How to Install Opera on Linux

How to Install Opera on Linux

Opera’s Linux download page separates its recommended download from the package-format options. That distinction leaves me weighing which option a Linux distribution can manage.

Compare Opera’s download options with your distribution. Choose the package it can manage.

Choose the Opera package for your Linux distribution

Opera’s Linux download page offers a recommended download, plus separate RPM and Snap options. Choose the package your distribution can manage, because that choice controls how Opera receives updates.

Opera for Linux download page with RPM and Snap links
Opera for Linux download card with a Download now button and RPM and Snap links.

Check Opera’s Linux requirements

Opera lists 64-bit Ubuntu 18.04 or later, Debian 10 or later, Fedora 32 or later, and openSUSE 15.2 or later in its Linux requirements. The same page specifies an Intel Pentium 4 or newer processor with Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (SSE3).

Distribution familyPackage to chooseInstall tool
Ubuntu or DebianDEBAdvanced Package Tool (APT)
FedoraRPMDandified YUM (DNF)
openSUSERPMZypper
Another distribution with Snap supportSnapSnap

The vendor lists base distributions rather than every derivative release, so check your version and processor against its requirements before installing. Mint and Kali use Debian-family packages, but Opera does not name them separately on that requirements page.

Install Opera with its package manager

Use one route for your system rather than installing several package formats. The DEB or RPM route adds Opera to your distribution’s package upgrades, while Snap fits when snapd is already available.

Step 1: Install the DEB on Ubuntu or Debian

Download the DEB from Opera’s Linux page. Open the saved file in your distribution’s software installer for a graphical install, or use APT in a terminal.

The DEB package installation guide covers this local-file workflow.

sudo apt install ./opera-stable_*_amd64.deb

Keep only the DEB you mean to install in Downloads, or replace the wildcard with its exact filename. Opera’s Debian repository notes say its DEB configures the Opera APT repository, so later APT upgrades can install browser updates.

APT also resolves dependencies that direct dpkg installation does not resolve for you.

Step 2: Install the RPM on Fedora or openSUSE

Choose RPM on Opera’s download page and install the downloaded file with the package manager for your distribution. Fedora uses DNF, while openSUSE’s Zypper documentation shows how to install a local RPM by its path.

sudo dnf install ./opera-stable_*_amd64.rpm

Fedora documents DNF in its package-manager guide. The LinuxForDevices DNF command reference covers its command-line options, and Opera’s RPM repository page confirms that installing its RPM configures the repository on Fedora and openSUSE.

sudo zypper install ./opera-stable_*_amd64.rpm

Step 3: Install the Snap on a Snap-enabled distribution

Opera’s Snap Store listing provides the install command and links to snapd setup instructions for each distribution. Once Snap support is set up, install Opera with:

sudo snap install opera

When installation finishes, launch Opera from your desktop’s application menu.

Fix the package errors that stop installation

The package filename and your system’s architecture are the first things to check when an install command fails. Match the message to the package you downloaded before switching package managers.

  • APT cannot find the file. Run the command from the directory where the DEB was saved, and make sure its name matches the wildcard. A missing local file is different from an unavailable repository package.
  • The package has the wrong architecture. Opera’s current official DEB and RPM downloads are amd64, and its requirements specify SSE3. A different package manager will not make an incompatible CPU or architecture supported.
  • Snap reports that snapd is missing. Follow Snap’s instructions for your distribution, then run the Opera install command again. The Pacman guide covers Arch’s native package tool, and Opera’s Snap listing supplies the Arch-specific snapd setup steps.

Remove Opera with the tool that installed it

Use the same package manager when you remove Opera, so the system removes the package from the source that installed it. Ubuntu users can also review the guide to uninstalling Ubuntu packages with APT and Snap.

Install methodRemoval command
DEB on Ubuntu or Debiansudo apt remove opera-stable
RPM on Fedorasudo dnf remove opera-stable
RPM on openSUSEsudo zypper remove opera-stable
Snapsudo snap remove opera

Keep Opera updates with the package source

The DEB and RPM installers configure Opera’s repositories, while Snap manages its own refreshes. If you installed the Snap and want to apply an available Opera update now, run:

sudo snap refresh opera

For a DEB or RPM install, use your distribution’s package upgrade command to receive updates from Opera’s configured repository.

Opera on Linux questions

Can I install Opera on Arch Linux?

Opera’s Snap Store listing includes Arch-specific setup instructions for snapd, so you can install the Opera Snap if Snap support is configured. The official Linux download page does not list a native Arch package.

Is Opera GX available for Linux?

Yes. Opera lists Opera GX for Linux separately, with its own RPM, Snap, and Flathub options. Download Opera GX from its own product entry rather than using the standard Opera package in this guide.

Does Opera support ARM-based Linux systems?

Opera’s published Linux requirements specify an Intel Pentium 4 or newer processor with SSE3, and its current official DEB and RPM downloads are amd64 packages. The listed requirements do not provide an ARM-native package path.