How to Install Joplin on Ubuntu

Joplin Desktop is the graphical notes app this guide installs: Markdown notebooks, attachments, optional sync, and optional end-to-end encryption. It is not Joplin Terminal (CLI client) and not Joplin Server (self-hosted sync backend).

The steps below were run on Ubuntu 26.04 with Joplin 3.7.21. The same packaging choices work on 24.04 and 22.04. Pick one install method and stick with it—each format can use a different profile directory, so switching packages without a backup can look like an empty app even when your notes still exist elsewhere.

Quick answer

Joplin’s Linux install documentation recommends the official install script. It downloads the current AppImage (a self-contained Linux application file) into ~/.joplin and registers a desktop launcher—it does not install Joplin through Ubuntu’s APT repositories.

Run the script as your normal desktop user (not with sudo):

wget -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Joplin_install_and_update.sh | bash

That command downloads Joplin’s installation script from the project’s GitHub repository and runs it with Bash. Because wget | bash executes downloaded code immediately, use this exact upstream URL—not a copy from an unknown mirror.

Current Joplin 3.7.10+ AppImages use a newer AppImage runtime; the official installer no longer runs the old FUSE 2 dependency check that Ubuntu guides used to pair with libfuse2t64 on 24.04 and 26.04. On the 26.04 lab that meant 3.7.21 installed without installing FUSE packages first—a practical difference from older ranking pages that still mandate libfuse2t64 or --no-sandbox for every install.

If you want the method supported by the Joplin project, use the official script. Snap and Flatpak are convenient, community-maintained alternatives with separate update channels and profile directories.

Before you install Joplin

This guide installs Joplin Desktop, the graphical note-taking application—not Joplin Terminal or Joplin Server.

The official Linux method stores an AppImage under your home directory and adds a menu launcher. Snap and Flatpak are alternative Linux packaging systems: they keep apps more isolated from the base system and manage updates separately from normal apt packages.

You need:

• A graphical Ubuntu desktop (GNOME, KDE, Xfce, etc.)
• Outbound HTTPS to GitHub (script), snapcraft.io, or flathub.org
• x86_64 (64-bit Intel/AMD) for the official installer
• A normal desktop user account for the script (not root)

Use check Ubuntu version if you are unsure whether you run 22.04, 24.04, or 26.04.

Joplin Desktop vs Terminal vs Server

Choose an installation method

This page does not add a third-party community APT repository (unlike some competitor guides). Provenance stays: official script first, then well-known community stores.

Ubuntu ARM64 systems

The official installer exits on ARM Linux and states that ARM is not officially supported by that script.

On Ubuntu ARM64 (aarch64), use a community packaging method—for example Flatpak, which publishes an aarch64 build on Flathub. For Snap, check architecture support on the Snap Store page before you install; community Snaps may lag or receive less testing on ARM than on x86_64.

Install Joplin with the official Linux installer

The script downloads the latest stable release from GitHub, places Joplin.AppImage under ~/.joplin by default, and creates ~/.local/share/applications/appimagekit-joplin.desktop. It removes the legacy joplin.desktop filename if an older install left it behind.

Install wget when the pipe fails because wget is missing:

wget -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/laurent22/joplin/dev/Joplin_install_and_update.sh | bash

On the 26.04 lab the script reported:

Checking architecture...
Checking dependencies...
The latest version is 3.7.21, but you have no version installed.
Downloading Joplin...
Installing Joplin...
OK
Joplin version 3.7.21 installed.

Do not run the script as root unless you pass --allow-root; Joplin documents running it as your desktop user.

FUSE and older AppImages: The installer checks for libfuse2 only when the selected release is older than 3.7.10 (see the script on GitHub). 3.7.10+ uses the newer AppImage runtime and skips that check. If you deliberately run an old AppImage or see Error: Can't get libfuse2 from an outdated build, install libfuse2t64 on 24.04/26.04 or libfuse2 on 22.04—current official installs on 3.7.21 should not need that step.

The upstream desktop entry launches the AppImage with APPIMAGELAUNCHER_DISABLE=TRUE—not --no-sandbox. Do not treat --no-sandbox as the normal launch command; several outdated guides still recommend it after the runtime change.

Verify the installed version

After install, read the version file:

cat ~/.joplin/VERSION

3.7.21

Launch Joplin

Open Joplin from the application menu, or run:

~/.joplin/Joplin.AppImage

First launch can take a few seconds while Electron initializes. Confirm the sidebar, notebook list, and editor appear—your install succeeded when the main window loads without errors.

Optional: Install Joplin with Snap

The Snap packages upstream Joplin but is maintained separately by James Carroll—it is not the same as running Joplin’s official installer.

Check the channel before you install (re-run before you publish; stable revisions change):

snap info joplin-desktop

name:      joplin-desktop
publisher: James Carroll*
tracking:  latest/stable
channels:
  latest/stable:    v3.7.21 2026-09-26 (164) 238MB -

Install when apt has provided snapd:

sudo snap install joplin-desktop

Confirm the revision:

snap list joplin-desktop

Name            Version  Rev  Tracking       Publisher       Notes
joplin-desktop  v3.7.21  164  latest/stable  james-carroll*  -

Manual refresh: sudo snap refresh joplin-desktop.

Understand the Snap profile location

Each packaging method can use a different profile (the directory where Joplin stores settings and local note data):

Back up or sync before you switch packaging formats.

