The best software for Ubuntu includes Firefox, Brave, VS Code, LibreOffice, VLC, GIMP, Bitwarden, and Blender, but those are just the starting points. Ubuntu 26.04 Resolute Raccoon ships with strong Wayland support, a faster App Center, and broader Flatpak integration, which means more apps work out of the box than ever before.
Below are 28 of the best apps to install right after setup, grouped by category so you can jump straight to what you need. Every entry includes a terminal install command, key features, a practical tip, and links to the official site and community support.
Top Picks at a Glance:
- Brave: Best browser, privacy-first, fast, blocks ads by default.
- LibreOffice: Best productivity suite, full Microsoft Office compatibility, completely free.
- VS Code: Best code editor, largest extension library, native Wayland support on 26.04.
- VLC: Best media player, plays every format, zero extra media setup.
- GIMP: Best image editor, professional-grade, open source, deeply extensible.
Jump to a Category
📄 Productivity
💻 Development
🎬 Media
🎨 Creative
💬 Communication
🔒 Security
⚙️ System Tools
🌐 Top Browsers Apps
Best For: General browsing, privacy-conscious users, and anyone who wants a fully open-source browser with the largest extension library on Linux.
Why Choose It? Firefox is already on your system when you install Ubuntu 26.04. Mozilla ships it as a Snap with Wayland support built in, which means it runs cleanly on Ubuntu’s default session. Over 50,000 extensions, solid developer tools, and a track record of defending user privacy make it the sensible default for most users.
- Engine: Gecko, independent from Chromium, important for web diversity
- Firefox View syncs tabs, history, and bookmarks across devices
- Built-in Enhanced Tracking Protection blocks third-party trackers by default
- Container Tabs let you isolate browsing sessions per site or account
Quick Tip: Type about:config in the address bar and set gfx.webrender.all to true to enable graphics acceleration on Wayland for noticeably smoother scrolling.
Install Command:
Best For: Users who want ad and tracker blocking built in at the engine level, without installing any extensions.
Why Choose It? Brave blocks ads, fingerprinting, and third-party trackers before the page loads, not as an extension, but at the browser level. Pages load faster as a result. It is Chromium-based, so Chrome extensions work, and it runs natively on Ubuntu 26.04 with full Wayland support.
- Shields: Per-site controls for ads, trackers, cookies, and fingerprinting
- Built-in Tor window for anonymous browsing without a separate app
- Brave Search included by default, no Google account needed
- Chrome Web Store extensions work out of the box
Quick Tip: Go to Settings > Shields to set global defaults. Setting trackers to “Aggressive” mode blocks significantly more than the default “Standard” setting.
Install Command:
Best For: Users who want Chrome’s engine and extension library without Google’s account integration, usage tracking, or closed-source parts.
Why Choose It? Chromium is the open-source project that Google Chrome is built on. It receives the same engine updates, supports the Chrome Web Store, and runs identically to Chrome in most situations, minus the Google account sync and usage reporting. The Snap version on Ubuntu 26.04 auto-updates and runs in a Wayland-compatible app package with access limits.
- Engine: Blink/V8, same as Chrome, maximum web compatibility
- Chrome Web Store extensions work fully
- No Google account required, no usage tracking sent back to Google
- Good choice for web developers testing Chromium rendering
Quick Tip: If you need Google account sync, use the official Google Chrome .deb instead. Chromium does not support Google sync, that feature was removed from the open-source build.
Install Command:
📄 Top Productivity Apps
Best For: Anyone who needs a full office suite, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, without a subscription.
Why Choose It? LibreOffice is the most complete free office suite available on Linux. It opens and saves .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files reliably, covers everything from basic writing to complex spreadsheets, and has no usage limits, no account required, no subscription. LibreOffice 25.8 ships with Ubuntu 26.04’s expanded install.
- Includes: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math
- Opens and saves Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)
- Built-in PDF export in every app
- Extension library for additional templates and language tools
Quick Tip: Go to Tools > Options > Load/Save > General and set the default file format to Microsoft Office formats if you regularly share files with Windows users.
Install Command:
Best For: Users switching from Microsoft Office who want a familiar ribbon interface and near-perfect .docx/.xlsx compatibility.
Why Choose It? OnlyOffice Desktop Editors uses the same ribbon-style interface as Microsoft Office, which reduces the learning curve for Windows migrants significantly. Its .docx and .xlsx rendering is among the most accurate of any Linux office suite, handling complex formatting and tables that LibreOffice sometimes struggles with.
