How To Install AppImage on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install AppImage on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. AppImage is a self-contained application format that allows developers to package their software along with all the necessary dependencies into a single executable file. Unlike traditional Linux package formats such as DEB (Debian) or RPM (Red Hat Package Manager), AppImage does not require any installation or system-level integration. This portability makes it incredibly convenient for users to run applications across different Linux distributions without worrying about compatibility issues or dependency conflicts. AppImages are designed to be self-sufficient and can be executed directly from any location on the filesystem, making them ideal for testing new software, running multiple versions of an application side by side, or using applications on systems with limited user privileges.

This article assumes you have at least basic knowledge of Linux, know how to use the shell, and most importantly, you host your site on your own VPS. The installation is quite simple and assumes you are running in the root account, if not you may need to add ‘sudo‘ to the commands to get root privileges. I will show you the step-by-step installation of the AppImage on Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble Numbat). You can follow the same instructions for Ubuntu 22.04 and any other Debian-based distribution like Linux Mint, Elementary OS, Pop!_OS, and more as well.

Prerequisites

• A server running one of the following operating systems: Ubuntu and any other Debian-based distribution like Linux Mint.
• It’s recommended that you use a fresh OS install to prevent any potential issues.
• Basic familiarity with the terminal and command-line interface.
• SSH access to the server (or just open Terminal if you’re on a desktop).
• An active internet connection. You’ll need an internet connection to download the necessary packages and dependencies.
• An Ubuntu 24.04 system with root access or a user with sudo privileges.

Install AppImage on Ubuntu 24.04

Step 1. Updating the Package Repository.

Before installing any new software, it’s crucial to ensure that your system is up-to-date. This step helps prevent potential conflicts and ensures that you have the latest security patches and bug fixes. Open a terminal window and run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

These commands will update the package list and upgrade any existing packages to their latest versions, providing a stable foundation for installing AppImage.

Step 2. Installing Dependencies.

Before we dive into the process of installing and running AppImages on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, there is one essential prerequisite that needs to be addressed: FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace). FUSE is a kernel module that allows non-privileged users to create and mount their own filesystems. AppImages rely on FUSE to function properly, as they create a virtual filesystem to access the application’s contents. To check if FUSE is already installed on your Ubuntu 24.04 LTS system, open a terminal and run the following command:

dpkg -s libfuse2 | grep Status

If the output shows “Status: install ok installed,” then FUSE is already present on your system. However, if FUSE is not installed, you can easily install it by running the following command:

sudo apt install libfuse2

Step 3. Installing AppImage.

The first step in using an AppImage is to download the desired application in the AppImage format. AppImages are typically available from the official websites of the software projects or through dedicated AppImage repositories. For example, let’s say you want to download the AppImage for the popular professional Photo Management software, digiKam. Visit the official digiKam website. and navigate to the downloads section. Look for the AppImage version of digiKam and download it to your preferred location on your Ubuntu 24.04 LTS system.

By default, downloaded AppImages may not have the necessary permissions to be executed. To make an AppImage executable, open a terminal and navigate to the directory where you downloaded the AppImage. For example, if you downloaded the digiKam AppImage to your Downloads directory, use the following command:

cd ~/Downloads

Next, use the chmod command to grant execute permissions to the AppImage file:

chmod +x digiKam-*.AppImage

Replace digiKam-*.AppImage with the actual filename of the downloaded AppImage.

Alternatively, you can make the AppImage executable using the graphical user interface (GUI). Right-click on the AppImage file, select “Properties,” navigate to the “Permissions” tab, and check the box next to “Allow executing file as program.”

With the AppImage now executable, you can run it directly from the terminal. Simply enter the following command:

./digiKam-*.AppImage

Again, replace digiKam-*.AppImage with the actual filename of the AppImage.

If you prefer using the GUI, you can double-click on the AppImage file to launch the application. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS may prompt you with a warning about running an executable file. Click “Trust and Launch” to proceed.

Step 4. Creating a Desktop Launcher for AppImage.

While running AppImages from the terminal or by double-clicking is convenient, creating a desktop launcher can provide even easier access to your frequently used AppImages. To create a desktop launcher, follow these steps:

Create a new file with a .desktop extension in the ~/.local/share/applications directory. For example:

touch ~/.local/share/applications/gimp.desktop

Open the newly created file with a text editor:

nano ~/.local/share/applications/digikam.desktop

Add the following content to the file, replacing the relevant fields with the appropriate information for your AppImage:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=GIMP
Exec=/path/to/digikam-*.AppImage
Icon=/path/to/digikam-icon.png
Type=Application
Categories=Graphics;

Replace /path/to/digikam-*.AppImage with the actual path to your AppImage, and /path/to/digikam-icon.png with the path to an icon image for the launcher.

Save the file and exit the text editor. Your AppImage should now have a desktop launcher, making it easily accessible from the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS application menu.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed AppImage. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing AppImage on the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official AppImage website.