Optional: Install Joplin with Flatpak

Flathub lists net.cozic.joplin_desktop as community-provided, unverified, and not affiliated with Laurent Cozic/Joplin.

sudo apt install -y flatpak
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak install flathub net.cozic.joplin_desktop

Check the current Flathub revision on your system:

flatpak remote-info flathub net.cozic.joplin_desktop

Launch from the app menu or with:

flatpak run net.cozic.joplin_desktop

Flathub publishes x86_64 and aarch64 builds. Pick Flatpak or Snap or the official script for daily use.

What about Joplin's official .deb package?

GitHub release assets for current stable include both Joplin-3.7.21.AppImage and Joplin-3.7.21.deb. Joplin’s documentation still recommends the install script for Linux desktop integration and updates.

A manually downloaded .deb can help when you specifically want a Debian package layout, but it does not create an official Joplin APT repository—future updates still mean downloading a new .deb or switching to the script or a community store.

Create your first Joplin notebook

1. Welcome screen — Skip import unless you are migrating from another app.
2. New notebook — Click New notebook in the sidebar and name it (Work, Personal, etc.).
3. New note — Select the notebook, click New note, and type in the editor. Markdown preview is available in the right pane.
4. Optional to-do — Use New to-do for checklist items.
5. Tags — Add tags on a note to filter across notebooks.

Notes stay local-first until you configure sync—installing Joplin does not require a cloud account.

Set up Joplin sync

Sync is optional:

1. Open Tools → Options → Synchronization (menu labels can vary slightly by version).
2. Run Open Sync Wizard and pick a target—Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, WebDAV, Joplin Cloud, or Filesystem (local folder).
3. Sign in or enter server details, then click Synchronize on the toolbar (or set an interval).

Use the same sync target on phones and other computers to mirror notebooks. This guide does not walk through each provider’s OAuth or server setup.

Optional end-to-end encryption

Enable encryption in Joplin’s settings on one device, store the encryption password somewhere safe, then sync. On each additional device, enter the encryption credentials when Joplin prompts you after sync—E2EE is separate from your cloud login password.

Update Joplin

Official AppImage installation

Re-run the install script (same wget | bash line). It fetches the latest stable AppImage when a newer release exists.

Snap

Snap refreshes in the background. Manual update:

sudo snap refresh joplin-desktop

Flatpak

Pull the latest Flathub revision when you manage updates manually:

flatpak update net.cozic.joplin_desktop

Back up Joplin before uninstalling

Export before you remove any package:

1. Open Joplin → File → Export all → JEX.
2. JEX exports your notes, notebooks, tags, and associated resources for migration or restoration—it is the simplest portable backup before you change packaging or delete a profile.
3. Store the .jex file somewhere safe, then uninstall the application packaging.

A full copy of the correct profile directory while Joplin is closed can also work, but you must match the path to your packaging method (AppImage vs Snap vs Flatpak). For most readers, JEX is easier than hand-copying hidden folders.

Uninstall Joplin

Remove only the application layer first. Delete profile directories only after your JEX export and sync are confirmed.

Official AppImage

Remove the AppImage tree and desktop integration files. Check paths carefully—rm -rf permanently deletes the target directory:

rm -rf ~/.joplin
rm -f ~/.local/share/applications/appimagekit-joplin.desktop
rm -f ~/.local/share/applications/joplin.desktop
rm -f ~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/512x512/apps/joplin.png

joplin.desktop is a legacy filename; current installs use appimagekit-joplin.desktop.

Do not run rm -rf ~/.config/joplin-desktop unless you intend to delete the standard Desktop profile after a confirmed backup.

Snap

Export JEX first, then remove the Snap:

sudo snap remove joplin-desktop

Delete ~/snap/joplin-desktop/ only when you intentionally want to remove the Snap’s remaining user profile data.

Flatpak

Uninstall the Flathub application ID:

flatpak uninstall net.cozic.joplin_desktop

Remove ~/.var/app/net.cozic.joplin_desktop/ only when you intend to delete the Flatpak sandbox data.

See how to remove software on Ubuntu for broader package-manager cleanup patterns.

Troubleshooting

Joplin looks empty after switching package types

Do not create or delete notes until you know which profile the old install used:

• Snap: ~/snap/joplin-desktop/current/.config/joplin-desktop/
• Standard Desktop profile (AppImage / desktop .deb): ~/.config/joplin-desktop/
• Flatpak: ~/.var/app/net.cozic.joplin_desktop/

Restore from JEX or sync, then uninstall the unused packaging format.

Summary

On Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04, install Joplin Desktop with the official Linux script (wget | bash as your desktop user). Current 3.7.x releases (for example 3.7.21 on the lab) use the newer AppImage runtime—the installer no longer applies the old FUSE 2 check that still appears in competitor pages mandating libfuse2t64 or --no-sandbox for every Ubuntu install.

Snap and Flatpak are community packages with their own profile locations; they are not upstream’s primary Linux path. Pick one format, export JEX before uninstall, and remember that switching packages can show an empty library when notes live under another directory.

After launch, create a notebook, optionally configure sync, and enable encryption on one device before syncing others. This guide does not install Joplin Server or the Terminal CLI.

References

• Joplin — install (Linux) — official script recommendation
• Joplin — synchronization — sync targets and encryption
• Joplin install script (GitHub) — AppImage, desktop file, FUSE check for releases before 3.7.10
• Snap Store: joplin-desktop — community Snap by James Carroll
• Flathub: net.cozic.joplin_desktop — community Flatpak