- Includes: Document editor, spreadsheet, presentation editor
- Excellent Microsoft Office format compatibility
- Collaborative editing when connected to OnlyOffice cloud or self-hosted server
- Plugin support for extended functionality
Quick Tip: If you work with heavily formatted Word documents regularly, open the same file in both OnlyOffice and LibreOffice and compare, OnlyOffice often preserves complex layouts more accurately.
Install Command:
Best For: Knowledge workers, researchers, and writers who want a powerful note system built on plain Markdown files they own and control.
Why Choose It? Obsidian stores everything as plain .md files on your machine, no closed database format, no account required to use core features. The graph view visualizes connections between notes. A large plugin library extends it into a project management tool, daily journal, code snippet library, or research database depending on how you set it up.
- Format: Plain Markdown files, portable, future-proof, readable anywhere
- Graph view shows links between notes visually
- 1,000+ community plugins covering tasks, calendars, diagrams, and more
- Works fully offline, sync is optional and paid separately
Quick Tip: Install the Dataview plugin to turn your notes into a searchable table, useful for tracking projects, books, or research references across your notes.
Install Command:
Best For: Users who want a fully open-source Evernote replacement with encrypted sync across devices.
Why Choose It? Joplin is completely open source and can sync your notes privately through Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, or Joplin Cloud. Notes are stored in Markdown. It has a browser clipper, tags, notebooks, and apps for Linux, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
- Format: Markdown with optional rendered preview
- Private encryption on all synced data
- Web clipper extension for Firefox and Chrome
- Plugin support and custom themes
Quick Tip: Use Joplin with a Nextcloud instance you control for fully self-hosted, encrypted sync, no third-party cloud needed at all.
Install Command:
💻 Top Development Tools
Best For: Developers of any language who want the largest extension library, built-in Git, and deep IntelliSense code completion.
Why Choose It? VS Code is the most widely used code editor in the world and it runs natively on Ubuntu 26.04 with full Wayland support. The extension marketplace covers every language and framework. Built-in Git integration, a terminal, debugger, and remote development via SSH make it a complete development environment without any configuration.
- Extensions: 50,000+ in the marketplace covering every language and tool
- Built-in terminal, debugger, and Git source control panel
- Remote SSH extension lets you code on a remote server from your desktop
- GitHub Copilot integration available (paid)
Quick Tip: Install the .deb package rather than the Snap for better font display and Wayland performance without the extra limits Snap can add.
Install Command:
Best For: Developers who prioritise raw editor speed and want a modern, minimal interface without VS Code’s heavier Electron base.
Why Choose It? Zed is built in Rust and uses the graphics card to draw the editor, which makes it noticeably faster to open and type in than Electron-based editors like VS Code. It has built-in AI assistance, real-time multiplayer collaboration, and smart code help for many languages. The Linux build is now stable and runs well on Ubuntu 26.04.
- Performance: Opens large files quickly and stays responsive while typing
- Built-in multiplayer editing, share a session like a Google Doc
- Smart autocomplete for many programming languages
- Built-in AI (supports multiple models including local AI models)
Quick Tip: Zed uses a Vim-style editing mode. Enable it in settings with vim_mode: true if you want Vim keyboard shortcuts without installing a full Vim setup.
Install Command:
Best For: Developers and system administrators who need to test apps, run local databases or web servers, or make repeatable project setups.
Why Choose It? Docker lets you run apps and services in separated boxes. On Ubuntu 26.04 it works cleanly with the system. You can start a database, web server, or full app setup in seconds, then remove it without changing the rest of your computer.
- Docker Compose: Save a multi-part app setup in one file
- Docker Hub provides thousands of ready-to-run images
- Works well with VS Code for project-based development setups
- Can run without administrator access after setup
Quick Tip: Add your user to the docker group after install to run Docker commands without sudo: sudo usermod -aG docker $USER then log out and back in.
Install Command:
Best For: Developers who need to test, document, and automate API requests.
Why Choose It? Postman is the standard tool for API development and testing. You can send HTTP requests, inspect responses, write test scripts, set up automated test collections, and generate API documentation, all from one interface. The free tier is generous enough for individual developers and small teams.
