How to Install MATLAB on Linux

To install MATLAB on Linux, download the Linux installer from MathWorks, extract it, run the installer from the extracted folder, and sign in with the account that holds your license or trial. The installer is graphical, so the decision that changes the path is where you want MATLAB installed: use a folder you own to avoid sudo, or use a shared system folder only when you need an administrator-managed installation.

What you need before you start

MATLAB is proprietary software. You need a MathWorks account connected to a license, an organization entitlement, or a trial before the download page can provide the Linux installer.

• A supported Linux system. Check the MathWorks Linux system requirements for your MATLAB release before downloading.
• A graphical desktop session. The interactive installer opens a window.
• Enough disk space for MATLAB and the toolboxes you select. The installer downloads only the products you choose.

I confirmed that the refresh machine reports x86_64 and glibc 2.41, but I could not run the proprietary installer because its download requires a licensed MathWorks sign-in. The commands below follow MathWorks documentation for R2026a and should be run after you download the archive that belongs to your account.

Check your machine before the download

Use this check to record the processor architecture and glibc version before you select a MATLAB release. Compare the result with the MathWorks requirements for that release.

uname -m && ldd --version | head -n 1

Download the Linux installer

Open the MathWorks Downloads page and sign in. If your university or employer provides MATLAB, use the email address associated with that organization so the installer can see the assigned license.

Select Linux and the release you need. MathWorks uses release names such as R2026a, and the download filename can change, so use the filename shown by your account rather than copying an older archive name from another tutorial.

Extract the MATLAB archive

Open a terminal in the directory that contains the downloaded archive. This example matches the R2026a filename in MathWorks’ installation documentation.

unzip matlab_R2026a_Linux.zip -d ./matlab_R2026a_Linux
cd ./matlab_R2026a_Linux

If your downloaded filename differs, change both occurrences while keeping the extracted folder and the cd command aligned. Do not use a package from an unofficial mirror, because MATLAB licensing and activation are part of a supported installation.

Run the installer with the right permissions

Run the install script from the extracted directory. When you choose a destination that your account can write to, start it as your normal user.

./install

Choose a folder under your home directory if MATLAB is only for you. That keeps the installation and later updates within your account’s permissions.

For a shared location such as the default /usr/local/MATLAB/R20XXy folder, MathWorks documents running the graphical installer as root. The xhost commands temporarily grant root access to your graphical display, then remove it when the installer closes.

xhost +SI:localuser:root
sudo -H ./install
xhost -SI:localuser:root

Use this path only when the target folder needs root access. If the installer opens without sudo and your chosen directory is writable, there is no reason to elevate it.

Finish activation and choose products

The installer asks you to sign in, select an available license, accept the license agreement, choose the install folder, and select MATLAB products and toolboxes. Pick only the toolboxes you need now, because you can add licensed products later through MathWorks.

Keep the installer connected to the internet until it completes. If your account does not show a license, ask your university or company administrator which MathWorks account or activation method applies to your entitlement.

Start MATLAB after installation

Start MATLAB from the bin directory inside the folder you selected. Replace R2026a with the release that you installed.

/path/to/MATLAB/R2026a/bin/matlab

A default system-wide installation normally uses /usr/local/MATLAB/R20XXy. If the desktop does not open, check that your DISPLAY environment variable is set and revisit the Linux requirements for your release.

When the installer does not open

Start by checking whether you are in a graphical session and whether the archive extracted successfully. A remote SSH session without graphical forwarding cannot display the interactive installer.

On Wayland, the installer can need an Xwayland-compatible session. For a supported answer that matches your release and distribution, use MathWorks installation support rather than applying library replacements copied from distribution-specific forums.

Next step

Launch MATLAB from its bin directory once, confirm that the desktop opens, then create a launcher or a shell alias only after that command works. This keeps a startup shortcut from hiding an installation or licensing issue.