GeForce NOW streams PC games from NVIDIA’s servers, so the game never runs on your machine and an older laptop with Intel graphics can play the same titles as a gaming PC.
This guide covers all three install methods on Ubuntu 26.04, 25.10 and 24.04 LTS, connecting your game stores, what each membership gets you, and how to remove the app cleanly.
If you have any questions, write a comment below or contact us. We are happy to help.
com.nvidia.geforcenowFlatpak, Installer File, and Browser
Play PC games on Ubuntu without buying a graphics card. Install the app, connect your game stores, pick a membership, and fix the problems people actually run into.
Compare the three methods, then jump to the one that suits your setup.
GeForce NOW Install Methods Compared
| Method | Updates | Best For | Trade-Off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flatpak Repository | Automatic | Almost everyone. This is the one we recommend. | Four terminal commands, and a 2 GB download the first time. |
| Installer File (.bin) | Manual | Anyone who would rather click than type. It uninstalls too. | You have to download new versions yourself. |
| Browser | Nothing to update | Trying it out, and NVIDIA card owners on Ubuntu 26.04. | No 5K or 360fps modes, and fewer streaming settings. |
Method 1: Install GeForce NOW via the Flatpak Repository
Add NVIDIA’s software source once and every future update arrives with the rest of your apps.
Ubuntu does not include Flatpak by default. Open a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+T and run both commands. Flathub supplies the shared support files the app needs.
sudo apt update && sudo apt install flatpak -y flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
Point Flatpak at NVIDIA’s repository:
flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists GeForceNOW https://international.download.nvidia.com/GFNLinux/flatpak/geforcenow.flatpakrepo
Expect a few minutes. Most of the download is 2 GB of shared support files, not the app itself.
flatpak install --user GeForceNOW com.nvidia.geforcenow
Open it from your applications list, or start it from the terminal to check the install worked:
flatpak run com.nvidia.geforcenow
To update it later, run flatpak update, or let your software updater handle it.
Method 2: Install GeForce NOW with the Installer File
Same app, no terminal needed. Keep the file afterwards, because it also uninstalls.
Grab GeForceNOWSetup.bin from the official download page. Look for Linux under Desktop and Laptop.
Right click the file, open Properties, and turn on “Executable as Program”. Or do it in the terminal:
chmod +x GeForceNOWSetup.bin
Double click the file, or run it from the terminal. If it stops and says Flatpak was not found, do Step 1 of Method 1 first.
./GeForceNOWSetup.bin
Method 3: Run GeForce NOW in Your Browser
Nothing to install. Open play.geforcenow.com in Chrome, Chromium or Edge and sign in.
Connect Your Game Stores
GeForce NOW streams games you already own, so link your shops once you have signed in. Open Settings, then Connections, and sign in to the ones you use.
If Steam is not set up on your machine yet, our guide on how to install Steam on Ubuntu covers that side.
Membership Tiers Explained
Three tiers, plus a Day Pass if you want the fast hardware for 24 hours without signing up for a month.
| Free | Performance | Ultimate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Nothing | $9.99 a month | $19.99 a month |
| Session length | 1 hour | 6 hours | 8 hours |
| Picture quality | 1080p at 60fps | 1440p at 60fps, ultrawide | Up to 5K at 120fps, or 1080p at 360fps |
| Hardware | Standard servers | RTX with ray tracing | RTX 5080 class, DLSS 4 |
| Waiting to start | Queue, plus up to 2 min of ads | Priority, no ads | Shortest wait, no ads |
| Hours per month | No cap | 100 hours | 100 hours |
| Install-to-Play games | No | Yes | Yes |
| Saves graphics settings | No | Yes | Yes |
Both paid tiers include 100 hours a month, and up to 15 unused hours roll into the next month. If you run out, you can buy more in 15 hour blocks or keep playing on the free tier until your billing date. On the free tier, ads play while you are already sitting in the queue, and nothing interrupts a game once it has started.
Is My Internet Fast Enough for GeForce NOW?
Speed is the easy part. Here is what you need for each quality level:
| Quality | Speed Needed | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 60fps | 15 Mbps | Free |
| 1080p at 60fps | 25 Mbps | Free |
| 1440p at 120fps | 35 Mbps | Performance |
| 4K at 120fps | 45 Mbps | Ultimate |
| 1080p at 240 or 360fps | 55 Mbps | Ultimate |
| 5K at 120fps | 65 Mbps | Ultimate |
Do Mods Work on GeForce NOW?
