How to Install Krita on Ubuntu 26.04 – Complete Setup Guide

You can install Krita on Ubuntu using the AppImage file, the self-contained Flatpak package from Flathub, the Snap Store edition, or the native Ubuntu package manager (APT).

Krita is a free, open-source digital painting application built for digital artists, illustrators, and animators.

It features advanced tools like customizable brush engines, layer masks, vector drawing tools, and animation timelines. Many artists consider it the best drawing software available for Linux desktops.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to configure Krita on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04 LTS. We cover running the AppImage, configuring desktop launcher integration, Flatpak sandbox folder access overrides, Snap removable-media connections, and a warning to purge the deprecated Krita Lime repository PPA.

If any of these steps fail on your system, please drop a comment below or contact us and we will help you get it resolved.

Selecting the right installation format is critical for digital painters. It determines whether you receive automatic updates, how Krita integrates with your drawing tablet driver configurations (such as Wacom tools), and how easily you can customize resources like brushes or workspaces. Review the comparison grid below to select the option that best fits your workflow.

Method 1: Install Krita using the Upstream AppImage

Running Krita via AppImage is the method recommended directly by the Krita development team. An AppImage file is a precompiled, self-contained application wrapper that includes every required library and dependency (such as specific Qt dependencies and Python extensions) packed directly inside the single file. This isolation guarantees that updates to your base operating system libraries do not conflict with Krita’s paint engine settings or trigger rendering issues on your drawing canvas.

Because Krita AppImage is a portable program format, it does not write itself to standard system package folders. You can manage the application file by placing it inside your home folder and creating a desktop launcher entry to display the application icon cleanly alongside your other installed desktop applications.

mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
cd ~/.local/bin
wget https://download.kde.org/stable/krita/5.3.2.1/krita-5.3.2.1-x86_64.appimage

chmod +x krita-5.3.2.1-x86_64.appimage

nano ~/.local/share/applications/krita-appimage.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Krita (AppImage)
Comment=Digital Painting and Illustration Program
Exec=/home/yourusername/.local/bin/krita-5.3.2.1-x86_64.appimage %F
Icon=krita
Type=Application
Categories=Graphics;2DGraphics;RasterGraphics;
MimeType=image/x-ora;image/x-psd;image/png;image/jpeg;
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=true

update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications/

Method 2: Install Krita via Flatpak (Flathub)

Flatpak is a popular option for users who want isolated, self-contained applications that handle software updates automatically. The Flatpak package of Krita is maintained on Flathub and includes all its required libraries in a single download. Running Krita in this sandboxed environment protects your main system files from software conflicts.

Because Flatpak containers restrict file access, you must configure permission overrides to let Krita read or write to directories beyond your standard user folders, such as external hard drives or secondary drawing partitions. This setup can be completed using terminal commands as detailed in the sandbox overrides section below.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install flatpak -y

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

flatpak install flathub org.kde.krita -y

Method 3: Install Krita via the Snap Store (Canonical)

Snap is pre-installed on standard Ubuntu desktops. Like Flatpak, Snap apps package all necessary files inside a single container, making updates and software maintenance automatic. The official Snap package of Krita is maintained directly by KDE developers, ensuring you always get the latest stable version.

While Snaps integrate well with Ubuntu out of the box, they run inside strict security boundaries. By default, Krita Snap cannot read or write to files outside your home folder. If you need to access external hard drives or mounted partitions, you must run the interface connection command shown below.

sudo snap install krita

sudo snap connect krita:removable-media

Method 4: Install Krita via default Ubuntu repositories (APT)

If you prefer a traditional install without sandboxing, you can get Krita from the official Ubuntu Universe repository using the default package manager (APT). This package uses your system’s shared library files, which reduces the download size and ensures Krita matches your system’s desktop theme.

Because Ubuntu freezes repository packages to maintain stability on LTS versions, the version of Krita in the default repositories is older. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS carry Krita v5.2.2, while Ubuntu 22.04 LTS carries Krita v5.0.2. If you want the latest stable paint features, use the AppImage or Flatpak methods instead.

sudo add-apt-repository universe -y

sudo apt update

sudo apt install krita -y

Warning: The Deprecated Krita Lime PPA

Many older guides recommend adding the Krita Lime Launchpad PPA (ppa:kritalime/ppa) to get the latest stable software on Ubuntu. However, this PPA is abandoned and deprecated. Trying to add this repository on Ubuntu 24.04 or 26.04 LTS will cause repository errors and block your system from updating its packages.

If you have added this PPA to your system, it is recommended to purge it. Run the following commands to safely remove the PPA source information and restore your standard package database:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:kritalime/ppa -y
sudo apt update

Configuring Sandbox Permissions for Custom Storage Paths

When using Flatpak or Snap, sandboxing restrictions prevent Krita from reading or writing to folders outside your home directory. This can block you from importing custom brushes or saving drawings to external storage drives. Use the commands below to grant Krita the necessary folder access permissions.

flatpak override --user --filesystem=/media org.kde.krita

sudo snap connect krita:removable-media

How to Uninstall Krita from Ubuntu

If you need to remove Krita from your workstation, use the uninstallation commands corresponding to your installation method. Purging application files helps prevent configuration conflicts when switching package managers.

rm ~/.local/bin/krita-*-x86_64.appimage
rm ~/.local/share/applications/krita-appimage.desktop
update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications/

flatpak uninstall flathub org.kde.krita -y
flatpak uninstall --unused -y

sudo snap remove krita

sudo apt purge krita -y
sudo apt autoremove -y

Note that package managers preserve your personal configuration profiles and brush files. To delete all remaining metadata, manually remove the settings directories: rm -rf ~/.config/kritadisplayrc ~/.local/share/krita ~/.var/app/org.kde.krita.

Interface Screenshots

Once Krita is set up, you will see the brush manager, paint layouts, and layers interface panels configured as shown in the interface screenshots below:

Krita on Ubuntu FAQ

More Ubuntu configuration guides: GIMP Ubuntu Installation Guide  ·  Best Photo Editors for Ubuntu  ·  Blender Ubuntu Installation Guide