How to Install and Update ChatGPT on Linux

To install the official ChatGPT desktop app on Linux, download the package for your distribution and processor, then install it with APT or DNF. The app is available in preview, so check the official Linux installation guide before downloading. This walkthrough covers Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora, followed by sign-in, a small Codex project and updates.

Check your distribution and processor

Open a terminal and identify your Linux version:

grep -E '^(ID|VERSION_ID)=' /etc/os-release
uname -m

The first command shows the distribution and version. The second identifies the processor: x86_64 means x64; aarch64 or arm64 means ARM64. Match both the distribution and architecture when downloading.

Other distributions may work but are not formally supported in the preview. If you need help with package management, see installing and removing apps on Ubuntu.

Download the matching package

Use the download links in OpenAI's guide. Choose a .deb file for Ubuntu or Debian, or an .rpm file for Fedora. These are the filenames used in the installation examples:

If your downloaded filename differs, use that exact filename in the commands below. Check it in your file manager or list the packages in Downloads:

ls -lh ~/Downloads/*.deb
ls -lh ~/Downloads/*.rpm

A message saying that no files match one format is normal if you downloaded only the other format. Unofficial wrappers and repackaged installers are separate projects; do not assume they are OpenAI's desktop app.

Install on Ubuntu or Debian

For x64, run:

cd ~/Downloads
sudo apt install ./chatgpt_amd64.deb

For ARM64, replace the last line with:

sudo apt install ./chatgpt_arm64.deb

The ./ tells APT to install the local file. Read the package and dependency summary before confirming. If APT cannot find the file, check that you are in the correct folder and that the spelling matches the download.

Install on Fedora

For x64, run:

cd ~/Downloads
sudo dnf install ./chatgpt.x86_64.rpm

For ARM64, use:

sudo dnf install ./chatgpt.aarch64.rpm

Review DNF's proposed changes before confirming.

Launch ChatGPT and try a Codex project

Open ChatGPT from the applications menu or run chatgpt in a terminal. See launching programs from the Linux command line if you are unfamiliar with terminal launchers.

Sign in with your ChatGPT account and follow the app's setup prompts. Standard ChatGPT sign-in does not require an API key.

To try Codex, choose Codex in the product selector and open a small local project. An empty Git repository makes the first changes easy to inspect:

mkdir -p ~/Projects/codex-linux-demo
cd ~/Projects/codex-linux-demo
git init

Git must be installed for the last command. Select that folder in the app and keep permissions limited to what your task requires. Try this prompt:

Create a Python file that prints the Linux distribution, kernel version and Python version. Run it and show the output. Do not install packages or access the internet.

Review the generated file and command output before using the result in a larger project.

Update the app

The official installer configures OpenAI's signed package repository. On Ubuntu or Debian, run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade chatgpt

On Fedora, run:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh chatgpt

If an update or installation fails, keep the error message and recheck the current official instructions. A wrong architecture, a different filename or an unsupported distribution needs a different fix; repeating the same command will not resolve it.