- Supports: REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, gRPC, and SOAP
- Environment variables for switching between dev, staging, and prod endpoints
- Automated test collections with Newman CLI runner
- Team workspaces and API documentation generation
Quick Tip: Use Postman Environments to store your API addresses and login tokens as variables, then you can switch between local and live site settings with one click instead of editing every request.
Install Command:
Best For: Developers who prefer a visual Git interface over the command line, especially for complex branching and merge conflict resolution.
Why Choose It? GitKraken gives you a visual commit graph that makes it easy to understand branching history, cherry-pick commits, and resolve merge conflicts through a side-by-side diff interface. The free tier works with public software sources. A paid plan is required for private repos, but many developers find the clarity it provides worth it.
- Visual commit graph showing branches, merges, and history at a glance
- Built-in merge conflict resolution with side-by-side diff
- GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket integration
- Drag-and-drop branching and cherry-picking
Quick Tip: Use GitKraken’s history cleanup tool to clean up messy commit history before merging a feature branch, much easier to follow than the terminal version.
Install Command:
🎬 Top Media Apps
Best For: Anyone who wants a media player that opens every file format without installing extra media support separately.
Why Choose It? VLC plays virtually every video and audio format in existence, MKV, MP4, AVI, FLAC, MP3, AAC, and hundreds more, without ever prompting you to install an additional media add-on. It also streams from network URLs, plays DVDs and Blu-rays, handles subtitles, and has a basic video conversion tool built in. It has been the default Linux media player recommendation for over 20 years for good reason.
- Format support: Virtually every video, audio, and media file format
- Network streaming via URL, paste a stream address and play
- Subtitle support including .srt, .ass, and embedded tracks
- Built-in audio and video conversion (Media > Convert/Save)
Quick Tip: Press Shift+S while a video is playing to take a screenshot saved to your Pictures folder. Useful when you need a frame grab without any extra tools.
Install Command:
Best For: GNOME users who want a clean, minimal video player that integrates naturally with the Ubuntu 26.04 desktop.
Why Choose It? Celluloid is a clean video player built on mpv, one of the most capable media players available. It looks at home on the GNOME desktop, supports Wayland, and opens the same wide range of formats as VLC. It is lighter and simpler than VLC, which some users prefer for day-to-day watching.
- Playback: mpv-based, with strong format support and smooth video playback
- Native Wayland support and GNOME HIG-compliant interface
- Drag-and-drop playlist support
- mpv configuration file support for advanced users who want fine-grained control
Quick Tip: Hold Shift and drag the progress bar to scrub through a video frame-by-frame, useful for reviewing footage or finding exact timestamps.
Install Command:
Best For: Podcasters, musicians, and anyone who needs to record, edit, or process audio without paying for professional software.
Why Choose It? Audacity has been the go-to free audio editor on Linux for over two decades. It handles multi-track recording, noise reduction, equalization, compression, and dozens of effects. Import and export MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, and more. It is not a full music production app, but for voice recording, podcast editing, and audio cleanup it is hard to beat without spending money.
- Multi-track recording with real-time monitoring
- Noise reduction, normalization, compression, and EQ effects
- Export to MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, and more
- LADSPA, LV2, and VST3 plugin support
Quick Tip: Use Effect > Noise Reduction to clean up microphone background noise. Record a few seconds of silence first, then use that as the noise profile, it dramatically cleans up spoken recordings.
Install Command:
Best For: Music listeners who want access to 100 million+ tracks, playlists, and podcasts with an official native Linux app.
Why Choose It? Spotify maintains an official Linux client and ships it as a Snap that auto-updates. It runs on Wayland, integrates with GNOME’s media controls in the top bar, and supports system media keys. The free tier works with ads; Premium removes them and enables offline playback and higher audio quality.
- 100 million+ songs and 5 million podcasts
- GNOME media integration, control playback from the top bar
- System media key support (play, pause, next, previous)
- Collaborative playlists and Spotify Connect for multi-device control
Quick Tip: Enable “High Quality Streaming” in Settings > Audio Quality if you are on Premium and have a good connection, the difference on good headphones is noticeable.
Install Command:
Best For: Screen recording, live streaming, and anyone creating tutorial or gameplay content on Ubuntu.
Why Choose It? OBS Studio is the standard for screen recording and live streaming on Linux. It records Wayland sessions on Ubuntu 26.04, which fixes a common older screen recording problem. You can combine cameras, windows, images, browser sources, and audio in one scene, then stream directly to Twitch, YouTube, and other platforms.
