How to Install QMPlay2 on Ubuntu Linux

QMPlay2 is a lightweight multimedia player that handles nearly any audio or video format through FFmpeg, making it a versatile choice for desktop users who need reliable playback without heavy resource usage. Common use cases include playing local media collections, streaming YouTube content directly within the player, and handling legacy formats that other players struggle with. By the end of this guide, you will have QMPlay2 installed and ready to use, with both installation and removal commands covered.

Choose Your QMPlay2 Installation Method

Ubuntu offers two primary installation paths for QMPlay2, each with different trade-offs for version freshness and system integration.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
APT PPA	tomtomtom PPA	Latest stable	Automatic via apt upgrade	Most users who prefer native packages
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Automatic via flatpak update	Users who want sandboxed apps or cross-distro consistency

For most users, the APT PPA method works best because it integrates directly with your system’s package manager and receives updates alongside your regular system updates. Alternatively, the Flatpak method works well if you prefer sandboxed applications or already use Flatpak for other software.

This guide supports Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS installations. The tomtomtom PPA may not provide packages for newer or older Ubuntu releases, while Flatpak remains compatible across all versions. Commands shown work identically on both supported LTS releases.

Method 1: Install QMPlay2 via APT PPA

Prepare Your System

First, update your package lists and upgrade any outdated packages before starting the installation. This step ensures your system has the latest security patches and minimizes potential conflicts during the PPA installation.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Import QMPlay2 PPA

Next, add the QMPlay2 PPA maintained by tomtomtom. This repository provides the latest stable QMPlay2 releases built specifically for Ubuntu. The -y flag automatically confirms the addition without prompting.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tomtomtom/qmplay2 -y

The add-apt-repository command automatically updates your package lists after adding the PPA, so you can proceed directly to installation.

Install QMPlay2

Now that you have configured the PPA, install QMPlay2 using APT:

sudo apt install qmplay2

Verify Installation

After installation completes, verify that APT installed QMPlay2 correctly by checking the package status:

apt-cache policy qmplay2

Expected output showing the installed version from the PPA:

qmplay2:
  Installed: 1:25.09.11-1~ppa~noble
  Candidate: 1:25.09.11-1~ppa~noble
  Version table:
 *** 1:25.09.11-1~ppa~noble 500
        500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/tomtomtom/qmplay2/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages

Method 2: Install QMPlay2 via Flatpak and Flathub

Flatpak provides a sandboxed installation that runs independently of your system’s package manager. As a result, this method works well if you prefer application isolation or want the same installation experience across different Linux distributions.

Flatpak is not installed by default on Ubuntu. If you need to set it up, follow our guide on how to install Flatpak on Ubuntu, which covers installing the Flatpak framework and adding the Flathub repository. This typically takes under five minutes.

Enable Flathub Repository

First, ensure you have the Flathub repository configured before installing QMPlay2. Flathub serves as the primary source for Flatpak applications and provides verified builds of QMPlay2:

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

Install QMPlay2 from Flathub

Once you have enabled Flathub, install QMPlay2 using the Flatpak command. The -y flag automatically confirms the installation:

flatpak install flathub io.github.zaps166.QMPlay2 -y

Verify Flatpak Installation

Next, confirm the installation succeeded by checking the application details:

flatpak info io.github.zaps166.QMPlay2

Expected output showing installation details:

QMPlay2 - Video and audio player

          ID: io.github.zaps166.QMPlay2
         Ref: app/io.github.zaps166.QMPlay2/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
      Origin: flathub
     Version: 25.09.11

Launch QMPlay2

After completing the installation, you can launch QMPlay2 from either the terminal or your desktop’s application menu.

Launch QMPlay2 from Terminal

For the APT-installed version, run:

qmplay2

For the Flatpak version, use the full application ID:

flatpak run io.github.zaps166.QMPlay2

Launch QMPlay2 from Applications Menu

For a graphical approach, open QMPlay2 from your desktop environment’s application menu:

1. Open the Activities menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Click on Show Applications (the grid of dots at the bottom of the dock).
3. Search for QMPlay2 and click the icon to launch the media player.

Manage QMPlay2

Update QMPlay2

For the APT-installed version, QMPlay2 updates automatically with your system packages. To manually check for updates:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

For the Flatpak version, update all Flatpak applications including QMPlay2:

flatpak update

Remove QMPlay2

If you installed QMPlay2 via APT, remove it along with orphaned dependencies:

sudo apt remove qmplay2 && sudo apt autoremove

Next, remove the PPA to stop receiving updates for this repository:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:tomtomtom/qmplay2 -y

Finally, verify that you removed the package correctly:

apt-cache policy qmplay2

Expected output confirming removal:

qmplay2:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: (none)
  Version table:

For the Flatpak installation, remove QMPlay2 along with its application data:

flatpak uninstall --delete-data io.github.zaps166.QMPlay2

Troubleshooting

YouTube Playback Not Working

If YouTube videos fail to play within QMPlay2, the built-in YouTube module may need updating. First, check if yt-dlp is installed, as QMPlay2 uses it for YouTube functionality:

which yt-dlp || echo "yt-dlp not installed"

If the system has yt-dlp installed, you will see the path to the binary:

/usr/bin/yt-dlp

However, if your system lacks yt-dlp, install it with this command:

sudo apt install yt-dlp

For Flatpak installations, the Flatpak package already includes yt-dlp. If YouTube playback still fails, try updating the Flatpak to get the latest bundled yt-dlp version:

flatpak update io.github.zaps166.QMPlay2

No Audio Output

If QMPlay2 plays video but produces no audio, verify the audio output module in QMPlay2 settings. Open Settings → Playback settings → Modules and ensure PulseAudio or PipeWire is selected as the audio output backend, depending on your Ubuntu version. Ubuntu 24.04 uses PipeWire by default, while Ubuntu 22.04 typically uses PulseAudio.

Conclusion

You now have QMPlay2 installed on Ubuntu using either the tomtomtom PPA for native package management or Flatpak for a sandboxed experience. Both methods provide the latest stable releases with straightforward update paths. For expanding your multimedia setup, consider installing VLC for broader codec support or MPV for a keyboard-driven playback experience.