Fedora 44 is one of the most capable Linux releases in years, but it ships without a full office suite pre-installed. If you need to write documents, build spreadsheets, create presentations, or manage databases on your workstation, you need to install LibreOffice on Fedora 44 yourself. The good news is there are three solid ways to do it, and this guide walks you through all of them with real commands and the reasoning behind each step.
Whether you are a daily desktop user, a developer who needs to generate reports, or a sysadmin handling documentation, this tutorial gives you a clean, working LibreOffice setup without guesswork.
What Is LibreOffice and Why It Belongs on Fedora 44
LibreOffice is a free, open-source office productivity suite developed and maintained by The Document Foundation. It is the de facto standard for open-source office software on Linux and handles the formats most people actually use at work, including .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files.
The suite ships six core applications that cover nearly every office task:
- Writer — full-featured word processor comparable to Microsoft Word
- Calc — spreadsheet editor with advanced formula and charting support
- Impress — presentation builder with animation and multimedia tools
- Draw — vector graphics editor for diagrams and flowcharts
- Base — database management front-end with form and query support
- Math — formula and equation editor for technical documents
Fedora 44 introduced significant changes under the hood, including GNOME 50, Linux Kernel 6.19, and the complete removal of X11 from GDM in favor of a full Wayland-first session. These changes matter for LibreOffice because the rendering backend you choose during or after installation directly affects performance on a Wayland compositor.
LibreOffice is not just “good enough.” For anyone who values data sovereignty and has no interest in paying for proprietary software subscriptions, it is the right choice on Fedora.
Prerequisites
Before you touch a single command, confirm these items are in place. Skipping this section is the most common reason installations break halfway through.
- Fedora 44 installed and running — Confirm with:
cat /etc/fedora-release- sudo privileges — Package installation modifies system directories. You need root access.
- Active internet connection — Required for all three installation methods
- Minimum 1.5 GB free disk space — The full LibreOffice suite is roughly 800 MB installed. Add download overhead and you need at least 1.5 GB clear.
- No conflicting LibreOffice versions already on the system — Check first:
dnf list installed libreoffice\*
libreoffice --versionIf the second command returns a version number, you already have LibreOffice installed. Decide whether you want to upgrade or switch methods before proceeding. Running two installations side by side creates binary conflicts that are annoying to untangle.
Method 1: Install LibreOffice on Fedora 44 via DNF
DNF is Fedora’s native package manager. For most users, this is the right starting point because it handles dependencies automatically, integrates with your system’s security update pipeline, and requires the least manual effort long-term.
The packages in Fedora’s official repository are compiled and tested specifically for Fedora. They are not the bleeding-edge upstream release, but they are stable and reliable.
Step 1: Update Your System
sudo dnf updateWhat this does: Refreshes your local package metadata and applies any pending system updates.
Why you must do this first: If your metadata cache is stale, DNF may attempt to resolve LibreOffice’s dependencies against library versions that are no longer current. This causes version mismatch errors mid-installation. Running updates first aligns everything before you add new packages.
Expected output (abbreviated):
Last metadata expiration check: 0:02:14 ago
Dependencies resolved.
...
Complete!Step 2: Install LibreOffice
sudo dnf install libreofficeWhat this does: Installs the full LibreOffice suite including all six applications and their runtime dependencies.
Why use the meta-package name: Fedora splits LibreOffice into sub-packages (libreoffice-writer, libreoffice-calc, etc.). Using libreoffice as the package name pulls in a meta-package that depends on all components at once. You get everything with one command instead of tracking individual package names.
DNF will display a transaction summary before writing anything to disk. Confirm when prompted.
Expected output:
Transaction Summary
====================================================
Install 47 Packages
Total download size: 210 M
Installed size: 626 M
Is this ok [y/N]: yStep 3: Install a Language Pack
sudo dnf install libreoffice-langpack-enWhat this does: Installs the English language pack, which includes the offline help system, spell-check dictionaries, and locale-specific UI strings.
Why this matters: The base DNF install does not include offline documentation. Without the language pack, pressing F1 inside LibreOffice opens nothing, or it redirects you to a browser. For a sysadmin working on an air-gapped machine, or anyone who wants help available without internet access, this package is essential.
Replace en with your locale code if needed (e.g., libreoffice-langpack-de for German).
Step 4: Verify the Installation
libreoffice --versionWhat this does: Calls the soffice binary from /usr/bin/libreoffice and prints the installed version.
Why verify: A silent install failure can happen if disk space runs out mid-transaction or if a package is corrupted in transit. This command confirms the binary exists in $PATH and reports the actual version you are running.
Expected output:
LibreOffice 25.2.x.x (Build:x)To launch from the terminal directly into Writer:
libreoffice --writerOr search “LibreOffice” in GNOME Activities to launch any component from the GUI.
