How to Install Discord on Linux: A Step-by-Step Guide for Gamers and Communities

Discord has become the go-to platform for gaming chats, community building, and collaboration. While installing Discord on Windows or macOS is straightforward, Linux users sometimes find it tricky because of different distributions and package managers. If you’ve been wondering how to get Discord up and running smoothly on your Linux system, you’re in the right place!

In this post, I’ll walk you through multiple ways to install Discord on popular Linux distros with detailed commands and tips.

Why Use Discord on Linux?

Discord offers cross-platform voice, video, and text communication that's essential not only for gamers but also developers, hobbyists, and remote teams. Fortunately, Discord officially supports Linux via a deb package (.deb) for Debian-based systems and an rpm package for RedHat-based systems. Plus, there are community-maintained options via Snap or Flatpak.

Quick Overview: Methods to Install Discord on Linux

Using the official Discord .deb or .rpm package
Installing via Snap Store
Installing via Flatpak (Flathub)
Building from source (advanced)

Method 1: Installing Discord Using Official Package (Debian/Ubuntu based)

If you’re using Ubuntu or any Debian-based distro like Mint or Pop!_OS:

Step 1: Download the official .deb package

Open your terminal and run:

wget -O ~/discord.deb "https://discord.com/api/download?platform=linux&format=deb"

This downloads the latest stable Discord deb package.

Step 2: Install the package with apt

Run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ~/discord.deb

Alternatively, you can use dpkg but apt takes care of dependencies better:

sudo dpkg -i ~/discord.deb
sudo apt-get install -f    # Fix missing dependencies if any

Step 3: Launch Discord

Search for “Discord” in your applications menu or run in terminal:

discord &

Method 2: Installing Discord Using RPM Package (Fedora/Red Hat based)

If you use Fedora, CentOS Stream, AlmaLinux or similar:

Step 1: Download the rpm package

wget -O ~/discord.rpm "https://discord.com/api/download?platform=linux&format=rpm"

Step 2: Install with dnf (Fedora) or yum (CentOS/RHEL)

sudo dnf install ~/discord.rpm      # Fedora
# OR
sudo yum localinstall ~/discord.rpm # CentOS/RHEL

Launch it similarly by searching for “Discord” or from terminal.

Method 3: Installing Discord from Snap Store (Any distribution with snap support)

Snap packages are universal installers made by Canonical that work on almost all distros.

Step 1: Ensure snapd is installed

On Ubuntu snapd comes preinstalled. For other distros install it following snapd instructions.

Step 2: Install discord snap

sudo snap install discord

The advantage here is automatic updates.

Method 4: Using Flatpak to Install Discord

Flatpak is another universal packaging system.

Step 1: Install Flatpak if needed

Example for Ubuntu:

sudo apt install flatpak -y

Add Flathub repo:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Step 2: Install discord flatpak from Flathub

flatpak install flathub com.discordapp.Discord -y

Run it with:

flatpak run com.discordapp.Discord

Troubleshooting Tips

Missing dependencies: Use sudo apt-get install -f after dpkg installs.
Permission Issues: Check you’re running commands with sudo where needed.
Running outdated versions: Use Snap or Flatpak to get auto-updates.
Sound not working: Make sure PulseAudio or PipeWire services are running properly on your system.
Discord won’t launch: Try running from terminal (discord) to catch error messages.

Bonus Tip: Running Discord in Background & Auto Start on Login

Once installed successfully, enable it to start automatically at login:

Go to your desktop environment’s Startup Applications/preferences.
Add new entry:
- Name: Discord
- Command: discord

This ensures you’re always connected when your PC boots up.

Conclusion

Installing Discord on Linux is easier than ever with multiple installation methods available. Whether through official .deb packages on Ubuntu/Debian distros or universal Snap/Flatpak packages that support nearly every distro — you can pick one that best suits your needs.

Now that you have a fully functional Discord client on Linux, dive into your favorite servers and chats seamlessly alongside your workflow!

Did this guide help you install Discord? Feel free to drop questions or share your experience below!

Happy chatting!

Would you like me to create content tailored for a particular Linux distro or include troubleshooting common errors?

How To Install Discord On Linux