Anti-cheat is not a problem here. The game runs on a Windows machine in NVIDIA’s data centre, so anti-cheat software sees exactly what it expects, and games that will not start under Proton on your desktop often stream without trouble.
Mods are more limited. You cannot drop files into a game folder yourself, because the game runs on NVIDIA’s hardware. Some mods do still work, including Steam Workshop items on games that support them, and it varies from game to game. Check the game’s own page or its community before you count on it.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
These are the problems people hit most often on Ubuntu, and how to fix each one.
This is the most common breakage. Reinstall the app any time you install a new graphics driver:
flatpak uninstall com.nvidia.geforcenow && flatpak install --user GeForceNOW com.nvidia.geforcenow
The .bin installer needs Flatpak on the system already. Set it up, then run the installer again:
sudo apt install flatpak -y && flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
Most of the download is 2 GB of shared files and the servers get busy, so give it a few more minutes before you stop it. If space is the problem, clear out files nothing uses anymore:
flatpak uninstall --unused
Flatpak keeps apps walled off from your hardware by default. Give it access, then restart the app:
flatpak override --user --device=all com.nvidia.geforcenow
Check your desktop type and your driver version. If you are on Wayland with an NVIDIA card, that is the likely cause, and the browser version will tell you whether it is the app or your connection:
echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE && nvidia-smi --query-gpu=driver_version --format=csv
How to Completely Uninstall GeForce NOW
If you used the installer file, run it again and choose More Options, then Uninstall. To do it by hand, take these steps in order.
The second command frees the 2 GB of shared files, as long as nothing else on your computer needs them:
flatpak uninstall com.nvidia.geforcenow flatpak uninstall --unused
This removes your saved settings and sign-in details. The -ri flag asks before each deletion, which is worth keeping:
rm -ri ~/.local/state/NVIDIA/GeForceNOW rm ~/.local/share/applications/com.nvidia.geforcenow.desktop rm ~/Desktop/com.nvidia.geforcenow.desktop
Your computer stops checking it for updates. Leave Flathub alone unless you are sure nothing else uses it:
flatpak remote-delete --user GeForceNOW
Cancelling your membership is separate and is done in your NVIDIA account, not on your computer.
Official troubleshooting pages, a community-built Linux client, and the forum where server problems get reported first:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GeForce NOW free on Linux?
Yes. The Free membership costs nothing and works on the native Linux app. You get one hour per session, standard servers, no ray tracing, and up to two minutes of video ads while you wait in the queue. Paid tiers remove the ads and raise the limits.
Do I need an NVIDIA graphics card to use GeForce NOW on Ubuntu?
No. The game runs on NVIDIA’s servers, not on your computer. Your computer only plays the video that comes back, the same job it does for a YouTube clip. AMD and Intel graphics work fine. Your graphics chip does need to be able to play H.264 or H.265 video, which means roughly a GeForce 10 series card or newer, or Mesa 24.2.8 or newer for AMD and Intel.
Which Ubuntu versions does the GeForce NOW app support?
NVIDIA officially supports Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and later, which covers 24.04, 25.10 and 26.04 LTS. Because the app ships as a Flatpak it will usually run on other distributions too, but those are not tested by NVIDIA.
Does GeForce NOW work on Wayland?
It does, but NVIDIA advises Xorg if you have an NVIDIA card and Wayland if you have an AMD or Intel card. Ubuntu 26.04 no longer offers Xorg for GNOME, so NVIDIA users on 26.04 have to run it on Wayland. Most people report this working with driver 580 or newer. If yours stutters, use the browser version instead.
Can I use mods on GeForce NOW?
Some of them. You cannot drop files into a game folder yourself, because the game runs on NVIDIA’s hardware, but Steam Workshop items work on games that support them and some studios add their own mod support. It varies from game to game, so check the game’s own page or its community first.
How do I completely uninstall GeForce NOW from Ubuntu?
Run flatpak uninstall com.nvidia.geforcenow to remove the app, then flatpak uninstall –unused to clear the shared support files, then delete the leftover settings and menu entries in your home folder. The full command list is in the uninstall section of this guide.
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