- Wayland support via PipeWire screen capture on Ubuntu 26.04
- Multi-scene composition with unlimited sources per scene
- Hardware encoding via NVENC (NVIDIA) and VA-API (AMD/Intel)
- Direct streaming to Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and custom RTMP
Quick Tip: Use the Auto-Configuration Wizard (Tools menu) when you first set up OBS, it benchmarks your hardware and recommends encoder settings, saving you a lot of manual tweaking.
Install Command:
🎨 Top Creative
Best For: Photo editing, image retouching, graphic design, and anyone who needs Photoshop-level tools for free.
Why Choose It? GIMP is the most capable free image editor available on Linux. Layers, masks, curves, levels, healing brush, clone tool, scripted editing tools, it covers the professional image editing workflow. It is not a Photoshop clone in terms of interface, but the toolset is comparable, and the learning curve pays off for serious image work.
- Formats: PSD, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, WebP, SVG, and more
- Full layer and mask workflow with blend modes
- Script-Fu and Python-Fu scripting for automation
- GEGL-based color management for high bit-depth editing
Quick Tip: Go to Windows > Single-Window Mode to switch GIMP from its default floating panel layout to a unified workspace, much less overwhelming for new users.
Install Command:
Best For: Digital artists, illustrators, and concept artists who want professional painting tools built specifically for drawing.
Why Choose It? Krita is designed from the ground up for digital painting rather than photo editing. It has one of the best brush engines available in any software, free or paid, with pressure sensitivity, tilt support, and a massive library of brush presets. It includes an animation timeline for frame-by-frame 2D animation, making it useful for illustrators who also create animated content.
- Brush engine: 100+ presets, pressure/tilt sensitivity, custom brush creation
- 2D animation timeline built in
- Non-destructive layer effects and masks
- HDR painting and wide color gamut support
Quick Tip: Enable “Wrap Around Mode” (W key) when creating seamless textures or patterns, it shows how the edges tile without having to duplicate the canvas manually.
Install Command:
Best For: Logo design, icon creation, technical illustrations, and any work that needs to scale to any size without quality loss.
Why Choose It? Inkscape is the primary free vector graphics editor on Linux. Its native format is SVG, which is the web standard for scalable graphics. It handles bezier curves, boolean operations, path effects, text on a path, and a node editor with the depth expected from a professional vector tool. Export to PDF, PNG, EPS, and more.
- File format: SVG, open standard, editable in any text editor
- Full bezier and spiro curve editing with node tool
- Boolean operations: union, difference, intersection, exclusion
- Export to PNG, PDF, EPS, and DXF
Quick Tip: Use Object > Objects panel (not Layers) for a full tree of all objects in your document, much easier to select and manage complex illustrations than hunting on the canvas.
Install Command:
Best For: 3D modeling, animation, visual effects, game asset creation, architectural visualization, and video editing.
Why Choose It? Blender is a complete 3D creation suite used in professional film production, game development, and commercial advertising. It is fully open source and free. On Ubuntu 26.04 it can use NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel graphics cards to render projects faster. The learning curve is steep but the depth is genuine.
- Includes: 3D modeling, rigging, animation, rendering, visual effects, and video editing tools
- Cycles and EEVEE render engines, high-quality and live preview
- Geometry Nodes for building repeatable 3D effects
- Python scripting for repeated tasks and add-ons
Quick Tip: Press N to open the side properties panel, and Numpad 5 to toggle between flat and depth view, two shortcuts that make navigation significantly faster when you are starting out.
Install Command:
💬 Top Communication Apps
Best For: Anyone who wants a powerful desktop email client that handles multiple accounts, calendars, and tasks in one place.
Why Choose It? Thunderbird is the most complete free email client on Linux. It handles standard email accounts for any email provider, supports multiple accounts in a unified inbox, has a full calendar (Lightning), task manager, and private encryption that only you can read via built-in message encryption built in. The 2024-2025 redesign brought a significantly improved interface that is much more competitive with modern email clients.
- Multi-account: Gmail, Outlook, ProtonMail Bridge, and any IMAP/SMTP server
- Built-in built-in message encryption email encryption
- Calendar, tasks, and contacts included
- Add-ons for extended functionality
Quick Tip: Set up Unified Folders view (View > Folders > Unified) to see all inbox, sent, and drafts folders across all accounts in one place, much faster than switching between accounts manually.
Install Command:
Best For: Private messaging, anyone who wants encrypted text, voice, and video calls without their conversations being stored or sold.
