I have been editing on Linux for years, and every time a friend asks me which video editor they should try first, my answer is Kdenlive. It is KDE’s Non-Linear Video Editor, it is free and open source, it runs on GNU/Linux, Windows, and BSD, and the project is still shipping major releases. The current stable release is 26.08.0, which landed on the official download page on August 20, 2026. Feeling ambitious, I installed it on this very machine, tested the main installation routes myself, and wrote this guide around what worked, what lagged behind, and what you should skip.
Also read: Best free video editors for Linux
Quick recommendations
If you want the fastest current release, use Flatpak or the AppImage, both at 26.08.0. If you prefer the Snap Store’s auto-updates, it works, but stable sits at 26.04.3, a couple of minor releases behind. Distro repositories vary widely, so I put them in a table below. And a heads-up from experience: if you read an older guide that tells you to use the kdenlive-stable PPA, skip it. The PPA is frozen at 23.08.5 and the official documentation states PPA support ended with release 24.02. I confirmed this while researching this refresh.
Universal installation methods
These three routes work on essentially any modern Linux distribution.
Install Kdenlive on Flatpak (recommended)
Flatpak is the route I recommend, and it is the one most people actually ask about. Make sure flatpak is installed and the Flathub remote is added (instructions at managing Flatpak permissions with Flatseal walk through the Flatpak basics), then run:
flatpak install flathub org.kde.kdenlive
flatpak run org.kde.kdenliveFlathub currently ships org.kde.kdenlive 26.08.0, released 2026-08-20, so you get the latest build with sandboxed updates. That is the combination I prefer for an editor I use critical work in.
Install Kdenlive via AppImage
The official download page serves a 26.08.0 AppImage that is about 205 MB. Download it, make it executable, run it. If you are new to the format, my guide on installing AppImages on Linux covers everything including desktop-entry creation. The AppImage is my pick when I want to test a new Kdenlive release without touching my system packages.
Install Kdenlive from the Snap Store
Snap is the simplest one-liner and what the previous version of this article led with:
sudo snap install kdenliveI ran this on an Ubuntu system and it works exactly as advertised. One honest caveat: Snap stable is at 26.04.3 while Flatpak and Arch are at 26.08.0. If being on the latest release matters to you, keep that in mind.
Install Kdenlive from distro repositories
Your distribution’s own repos are often the easiest option, but versions differ a lot. Here is what I verified against the official trackers today:
- Arch Linux: extra/kdenlive 26.08.0-1 (current).
- Fedora: kdenlive 26.08.0-1 in stable updates via Bodhi.
- Debian: testing and unstable carry 26.08.0-1; stable (trixie) sits at 24.12.3.
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS: 23.08.5 (the older Qt5 build). Newer Ubuntu releases carry 25.12.3.
On Arch, pacman handles it with sudo pacman -S kdenlive. On Ubuntu or Mint, apt is sudo apt install kdenlive. If you run KDE Plasma, my guide on installing KDE on Linux Mint pairs well with this. Mint users specifically get a well-integrated KDE environment that fits Kdenlive nicely.
Standalone vs installable: which Kdenlive package?
The official download page now distinguishes between the standalone and installable editions of Kdenlive 26.08.0. Standalone packages (Windows installer, macOS) bundle everything; on Linux the practical distinction is between a self-contained AppImage (standalone) and the package-managed routes like Flatpak, Snap, and distro repos (installable). My rule of thumb: AppImage for trying it out, Flatpak for daily use, distro repos if you want tight integration and accept the older version, Snap if you live in the Snap ecosystem.
A note on the old PPA instructions
The original version of this article recommended a personal package archive. That guidance is now outdated: the kdenlive-stable PPA’s maintainers state that 23.08.5 is the last published version and the PPA is no longer officially maintained, and the Kdenlive manual confirms PPA support ended with release 24.02. The official download page no longer lists a PPA channel. If you have it added, remove it and move to Flatpak or AppImage for current versions.
First launch and what to expect
After launching, Kdenlive greets you with a configuration wizard where you confirm your camera and screen-recording capture settings and set your default project folder. The interface will feel familiar if you have used any non-linear editor: project bin on the left, timeline center, effects on the right. For a deeper tool comparison, my roundup of the best free video editors for Linux places Kdenlive against Shotcut and OpenShot, and my OBS guide covers installing OBS on Linux if your need is mostly screen capture.
For the workflow around your videos, I reach for yt-dlp for downloading source footage, and when an edit is mostly trimming interviews I also use Plumber, a lightweight Linux video editor. For playback checks I keep VLC handy, and I run it in the dark theme using VLC’s dark mode. And if you record your screen as part of your content workflow, my list of the best screen recorders for Linux covers the capture side.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Kdenlive? A free and open-source non-linear video editor developed by the KDE community, available for Linux, Windows, and BSD.
- Is Kdenlive safe? Yes. It is packaged by KDE official channels: Flathub, Snapcraft, AppImage, and the major distro repositories, all of which verify and sign their builds.
- Does Kdenlive use the GPU? Yes. It renders effects and previews through hardware acceleration where drivers allow, which I notice most on timeline scrubbing with effects stacked.
- Why is the Snap version older? The snap release cycle lags briefly behind upstream. Flatpak and the AppImage currently ship 26.08.0.
That covers every current way to install Kdenlive on Linux, including the methods the distributions maintain and the one you should now avoid. If you are installing it today, my honest recommendation is Flatpak for the 26.08.0 build, and the AppImage when you just want to kick the tires. Happy editing.