How to Install and Use GDebi Package Installer in Ubuntu Desktop

While Ubuntu’s Software Center and APT repositories host thousands of open-source applications, users frequently need to download third-party software distributed as standalone .deb installer packages directly from official websites (such as Google Chrome, Visual Studio Code, Slack, or Steam). However, double-clicking downloaded .deb files in modern Ubuntu often routes them to the App Center, which can sometimes fail or hang on third-party dependencies. GDebi is a lightweight, dedicated graphical package installer that resolves, downloads, and installs all required dependencies smoothly.

Why GDebi is Superior for Local DEB Installation

Using standard terminal commands like sudo dpkg -i package.deb installs the package itself, but will fail with broken dependency errors if required helper libraries are missing from your system. GDebi automatically checks Debian software repositories, identifies all missing library dependencies, downloads them in the background, and installs the software cleanly in a single click.

How to Install GDebi on Ubuntu Desktop

GDebi is available in official Ubuntu repositories and takes seconds to install:

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the Terminal.
2. Update your package index:

   sudo apt update

3. Install the graphical GDebi package installer:

   sudo apt install gdebi -y

4. Once installed, GDebi is ready to handle all future deb packages.

Setting GDebi as the Default Installer for DEB Files

Configure Ubuntu to open downloaded software installers with GDebi automatically:

1. Open the Files app and navigate to your Downloads folder.
2. Right-click any downloaded .deb package.
3. Select Open With…
4. Look for GDebi Package Installer in the application list.
5. Toggle on the switch labeled Always use for this file type (or select Set as default).
6. Click Open.

Installing Software with GDebi

The GDebi interface provides full technical clarity before making changes to your system:

1. Double-click any .deb file to launch GDebi.
2. The window displays the software version, package description, and a clear status banner:
   • “Same version is already installed”
   • “All dependencies are satisfied”
   • “Requires installation of [X] additional packages”
3. Click the Install Package button in the upper-right corner.
4. Enter your administrator account password when prompted.
5. GDebi fetches required dependencies, unpacks files, configures shortcuts, and alerts you when installation finishes.
6. You can also click Remove Package inside GDebi to cleanly uninstall software at any time.