Why Choose It? Signal uses private encryption that only you can read for all messages and calls by default, no opt-in required. Messages are not stored on Signal’s servers. The desktop app for Linux is a proper native application, not a website in an app window. It links to your phone and keeps everything in sync. For privacy-conscious users, Signal is the most credible messaging option available on any platform.
- Private encryption on all messages, calls, and file transfers by default
- Disappearing messages with configurable timers
- Note to Self for encrypted personal notes synced across devices
- Open source, the protocol and app are publicly reviewable
Quick Tip: Enable Note to Self as a private scratch pad. It syncs securely across your Signal devices, making it a useful place for sensitive notes you only need temporarily.
Install Command:
echo ‘deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/signal-desktop-keyring.gpg] https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt xenial main’ | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/signal-xenial.list
sudo apt update && sudo apt install signal-desktop
Best For: Community participation, gaming coordination, developer communities, and team communication with voice channels.
Why Choose It? Discord has become the standard for community communication across gaming, open source projects, developer teams, and hobbyist groups. The Linux desktop client is officially maintained and receives regular updates. It handles text channels, voice channels, video calls, screen sharing, and file sharing in one place. Most Linux and Ubuntu communities have active Discord servers.
- Text, voice, and video channels in organized servers
- Screen sharing and Go Live streaming
- Threads, forums, and stage channels for structured communities
- Bots and integrations for automation and notifications
Quick Tip: Use Ctrl+K to open the quick switcher, type a server or channel name to jump to it instantly without scrolling through the sidebar.
Install Command:
Best For: Professional video meetings, client calls, webinars, and any meeting where the other party is using Zoom.
Why Choose It? Zoom maintains an official Linux client with full feature parity to the Windows version. It handles large meetings, webinars, breakout rooms, whiteboard, and screen sharing reliably. For professional and enterprise contexts where meeting invitations come as Zoom links, having the native client installed is the practical choice.
- HD video and audio with noise cancellation
- Screen sharing with annotation tools
- Breakout rooms, polls, and waiting room
- Virtual background support on Linux
Quick Tip: Press Alt+A to toggle your microphone mute during a call, faster than reaching for the on-screen button, and works even when Zoom is not the focused window.
Install Command:
🔒 Top Security Apps
Best For: Storing and managing passwords securely across all your devices with private encryption that only you can read and a fully auditable open-source codebase.
Why Choose It? Bitwarden is open source, you can audit exactly how your passwords are handled. It uses AES-256 encryption with a design where the company cannot read your password vault, meaning even Bitwarden cannot read your password vault. The free tier includes unlimited passwords across unlimited devices, which is genuinely unusual for a password manager. Browser extensions, mobile apps, and the desktop app all sync automatically.
- Private by design: Passwords are locked and unlocked on your own device
- Browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, and Brave
- Secure notes, identity cards, and payment card storage
- Self-hosting option via Vaultwarden for complete data ownership
Quick Tip: Enable the emergency access feature and designate a trusted contact, if you lose access to your account, they can request access after a waiting period you define, which prevents permanent lockout.
Install Command:
Best For: Anyone who wants automatic system snapshots so they can roll back after a bad update, driver issue, or configuration mistake.
Why Choose It? Timeshift takes RSYNC or BTRFS restore points of your system partition on a schedule. If a system update breaks something, a core system issue, a broken driver, a bad package setting, you can restore to a previous working state in minutes. Install it right after setting up Ubuntu 26.04, before you start customizing. You want a clean snapshot as your baseline.
- RSYNC and BTRFS restore point snapshot modes, works on any Ubuntu file system
- Scheduled snapshots: hourly, daily, weekly, monthly
- Restore from live session if the system will not boot
- Excludes /home by default, protects system files without duplicating personal data
Quick Tip: Take a manual snapshot immediately before any major system update or kernel change, gives you a clean restore point if anything goes wrong during the update process.
Install Command:
Best For: Users who want a simple graphical interface to manage Ubuntu’s built-in UFW firewall without memorizing command-line syntax.
Why Choose It? Ubuntu ships with UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) but it is disabled by default and managed via the terminal. Gufw gives you a clean GUI to enable the firewall, add rules, and see active connections without needing to remember UFW command syntax. For desktop users who are not system administrators, it is the easiest way to actually get firewall protection active and configured correctly.
