How to Install the Opera Web Browser on Linux

While most Linux distributions come with Firefox, every major web browser now has a Linux version—even Microsoft’s own Edge. With Chromium-based browsers becoming the web’s de facto default, Linux users may need one to supplement Firefox.

Opera is a great Chromium-based alternative, and it’s been around even longer than Firefox. It includes modern staples like sync and ad-blocking, plus VPN and a crypto wallet. The unique Workspaces feature, which brings virtual desktop-like organization to your web browser, is truly a killer.

Let’s go over the various ways to install the Opera browser on Linux.

Downloading Opera on Linux

Opera is available on a wide variety of platforms, in fact, it’s one of our top picks for Android. There are several official Linux packages offered. These include DEB for Debian- and Ubuntu-based distributions, RPM for Red Hat derivatives like Fedora, and Snap for Ubuntu or any other distro supporting it.

Download: Opera DEB | RPM | Snap (Free)

While not an official package, Opera is also available for Arch-based distributions like Manjaro Linux.

Installing Opera on Linux Using the CLI

To install Opera via the command line, first, download the package corresponding to the Linux distribution you’re using. Then, open a terminal window in your Downloads folder and enter the following commands, again, based on the distro installed on your machine:

On Ubuntu and Debian:

sudo dpkg -i ./opera.stable-*_amd64.deb

On RHEL, Fedora, and CentOS:

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

On Snap-supported distros:

sudo snap install opera

On Arch Linux and its derivatives:

sudo pacman -S opera

Press Y or Yes to continue and enter your password if prompted. When the operation completes, you’ll be able to find and launch Opera from the applications menu.

Installing Opera on Linux Using the GUI

It’s easy enough to install Opera using the GUI with either the DEB (for Debian and Ubuntu-based distributions) or RPM (for Red Hat derivatives) packages.

1. First, download the Opera DEB or RPM package, then open your file manager and navigate to the Downloads folder.

2. Right-click the Opera DEB or RPM file and choose Open With Other Application.

3. Choose Software Install, then click Select.

4. Once Software Install opens, click Install, and enter your password when prompted.

5. When the installation completes, open Opera from your applications menu.

You should now have Opera installed on your system! Be sure to check out some of the best privacy add-ons and top productivity extensions to make the most out of it.

Install Opera Graphically on Arch-Based Distros

While not an official version, thankfully, Opera is provided in the official Arch community repository. To install Opera on Manjaro using the graphical package manager:

1. Open your distribution’s GUI package manager (e.g. Add/Remove Software on Manjaro) and search for “opera”.

2. Mark Opera for installation by clicking the Install button, Download button, or checkbox.

3. Select Apply and enter your password if prompted.

Once the installation is complete, you can launch Opera from the applications menu.

Installing Opera Using Snap on Linux

If your distribution supports Snap packages (such as Ubuntu), simply open your package manager (e.g. Discover or Software), search for “Opera”, click Install, and enter your password if prompted. If your distro does not support Snap out-of-the-box, you’ll need to install snapd first.

1. From the link to the Snapcraft Store, click Install, then choose View in Desktop Store. If your browser asks for permission, choose Open Link.

2. An Open With window should appear. Choosing either Snap Store or your distro’s default software manager would work just fine.

3. When your software manager opens, click Install and enter your password if prompted.

Once the installation is complete, Opera should be successfully installed, and you can open it from your applications menu.

Uninstalling Opera on Linux

It’s easy to remove Opera from your system whenever you want.

Uninstalling Opera on Linux Using the CLI

If you want to remove Opera but retain user data, open a terminal and enter the following commands, depending on the Linux distribution you’re using:

On Debian and Ubuntu:

sudo apt remove opera-stable

On RHEL, Fedora, and CentOS:

sudo rpm -e opera-stable

On Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -R opera

If prompted, enter your password and press Y to continue.

If you’ve installed the Snap package, issue the following command to disable the software temporarily:

sudo snap disable opera

When prompted, enter your password and press Y to continue.

On the other hand, if you want to completely remove all traces of Opera from your system, enter the following commands instead:

On Debian and Ubuntu:

sudo apt purge opera-stable

On Fedora, CentOS, and RHEL:

sudo dnf remove opera-stable

On Arch Linux and its derivatives:

sudo pacman -Rns opera

For those who’ve installed the Opera Snap package:

sudo snap remove opera

Removing Opera on Linux Using the GUI

The typical GUI method to remove DEB, RPM, Snap, and Arch packages involve browsing or searching for “opera” using the distribution’s default package manager. Alternatively, you could open the DEB or RPM file you installed to open the package manager directly to the appropriate software page. Once located, click Remove.

Confirm by clicking Uninstall then enter your root password to continue.

Unfortunately, there’s no option to uninstall DEB packages via the GUI method on many recent Ubuntu-based distros. So if you want to remove Opera on Ubuntu or KDE Neon, for instance, the CLI method is the way to go. Meanwhile, the typical GUI method seems to work fine with RPM and Snap packages as well as on Arch-based distros.

You Can Easily Install Opera on Linux!

Unless you’re using a fringe distribution, the aforementioned steps should have helped you install the Opera browser on Linux successfully. The exact process to install the software might be a bit different for each distribution family, but the basic steps are more or less the same.

While Opera is a cutting-edge web browser, it might not be for everyone. You can opt for another similar browser like Vivaldi if you want.