How to Install MakeMKV on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

MakeMKV is a powerful and popular software application that enables users to easily convert physical media, such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs, into digital video files. Here are some key features of MakeMKV:

Converts DVD and Blu-ray discs into high-quality MKV files without any loss in quality
Retains all video and audio tracks, including subtitles and multiple audio languages
Fast conversion speeds with multi-threaded processing capabilities
Supports a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux
Offers a simple and user-friendly interface that is easy to use for beginners and advanced users alike

Here are some differences between MakeMKV and other similar applications:

MakeMKV is capable of converting both DVD and Blu-ray discs, while some other applications only support one or the other
Unlike some other applications, MakeMKV preserves all video and audio tracks, including subtitles and multiple audio languages, making it ideal for users who want to maintain the original quality of their media.
MakeMKV offers multi-threaded processing capabilities, allowing faster conversion times than other applications.

If you’re running Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish or Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa, you can easily install MakeMKV using the official PPA or Flatpak with the command line terminal. The following guide will demonstrate how to do this.

Table of Contents

Method 1: Install MakeMKV with PPA

Step 1: Update and Upgrade System Packages

Before installing MakeMKV, ensuring your system packages are up-to-date is important. To do this, open the terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This command will update your package list and install any available updates.

Step 2: Install the Required Packages

Before adding the MakeMKV PPA, you must ensure your system has the necessary packages installed. To do this, run the following command:

sudo apt install ca-certificates apt-transport-https software-properties-common lsb-release -y

This command will install the necessary packages required during the import process.

Step 3: Initialize GPG Keyring

To initialize the GPG keyring and create the necessary directories for the import process, run the following command:

sudo gpg --list-keys

Example output:

gpg: directory '/root/.gnupg' created
gpg: keybox '/root/.gnupg/pubring.kbx' created
gpg: /root/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created

This command will create the required directories.

Step 4: Add GPG Key to Keyring Directory

To add the GPG key for the MakeMKV PPA to the /usr/share/keyrings/ directory, run the following command:

sudo gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /usr/share/keyrings/makemkv.gpg --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 94B56C64CA7278ECFC34E8808540356019F7E55B

This command adds the GPG key to the keyring directory, ensuring it can only be used for the MakeMKV installation.

Example output:

gpg: keybox '/usr/share/keyrings/makemkv.gpg' created
gpg: key 8540356019F7E55B: public key "Launchpad PPA for hjmooses" imported
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg:               imported: 1

Step 5: Add MakeMKV Launchpad PPA to System

With the GPG key imported, the next step is to add the MakeMKV PPA to your system. Use the following command:

echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/makemkv.gpg] https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/heyarje/makemkv-beta/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/makemkv.list

This command adds the MakeMKV PPA to your system’s sources list and ensures the imported GPG key signs the packages.

Next, run a quick update to reflect the newly added repository source:

sudo apt update

Finally, run the following command to install MakeMKV:

sudo apt install makemkv-oss makemkv-bin

Method 2: Install MakeMKV with Flatpak and Flathub

Alternatively, you can install MakeMKV through Flatpak, a package manager that creates a secure application environment. To install MakeMKV through Flatpak, add the Flathub repository to your system first.

To do this, you’ll need to use the command line. If you haven’t installed Flatpak yet, check out our guide on installing Flatpak on Ubuntu with the Flatpak Team Official LaunchPAD PPA.

After you’ve installed Flatpak, open the terminal and type in this command:

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

This will add the Flathub repository to your system. Once you’ve done this, you can install MakeMKV by running the following command:

flatpak install flathub com.makemkv.MakeMKV

Following these steps, you can install MakeMKV using Flatpak and Flathub easily.

Launch MakeMKV

If you installed MakeMKV using the official PPA, you could launch it from the command line using the following commands:

makemkv

If you installed MakeMKV using Flatpak, you could launch it from the command line using the following command:

flatpak run com.makemkv.MakeMKV

Alternatively, you can launch MakeMKV using the application icon in the menu:

Click on the “Activities” menu.
Use the search bar to search for “MakeMKV.”
Click on the MakeMKV icon to launch the application.

Example of MakeMKV on Ubuntu desktop:

launch makemkv on ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04 lts

If you’re new to MakeMKV on Ubuntu, here are some tips to help you get started:

When you first launch MakeMKV, you may be prompted to update the application. It’s a good idea to go ahead and update to the latest version to ensure you have the latest features and bug fixes.
Before converting your physical media, ensure you have enough disk space to store the resulting MKV files. The resulting files can be quite large, depending on the size of the media and the quality settings you choose.
Ensure you have permission to read your DVD or Blu-ray discs. Sometimes, you may need to run MakeMKV as root to have sufficient permissions.
When you insert a DVD or Blu-ray disc, MakeMKV should automatically detect it and allow you to start the conversion process. If it doesn’t, you may need to check your system settings to ensure the disc is being properly recognized.
When converting your media, you can choose which video and audio tracks to include in the MKV file. This can be helpful if you only want to include certain languages or subtitles.
MakeMKV offers a simple interface, but you can tweak some advanced settings if you’re a more advanced user. These settings can be accessed by going to “Preferences” in the “File” menu.

By following these tips, you should be able to use MakeMKV on Ubuntu with ease and confidence. Happy converting!

Example of MakeMKV on Ubuntu Desktop:

example of makemkv successfully installed on ubuntu desktop for ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04 lts

Additional Tips

Update MakeMKV

For desktop users who installed MakeMKV using the APT package manager, the software should update automatically with your system packages. To check manually for updates, use the following command in your terminal:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Flatpak users can update MakeMKV using the following command:

flatpak update com.makemkv.MakeMKV

Remove (Uninstall) MakeMKV

If you installed MakeMKV using the APT package manager, you could uninstall it using the following command:

sudo apt remove makemkv-oss makemkv-bin

Next, remove the imported PPA if you have no desire to re-install the software:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/makemkv.list

For Flatpak installations, use the following command to remove MakeMKV:

flatpak uninstall com.makemkv.MakeMKV

Conclusion

Overall, installing MakeMKV on Ubuntu is a simple process. You can install it using either the official PPA or Flatpak, and launching the application can be done through the command line or the application icon in the menu. Once installed, MakeMKV provides a powerful solution for converting your physical media into high-quality MKV files with minimal loss in quality. By following a few tips and best practices, such as ensuring you have enough disk space and proper permissions, you can use MakeMKV on Ubuntu with ease and confidence.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional resources for using MakeMKV on Ubuntu:

Official MakeMKV website: https://www.makemkv.com/
MakeMKV forum: https://forum.makemkv.com/forum/
Ubuntu PPA Launchpad for MakeMKV: https://launchpad.net/~heyarje/+archive/ubuntu/makemkv-beta
Flathub page for MakeMKV: https://flathub.org/apps/details/com.makemkv.MakeMKV

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