- Simple toggle to enable/disable the UFW firewall
- Add rules by application name, port, or service
- Incoming and outgoing rule management
- Activity log showing blocked and allowed connections
Quick Tip: Set the default policy to “Deny incoming, Allow outgoing” as your starting point, this blocks unsolicited inbound connections while allowing normal outbound traffic. Then add specific allow rules only for services you actually run.
Install Command:
Best For: Scanning files and email attachments for malware, especially useful when handling files from Windows users or running a mail server.
Why Choose It? Linux does not require antivirus for the same reasons Windows does, but ClamAV is useful in specific situations: you handle files that will be passed to Windows machines, you run a file server or mail relay, or you want to scan downloads before opening them. It is the standard open-source antivirus engine used in mail servers and security appliances worldwide, and it runs well on Ubuntu 26.04.
- On-demand file and directory scanning
- Daily signature updates via freshclam
- Used widely in mail server deployments for attachment scanning
- ClamTk provides a graphical front-end if you prefer GUI over terminal
Quick Tip: Run sudo freshclam before scanning to ensure you have the latest virus definitions. Definitions update daily, so an old database will miss recent threats.
Install Command:
⚙️ Top System Tools
Best For: GNOME users who want access to customization options that are not exposed in the default Settings app.
Why Choose It? GNOME Tweaks unlocks settings that Canonical and the GNOME team deliberately removed from the main Settings app. You can change fonts system-wide, swap the window button layout, disable animations for a snappier feel, install and activate GNOME Shell themes, and manage apps that start when you log in. It is one of the first things to install after a fresh Ubuntu 26.04 setup.
- System-wide font changes for interface, document, and monospace fonts
- Window titlebar button layout customization
- Enable/disable GNOME Shell animations
- Theme management for Shell, applications, icons, and cursors
Quick Tip: Pair GNOME Tweaks with the GNOME Extensions app (also installable via apt) for the full customization toolkit, Tweaks handles visual settings, Extensions handles extra features.
Install Command:
Best For: Monitoring system resources, managing startup apps, clearing cache, and uninstalling packages, all from a clean dashboard interface.
Why Choose It? Stacer gives you a visual dashboard for things that normally require multiple terminal commands or separate tools. CPU, RAM, and disk usage at a glance, startup application management, apt package uninstaller, cache cleaner, and service manager are all in one window. It is particularly useful for users coming from Windows who are used to Task Manager-style system monitoring.
- Real-time CPU, RAM, disk, and network usage graphs
- Startup app manager, enable or disable services that run at login
- App uninstaller with package search
- Cache and log file cleaner
Quick Tip: Use the Services tab to disable services you do not need running at startup, bluetooth if you never use it, for example, which can reduce boot time and background resource use on low-spec machines.
Install Command:
Best For: Freeing up disk space by cleaning browser caches, application logs, temporary files, and old package data in one operation.
Why Choose It? BleachBit cleans junk files from dozens of applications at once, browser caches, Firefox and Chrome session data, LibreOffice history, apt saved installer files, thumbnail cache, and more. It can also securely overwrite free disk space and shred individual files so they cannot be recovered. Useful on systems where disk space is limited or privacy of deleted files matters.
- Cleans cache for Firefox, Chrome, Brave, LibreOffice, and more
- apt saved installer files cleanup, recovers significant space after updates
- Secure file shredder for individual files
- Preview mode shows what will be deleted before you commit
Quick Tip: Always run the Preview first before Clean, BleachBit shows exactly what it will delete and how much space it will recover. This prevents accidentally wiping something you actually needed.
Install Command:
Best For: Managing and restricting permissions for Flatpak applications, controlling what each app can access on your system.
Why Choose It? Ubuntu 26.04’s App Center uses Flatpak, so many apps now run with tighter access rules. Flatseal gives you a simple way to review and change what each Flatpak app can use, including files, network access, devices, and deeper system features. It is the Flatpak version of Android’s app permissions screen.
- Per-app permission view for every installed Flatpak
- Toggle file, network, device, and system permissions
- Add or remove access to specific directories
- Reset permissions to defaults if something breaks
Quick Tip: If a Flatpak app cannot access a folder you want it to use (for example a media folder outside your home directory), open Flatseal and add that path to the app’s file access permissions instead of granting full file system access.