Method 2: Install LibreOffice on Fedora 44 via Flatpak
Flatpak delivers the absolute latest upstream LibreOffice release, independent of Fedora’s repository freeze schedule. This method uses bubblewrap sandboxing, which isolates LibreOffice from your base system libraries. It is the preferred method if you want new features as soon as The Document Foundation releases them.
Fedora 44 ships with Flatpak pre-installed and Flathub support built in. This makes the Flatpak setup faster than on minimal installations.
Step 1: Confirm Flatpak Is Installed
flatpak --versionWhy check first: Even though Fedora 44 Workstation includes Flatpak by default, minimal server spins do not. This one-second check saves you from a confusing “command not found” error later.
If the command returns nothing, install it:
sudo dnf install flatpakStep 2: Add the Flathub Repository
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepoWhat this does: Registers Flathub as a remote source for Flatpak packages on your system.
Why Flathub specifically: LibreOffice’s Flatpak build lives on Flathub, not on Fedora’s own Flatpak registry. Without adding Flathub, flatpak install libreoffice either fails or pulls an older version from the wrong source. The --if-not-exists flag makes this command safe to re-run without producing duplicate remote errors.
Step 3: Install LibreOffice from Flathub
flatpak install flathub org.libreoffice.LibreOfficeWhat this does: Downloads and installs the LibreOffice Flatpak bundle, including its sandboxed runtime environment.
Why use the full application ID: Specifying org.libreoffice.LibreOffice instead of just libreoffice avoids ambiguity when both Fedora’s Flatpak remote and Flathub are configured. The full ID guarantees you are installing from the correct source.
The first-time download will be several hundred megabytes since Flatpak bundles the application runtime libraries separately from your system.
Step 4: Launch and Verify
flatpak run org.libreoffice.LibreOfficeWhy launch from terminal first: Flatpak-installed apps sometimes do not appear in GNOME Activities until the desktop database refreshes. Launching from the terminal confirms the bundle is functional before you rely on the Activities launcher.
After the initial run, LibreOffice appears in GNOME Activities search like any natively installed application.
Step 5: Keep LibreOffice Updated
flatpak updateWhy this step exists: Unlike DNF packages, Flatpak apps do not update automatically on Fedora unless GNOME Software is configured to handle background updates. Running flatpak update manually (or scheduling it as a cron job or systemd timer) ensures you receive upstream security patches without waiting for Fedora’s packaging cycle.
Method 3: Install LibreOffice on Fedora 44 via Official RPM Tarball
This method downloads the RPM package directly from The Document Foundation’s servers. Use this approach when you need a specific LibreOffice version, when Fedora’s repo is lagging behind the upstream release you need, or when you are deploying LibreOffice on a system with strict change management requirements.
This is the method sysadmins reach for when the environment demands version control.
Step 1: Install wget
sudo dnf install wgetWhat this does: Installs the command-line download utility wget from Fedora’s repositories.
Why wget over a browser: wget supports resumable downloads. If your connection drops during a 300+ MB download, you can resume exactly where it stopped. A browser download that gets interrupted starts over from zero.
Step 2: Remove Any Existing LibreOffice Installation
sudo dnf remove libreoffice\*Why remove first: Installing the official RPM tarball alongside a DNF-managed LibreOffice creates two competing libreoffice binaries in different paths. The shell ends up calling whichever binary appears first in $PATH, making it unclear which version you are actually running. This exact conflict appears regularly in Fedora forums. Clean the slate before proceeding.
Step 3: Download the LibreOffice RPM Tarball
VER=25.2.3
wget https://download.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/stable/${VER}/rpm/x86_64/LibreOffice_${VER}_Linux_x86-64_rpm.tar.gzWhat this does: Downloads the versioned tarball from The Document Foundation’s official distribution server.
Why use a shell variable for the version: Using $VER prevents typos in the version string and makes this command reusable for future updates. Before running, check the current stable release at libreoffice.org/download and update the variable accordingly.
Step 4: Extract the Tarball
tar xvf LibreOffice_${VER}_Linux_x86-64_rpm.tar.gzWhat this does: Unpacks the archive into a directory containing a RPMS/ subdirectory with all the LibreOffice component packages.
Why use the v flag: The verbose flag prints each file as it extracts. This confirms the extraction is progressing and not silently stuck on a corrupted archive. If extraction hangs without output, the download was likely incomplete.
Step 5: Install All RPM Packages via DNF
cd LibreOffice_*_Linux_x86-64_rpm/RPMS/
sudo dnf install *.rpmWhat this does: Installs every RPM file in the extracted directory as a batch operation.
