How To Install Opera On Linux
Though many have forgotten about it, the Opera web browser is still very much a thing. If you’re wondering how to install Opera on Linux, you’ll be glad to know the process is straightforward and well-supported. The browser is still solid and has gone through some notable changes. For starters, the underlying technology is built with Chromium browser tech (rather than the old Opera rendering engine). In addition to it being built on Google tools, there are small tweaks and changes under the hood that make it a whole new type of browser. If you’ve let go of Opera but want to pick it back up again, you’ll be excited to know that it still has decent Linux support (in the form of Debs and RPM installers). Follow the instructions below to install Opera on Linux.
SPOILER ALERT: Scroll down and watch the video tutorial at the end of this article.
How to Install Opera on Linux: Debian/Ubuntu
Ubuntu and Debian users have two solid options for getting Opera installed. The quickest is to download the opera-stable Deb package directly from Opera’s website and install it manually using dpkg — this is covered below. The better long-term approach, however, is to use Opera’s official apt source, which registers Opera’s repository on your system so that sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade will keep the browser up to date automatically, just like any other system package. Either way, the package you’re working with is called opera-stable. To get the latest package, head over to the official website. Keep in mind that you can’t actually choose the specific version of the Linux package. If you want to download a specific version, go here.
Once the Deb package is done downloading, open up a terminal window and use the CD command to move to the ~/Downloads folder. Then use the dpkg tool to install the Deb file.
Note: Debian users may need to change apt to apt-get.
cd ~/Downloads sudo dpkg -i opera-stable_*_amd64.deb
Just installing the Opera Deb via terminal may not be enough, as sometimes the dpkg tool forgets to install libraries and tools that the browser needs to run. Not to worry! This is an easy fix. Run apt install -f to correct the issue.
sudo apt install -f
When apt install -f finishes, Opera should be ready to go!
Arch Linux Instructions
Currently, on Arch Linux, the only way to use Opera is to install the beta version. For some reason, there aren’t any builds of the current stable release. Though, if you’re an Arch Linux user the chances are good that a beta version of the browser isn’t a big deal. To install it, make sure you have the git package. Then, grab the latest snapshot from the AUR via the git clone command.
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/opera-beta.git
Using the CD command, enter the newly cloned folder.
cd opera-beta
Lastly, use makepkg to generate an installable Arch package. Be sure to add -si to the end of the makepkg command. This will tell the Pacman package tool to install all necessary dependencies and install Opera to the system.
makepkg -si
Keep in mind that because you installed the Opera browser directly from the Arch User Repository, you’ll need to either re-build this package every time there’s an update or install an AUR helper like Yaourt to make updating it easier.
How to Install Opera on Linux: Fedora
Installing Opera on the Fedora Linux operating system is as easy as downloading an RPM file. To get the latest RPM file, head over to the official Opera browser website. Click on the “Download now” button. If for some reason the download site gives you a Debian package instead of a Redhat one, click on the link next to “Prefer the RPM Package?”. Alternatively, if you’re trying to find an older version, go here.
When you’ve got the latest Opera browser RPM file, open up a terminal and use the CD command to move to the ~/Downloads folder.
cd ~/Downloads
Once you’re in the ~/Downloads folder, use the DNF package management tool to install the RPM. This is one of the quickest ways to learn how to install Opera on Linux for Fedora-based systems.
sudo dnf install opera-stable_*_amd64.rpm
Alternatively, double-click on the RPM with the file manager to install Opera via Gnome Software.
OpenSUSE
Need Opera on your OpenSUSE Linux PC? Not to worry, there’s an RPM available. Download it here from the website, and then open up a terminal window.
Using CD, move the terminal into the ~/Downloads folder. Then, use Zypper to install the package.
cd ~/Downloads sudo zypper install opera-stable_*_amd64.rpm
Don’t want to use the terminal? Open up the file manager, click on “Downloads” and then double-click the Opera RPM. It’ll open up in the SUSE RPM installation tool. This method works well for users who prefer a graphical approach when figuring out how to install Opera on Linux with OpenSUSE.
Install Opera with Snap or Flatpak
If you’re on a distribution that doesn’t use DEB or RPM packages — or you simply want a cross-distro install method that handles updates automatically — Snap and Flatpak are both solid options for getting Opera running on Linux.
Install Opera via Snap
Opera is available as a verified, official package on Snapcraft, meaning it is published and maintained by Opera Software directly. If snapd is already set up on your system, install Opera with a single command:
sudo snap install opera
Once installed, Snap will keep Opera updated automatically in the background. No manual package downloads needed.
Install Opera via Flatpak
Opera is also listed on Flathub for users who prefer the Flatpak ecosystem. First, make sure Flatpak is installed and the Flathub remote is added to your system. Then run:
flatpak install flathub com.opera.Opera
One important note: the Opera package on Flathub is labeled as unverified and is not officially affiliated with Opera Software. If publisher verification matters to you, the Snap package is the better choice. That said, the Flatpak option is convenient for users already invested in the Flatpak ecosystem on distros like Fedora Workstation or Endless OS.
Other Linux Distributions
If you’re on a Linux distribution that doesn’t use DEB or RPM packages natively — such as Pop!_OS, Linux Mint with a non-standard base, Zorin, or another community distro — the good news is that you’re no longer limited to package conversion workarounds. The best first step is to try the officially listed Snap package, which works on any distribution with snapd installed and is verified by Opera Software:
sudo snap install opera
If you prefer Flatpak, that’s a viable second option using the Flathub listing:
flatpak install flathub com.opera.Opera
Keep in mind that the Flathub Opera package is unverified and not officially affiliated with Opera, so use it with that context in mind.
As a last resort only, if neither Snap nor Flatpak is available on your system, you could look into converting the Deb package using a tool like Deb2TarGz. Be warned, though: this approach can break dependency handling, desktop integration, and update management. It requires manual tinkering to get things working and offers no clean upgrade path. It is a legacy workaround and should only be considered if all other options have been exhausted.
How to Update and Uninstall Opera on Linux
Once Opera is installed, keeping it up to date and knowing how to remove it cleanly is just as important as the initial setup. Here’s how to handle both tasks depending on how you installed Opera.
Updating Opera
If you installed via the apt package or Opera’s official Debian/Ubuntu repository:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
If you installed via DNF on Fedora:
sudo dnf upgrade opera-stable
If you installed via Zypper on openSUSE:
sudo zypper update opera-stable
If you installed via Snap, updates happen automatically in the background. You can also trigger one manually:
sudo snap refresh opera
If you installed via Flatpak:
flatpak update com.opera.Opera
Uninstalling Opera
If you installed via apt (Debian/Ubuntu):
sudo apt remove opera-stable
If you installed via DNF (Fedora):
sudo dnf remove opera-stable
If you installed via Zypper (openSUSE):
sudo zypper remove opera-stable
If you installed via Snap:
sudo snap remove opera
If you installed via Flatpak:
flatpak uninstall com.opera.Opera
