How to Install mpv on Ubuntu (26.04, 24.04, 22.04)

Fast local playback, direct URL support, and keyboard-first control are where mpv feels lighter than bigger desktop players. You can install mpv media player on Ubuntu with the default repository package or the Flathub build, and both methods work on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04. Most readers do not need a separate download, because Ubuntu already packages mpv and Flathub carries the newer sandboxed release.

The package installs cleanly from a terminal or over SSH, but the player window still needs a graphical desktop session. APT is the simplest path for Ubuntu integration, while Flatpak is the easier way to keep the newer mpv build separate from the base system.

Install mpv media player on Ubuntu

Ubuntu’s repository package favors system integration, while Flathub favors release freshness and sandboxing.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
APT	Ubuntu Universe	Distribution default	Standard APT updates	Most users, native Ubuntu integration
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Flatpak app updates	Newer release, sandboxed install, same build across supported LTS releases

Ubuntu’s repository version changes by release, while Flatpak stays on the same upstream branch across the supported Ubuntu LTS set.

Ubuntu Release	APT Version	APT Position
26.04 LTS (Resolute)	0.41.x	Newest distro package
24.04 LTS (Noble)	0.37.x	Current stable native package
22.04 LTS (Jammy)	0.34.x	Oldest supported LTS package

Verified APT candidates are 0.41.0-2ubuntu4 on Ubuntu 26.04, 0.37.0-1ubuntu4 on Ubuntu 24.04, and 0.34.1-1ubuntu3 on Ubuntu 22.04.

Install mpv from Ubuntu’s repositories

APT is the cleanest option when you want mpv managed alongside the rest of your Ubuntu packages. The package lives in Universe, so trimmed images may need you to enable Universe and Multiverse on Ubuntu first, though only Universe is required for mpv itself.

Refresh package metadata before installing mpv.

sudo apt update

These commands use sudo for package-management tasks. If your account does not have administrator access yet, add a user to sudoers on Ubuntu first.

Install the package with APT. The -y flag accepts APT’s confirmation prompt automatically.

sudo apt install mpv -y

Confirm that APT installed mpv from the Ubuntu archive. Your mirror hostname can differ, but the installed and candidate versions should match.

apt-cache policy mpv

mpv:
  Installed: 0.41.0-2ubuntu4
  Candidate: 0.41.0-2ubuntu4
  Version table:
 *** 0.41.0-2ubuntu4 500
       500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages
       100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

On the other supported LTS releases, the same command installs 0.37.0-1ubuntu4 on Ubuntu 24.04 and 0.34.1-1ubuntu3 on Ubuntu 22.04.

The native binary also answers version checks cleanly from a terminal.

mpv --version | head -n 1

mpv v0.41.0 Copyright © 2000-2025 mpv/MPlayer/mplayer2 projects

Install mpv with Flatpak and Flathub

Flatpak is the better fit when you want the current upstream branch and the same app version across all supported Ubuntu LTS releases.

Ubuntu does not install Flatpak by default. If the flatpak command is missing, install Flatpak on Ubuntu first, then return here to add Flathub and mpv.

Add Flathub as a system remote. The --if-not-exists flag makes the command safe to rerun.

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

Confirm that the remote exists before installing mpv.

flatpak remotes

flathub system

Install mpv from Flathub. The -y flag answers Flatpak’s confirmation prompt automatically.

sudo flatpak install flathub io.mpv.Mpv -y

Verify the installed app metadata with flatpak info.

flatpak info io.mpv.Mpv

mpv - A free, open source, and cross-platform media player

       ID: io.mpv.Mpv
      Ref: app/io.mpv.Mpv/x86_64/stable
      Arch: x86_64
    Branch: stable
    Version: v0.41.0
    License: GPL-2.0+ AND LGPL-2.0-or-later
    Origin: flathub

Flathub currently resolves to v0.41.0 on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04.

Launch and use mpv on Ubuntu

Once mpv is installed, you can start it from Ubuntu’s applications menu or call it directly from the terminal.

Open mpv from Ubuntu’s applications menu

Open Activities > Show Applications > MPV on Ubuntu desktop. If you installed the package from a remote shell, switch back to a local graphical session before launching the player window.

The desktop launcher opens a normal player window even before you pass a file, so it behaves more like a desktop application than a terminal session.

Play files and URLs with mpv from the terminal

The native package installs the mpv command, so local files and supported URLs use the same basic syntax.

mpv ~/Videos/example.mp4

For the Flatpak build, launch the sandboxed app with its application ID instead.

flatpak run io.mpv.Mpv

The official mpv manual documents the full option set and default keyboard shortcuts.

Create an mpv.conf file on Ubuntu

Ubuntu’s native package creates ~/.config/mpv/ on supported LTS releases. Run mkdir -p anyway if you want to make sure the directory exists before writing your own config file.

mkdir -p ~/.config/mpv

This starter configuration resumes playback positions and enables hardware decoding when your graphics stack supports it.

printf '%s\n' 'save-position-on-quit=yes' 'hwdec=auto' > ~/.config/mpv/mpv.conf

Confirm the saved file contents.

cat ~/.config/mpv/mpv.conf

save-position-on-quit=yes
hwdec=auto

Use ~/.config/mpv/mpv.conf for the native package. The Flathub build keeps the equivalent file under ~/.var/app/io.mpv.Mpv/config/mpv/mpv.conf.

Update or remove mpv on Ubuntu

Use the same package manager you installed from, then verify the result with APT or Flatpak instead of relying on launch errors.

Update mpv from Ubuntu’s repositories

Use APT’s single-package upgrade path when mpv came from Ubuntu’s repositories.

sudo apt install --only-upgrade mpv -y

Update mpv from Flathub

Use the app-specific Flatpak update command when you installed io.mpv.Mpv from Flathub.

sudo flatpak update io.mpv.Mpv -y

Remove APT-installed mpv

Remove the native package first, then confirm that APT no longer shows it as installed.

sudo apt remove mpv -y && sudo apt autoremove -y

Verify the post-removal package state.

apt-cache policy mpv

mpv:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 0.41.0-2ubuntu4
  Version table:
    0.41.0-2ubuntu4 500

The remaining candidate line is normal because the package is still available from Ubuntu’s repositories. Only the installed state changed.

Remove Flatpak-installed mpv

Remove the Flathub build and ask Flatpak to delete its app data at the same time.

sudo flatpak remove --delete-data io.mpv.Mpv -y

Check that the app no longer appears in the installed Flatpak list.

flatpak list --app | grep -F io.mpv.Mpv || echo "not installed"

not installed

These commands do not touch your media files. User settings can remain in ~/.config/mpv/ for the native package and ~/.var/app/io.mpv.Mpv/ for the Flatpak build, so remove those directories only when you want a full reset.

mpv media player on Ubuntu FAQ

Conclusion

mpv media player is installed on Ubuntu and ready for local files, direct URLs, and keyboard-driven playback. If you want a GTK front end built on the same playback engine, install Celluloid on Ubuntu. If you would rather use a broader all-purpose desktop player, install VLC media player on Ubuntu.