILE"
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=LibreCAD AppImage
Comment=2D CAD drafting with LibreCAD
Exec=$LAUNCHER_PATH
Icon=librecad
Terminal=false
Categories=Graphics;Engineering;
DESKTOP

if command -v update-desktop-database >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  update-desktop-database "$HOME/.local/share/applications" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
fi

printf 'LibreCAD AppImage updated.\n'
printf 'Launch it from the app menu or run: librecad-appimage\n'
EOF

chmod +x "$HOME/.local/bin/update-librecad"
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

Run the helper to download or refresh LibreCAD. Ubuntu usually picks up ~/.local/bin after your next sign-in, and the export line above makes the command available in the current terminal:

update-librecad

Fetching latest LibreCAD AppImage...
LibreCAD AppImage updated.
Launch it from the app menu or run: librecad-appimage

Confirm the file has executable permissions:

test -x "$HOME/LibreCAD.AppImage" && echo "LibreCAD AppImage is executable"

LibreCAD AppImage is executable

Launch the AppImage from the Ubuntu app menu, or start it from the terminal with the shorter launcher command:

librecad-appimage

Launch LibreCAD on Ubuntu

LibreCAD can be started from the terminal or from the GNOME application grid.

Launch LibreCAD from the Terminal

If you installed LibreCAD via APT:

librecad

If you installed via Flatpak:

flatpak run org.librecad.librecad

If you installed the AppImage:

librecad-appimage

Launch LibreCAD from the GNOME Application Grid

APT and Flatpak installs add their own desktop launchers. The AppImage helper creates a separate LibreCAD AppImage launcher, so open that entry when you chose the GitHub AppImage method.

1. Open the Activities overview by clicking Activities in the top-left corner or pressing the Super key.
2. Click Show Applications (the grid icon at the bottom of the dock).
3. Search for LibreCAD using the search bar at the top.
4. Click the LibreCAD icon to launch the application.

Getting Started with LibreCAD on Ubuntu

When LibreCAD opens for the first time, a setup wizard lets you configure the default unit system and drawing template. The main window is divided into a drawing canvas, a layered toolbar strip across the top, a tool options bar below it, and a command line panel at the bottom. The official LibreCAD User Guides cover drawing setup, editing tools, and the command line in depth. Here are a few tips to get oriented quickly.

Navigating the LibreCAD Interface

• Zoom and pan: Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Hold the middle mouse button and drag to pan around the canvas.
• Command line: Type coordinates, lengths, and angles directly into the command line at the bottom of the window for precise input without using the mouse.
• Snap settings: Use the Snap toolbar or the Snap menu in the menu bar to enable snapping to endpoints, midpoints, and intersections.

Customizing LibreCAD

• Toolbars: Right-click any toolbar to add or remove tools from the visible set.
• Grid settings: Adjust grid spacing and visibility under Options > Current Drawing Preferences > Grid.
• Layer management: Organize elements on separate layers via Layer > Add Layer. Layers can be toggled visible or locked without affecting other layers.
• Keyboard shortcuts: Find all default key bindings in Help > User Manual. Use Ctrl+S to save frequently.
• Export formats: LibreCAD exports to DXF, SVG, PDF, and other formats via File > Export. To edit SVG output on Ubuntu, see how to install Inkscape on Ubuntu.

LibreCAD DWG and LibDWG Notes on Ubuntu

LibreCAD’s dependable exchange format is DXF. If a project starts as an AutoCAD DWG file, export or convert it to DXF before treating LibreCAD as the editing environment. This avoids surprises from DWG features that do not map cleanly into LibreCAD’s 2D drafting workflow.

Installing a separate LibDWG package is not part of the normal LibreCAD install path on Ubuntu. Ubuntu’s default repositories for 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04 do not provide a libredwg package for readers to install with APT, so use the LibreCAD methods above for the application itself and handle DWG files through a DXF conversion workflow when needed.

The package name for this application is librecad, not brlcad. BRL-CAD is a separate CAD project and is not a substitute package for these LibreCAD install steps.

Manage LibreCAD on Ubuntu

Update LibreCAD on Ubuntu

To update an APT installation, use the single-package upgrade command to avoid touching unrelated system packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade librecad

For a system-wide Flatpak installation, update LibreCAD directly by its app ID:

sudo flatpak update org.librecad.librecad -y

For the AppImage method, rerun the updater helper:

update-librecad

The helper replaces $HOME/LibreCAD.AppImage only after the new download succeeds and keeps the librecad-appimage launcher pointed at that file.

Remove LibreCAD from Ubuntu

APT Removal

Remove the package-managed application:

sudo apt remove librecad

Preview orphaned dependencies before removing them:

sudo apt autoremove --dry-run

If the preview only lists packages you no longer need, run the cleanup:

sudo apt autoremove

Verify the package is no longer installed:

dpkg -l librecad | grep '^ii' || echo "LibreCAD is not installed"

LibreCAD is not installed

Flatpak Removal

Remove the system-wide Flatpak application:

sudo flatpak remove org.librecad.librecad -y

Remove unused runtimes left behind by Flatpak if they are no longer needed by other applications:

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused -y

The next command deletes LibreCAD’s Flatpak settings and sandbox data for the current user under ~/.var/app/org.librecad.librecad. Skip it if you want to keep preferences for a reinstall.

rm -rf "$HOME/.var/app/org.librecad.librecad"

Verify the Flatpak app ID is no longer installed:

sudo flatpak list --app --columns=application | grep -Fx org.librecad.librecad || echo "org.librecad.librecad is not installed"

org.librecad.librecad is not installed

AppImage Removal

Remove the downloaded AppImage, updater, terminal launcher, and desktop entry:

rm -f "$HOME/LibreCAD.AppImage" \
  "$HOME/.local/bin/update-librecad" \
  "$HOME/.local/bin/librecad-appimage" \
  "$HOME/.local/share/applications/librecad-appimage.desktop"

Conclusion

LibreCAD is ready on Ubuntu for 2D drafting, with APT for the low-maintenance system package and Flatpak or AppImage when you want the current upstream build. Keep DWG-heavy projects in a DXF-based workflow, and use FreeCAD or KiCad when the job moves beyond LibreCAD’s 2D drafting focus.