Install Command:
Quick Reference Table
| App | Category | Install | License | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefox | Browser | Pre-installed | Free/OSS | General browsing, extensions |
| Brave | Browser | .deb script | Free | Privacy, ad blocking |
| LibreOffice | Productivity | apt | Free/OSS | Office suite, MS Office compat |
| Obsidian | Productivity | Snap | Free personal | Note-taking, knowledge base |
| VS Code | Development | Snap / .deb | Free | All languages, extensions |
| Docker | Development | apt | Free/OSS | Isolated app testing, developer setups |
| VLC | Media | Snap / apt | Free/OSS | All video/audio formats |
| OBS Studio | Media | apt | Free/OSS | Recording, streaming |
| GIMP | Creative | apt | Free/OSS | Photo editing, retouching |
| Blender | Creative | Snap | Free/OSS | 3D modeling, animation |
| Signal | Communication | apt repo | Free/OSS | Encrypted private messaging |
| Bitwarden | Security | Snap | Free/OSS | Password management |
| Timeshift | Security | apt | Free/OSS | System snapshots, rollback |
| GNOME Tweaks | System Tools | apt | Free/OSS | Desktop customization |
Which Apps Should You Install First?
Start with GNOME Tweaks, Timeshift, and Brave. Tweaks unlocks customization, Timeshift creates your first system snapshot before anything else changes, and Brave gives you a privacy-focused browser immediately.
Install LibreOffice or OnlyOffice for your documents, Thunderbird for email, and Bitwarden for passwords. These three replace the most common Windows daily-use apps directly.
Install VS Code or Zed, then Docker, then Postman. That covers editing, app testing, and API testing, the core three for most server-side and full project work.
Install OBS Studio for recording, Audacity for audio editing, and Kdenlive for video editing. All three are free, mature, and used by working content creators.
Install GIMP for photo editing, Inkscape for vector work, and Krita for digital painting. Together they cover the full design toolset without paying for Adobe CC.
Install Bitwarden for passwords, Gufw to enable and configure the firewall, and Timeshift for system snapshots. These three give you the most protection for the least effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best browser for Ubuntu 26.04?
Firefox comes pre-installed and is the most reliable choice for general use. Brave is the top pick for privacy, it blocks ads and trackers at the engine level without any extensions required. Chromium is the open-source Chrome alternative for users who want the same browser core as Chrome without Google account integration or usage tracking.
Does Ubuntu 26.04 come with LibreOffice?
Ubuntu 26.04 includes LibreOffice in the Expanded Selection during installation. If you chose the minimal install, add it by running: sudo apt install libreoffice. LibreOffice 25.8 is the version that ships with Ubuntu 26.04.
What is the best code editor for Ubuntu 26.04?
VS Code is the most widely used editor on Linux, it has the largest extension library, built-in Git integration, and runs natively on Ubuntu 26.04 with Wayland support. Zed is a newer, Rust-built editor that opens and operates significantly faster than VS Code, with built-in AI and multiplayer editing. Both are worth installing and trying side by side.
Is Spotify available on Ubuntu 26.04?
Yes. Spotify has an official Snap package for Ubuntu. Install it with: sudo snap install spotify. The app runs natively on Ubuntu 26.04, supports Wayland, and integrates with GNOME’s media controls in the system top bar.
What is the best video editing software for Ubuntu 26.04?
Kdenlive is the most capable free timeline-based video editor on Linux, with broad format support and a full timeline workflow. Blender includes a video editor alongside its 3D tools, which is useful for layered visual effects. OBS Studio is the standard for screen recording and live streaming rather than editing finished videos.
How do I install apps on Ubuntu 26.04?
Ubuntu 26.04 supports three main install methods. apt is for traditional .deb packages from Ubuntu’s software sources: sudo apt install appname. snap is for app packages that run with extra access limits: sudo snap install appname. Flatpak is available via the App Center for apps that run with extra access limits from Flathub. Most apps in this list have their recommended install method listed in the install command section.
What is the best password manager for Ubuntu 26.04?
Bitwarden is the top recommendation, fully open source, works across devices, and available as a Snap, .deb, or browser extension. It uses private encryption, meaning only you can read your password vault. The free tier covers unlimited passwords across unlimited devices, which is genuinely rare. For users who want complete self-hosting, Vaultwarden is a lightweight self-hosted Bitwarden-compatible server.
More Ubuntu 26.04 guides: Download Ubuntu 26.04 LTS · Upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04 · Ubuntu 26.04 Flavors Compared · Best Ubuntu 26.04 Themes · What’s New in Ubuntu 26.04