Why DNF instead of raw rpm -i: Using DNF here is critical. Raw rpm does not resolve external dependencies — it will fail with unmet dependency errors for things like fonts or Java runtime. DNF resolves those dependencies from Fedora’s repos automatically and handles them in the same transaction.
Expected transaction summary:
Install 42 Packages
Total size: 258 M
Installed size: 626 M
Is this ok [y/N]: yStep 6: Verify the Installation
libreoffice --versionConfirm the path resolves correctly:
which libreofficeExpected output:
/usr/bin/libreofficeIf which returns a path inside /usr/lib64/libreoffice/, your $PATH may not include that directory. The /usr/bin/libreoffice wrapper is created by the RPM post-install script, so this is worth confirming.
Choosing the Right Method for Your Setup on Fedora 44
| Factor | DNF | Flatpak | Official RPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Version currency | Slightly behind upstream | Latest available | Exact version you pick |
| System integration | Native, no overhead | Sandboxed | Native |
| Auto-updates | Yes, via dnf upgrade |
Manual or GNOME Software | Manual re-download |
| Disk usage | Smallest footprint | Larger (bundles runtime) | Medium |
| Best for | Most desktop users | Latest features fast | Sysadmins, version-specific needs |
For a standard Fedora 44 workstation, DNF is the cleanest path. If you need bleeding-edge features or prefer sandboxed apps, go Flatpak. If you need to deploy a specific version across machines with controlled configurations, the RPM tarball gives you that control.
How to Update LibreOffice on Fedora 44
Keeping LibreOffice updated matters. New releases regularly include security patches, file format fixes, and compatibility improvements for Microsoft Office formats.
DNF install:
sudo dnf upgrade libreoffice\*Flatpak install:
flatpak update org.libreoffice.LibreOfficeOfficial RPM install: Download the new tarball using Method 3, run sudo dnf remove libreoffice\* first, then reinstall using the new extracted packages.
How to Uninstall LibreOffice on Fedora 44
DNF or RPM method:
sudo dnf remove libreoffice\*
sudo dnf autoremoveThe autoremove command cleans up orphaned dependencies that were pulled in during install but are no longer needed by anything else on your system.
Flatpak method:
flatpak uninstall --delete-data org.libreoffice.LibreOffice
flatpak uninstall --unusedThe --delete-data flag removes application data stored in ~/.var/app/org.libreoffice.LibreOffice/. The second command cleans up unused runtime libraries.
Verify removal:
libreoffice --version
# Expected: bash: libreoffice: command not foundTroubleshooting Common Issues
Problem 1: Two LibreOffice Versions Active Simultaneously
Symptom: Running libreoffice --version returns a different version than what you installed.
Cause: You installed the Official RPM without removing the DNF-managed version first. Both binaries exist in conflicting paths.
Fix:
sudo dnf remove libreoffice\*
sudo dnf install *.rpmProblem 2: LibreOffice Not Appearing in GNOME Activities
Symptom: Installation completes successfully, but LibreOffice does not show up when you search in GNOME Activities on Fedora 44.
Cause: The desktop application database has not refreshed since installation.
Fix:
sudo update-desktop-databaseLog out and back in if the issue persists.
Problem 3: Flatpak Cannot Access Files in /home
Symptom: LibreOffice (Flatpak) opens but cannot see files in your home directory when using the file picker.
Cause: Flatpak’s sandbox restricts filesystem access by default. This is expected sandboxing behavior, not a bug.
Fix:
flatpak override --user --filesystem=home org.libreoffice.LibreOfficeThis grants the Flatpak bundle read/write access to your home directory while keeping the rest of the sandbox intact.
Problem 4: Wayland Rendering Glitches on GNOME 50
Symptom: LibreOffice windows show screen tearing, blurry fonts, or rendering artifacts on Fedora 44’s GNOME 50 desktop.
Cause: Fedora 44 removed X11 from GDM entirely. Some LibreOffice builds default to a GTK3 VCL plugin that does not handle Wayland compositing as cleanly as GTK4.
Fix: Set the GTK4 rendering backend explicitly:
echo "SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN=gtk4" | sudo tee -a /etc/environmentLog out and back in for the change to take effect.
Problem 5: dnf install *.rpm Fails with Dependency Errors
Symptom: Installing the RPM tarball produces errors like nothing provides libXxxx needed by libreoffice-core.
Cause: The system is missing certain libraries that LibreOffice expects, typically font packages or Java components.
Fix:
sudo dnf install *.rpm --allowerasingThe --allowerasing flag tells DNF to remove conflicting packages to satisfy dependencies. Review what it proposes to remove before confirming.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed LibreOffice. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing LibreOffice on your Fedora 44 Linux system. For additional Apache or useful information, we recommend you check the official LibreOffice website.
