The guide shows how to install the lightweight Exaile music player on Ubuntu 22.04 and 20.04 via apt, listing prerequisites such as an internet connection and administrative rights. It walks through refreshing the package list, upgrading installed packages, installing Exaile from the Universe repository, verifying the installation with a version check, and even offers a Flatpak alternative for those who want the latest features. The author explains why the native deb package outperforms Snap builds by avoiding duplicated dependencies and slower startup times, and points out a common pitfall of missing GStreamer libraries that can be resolved by installing the base plugin package. After installation users can launch Exaile from the application menu or terminal, import their music library, tweak tags, and enjoy a clean, ad‑free interface.

Install Exaile on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04 – Get Your Music Back in One Go

If you’re tired of using a bloated media player that lags during song changes, it’s time to give Exaile a shot. This lightweight, open‑source player keeps your library organized and lets you tweak tags with just a few clicks. Below is the exact sequence I use every time I upgrade my Ubuntu box.

Prerequisites

• A working internet connection (you’ll need it for package downloads).
• Administrative rights (you’ll be running sudo commands).

You don’t need to install any extra drivers or tweak kernel settings – just make sure your system is up‑to‑date. I’ve seen this happen after a major update where the old Exaile binary lost support for the newer GStreamer libraries, so keeping your packages current fixes that in one go.

Install Exaile on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

1. Refresh the package list

sudo apt update – This pulls the latest repository data so you get the newest stable release instead of an old snapshot from years ago.

2. Upgrade all installed packages

sudo apt upgrade -y – Not strictly required for Exaile, but any missing dependencies will be pulled in automatically during the install step if they’re not already present.

3. Install the player itself

sudo apt install exaile -y – Ubuntu’s Universe repo ships a version that works flawlessly on 20.04 and 22.04. The -y flag skips the confirmation prompt, which saves time when you’re rolling this out across multiple machines.

4. Verify the installation

Run exaile --version. If it prints something like Exaile version 3.x, you’re good to go. No output or a “command not found” error means the binary didn’t land in /usr/bin – double‑check your apt install step.

Optional: Use Flatpak for the Latest Features

If you want the bleeding‑edge version (which sometimes ships with new UI tweaks), try Flatpak:

sudo apt install flatpak -y
flatpak install flathub org.exaile.Exaile

The downside? Flatpak containers can feel a bit sluggish on older hardware, and you’ll have to launch them via flatpak run. Stick with the deb package unless you need that extra feature set.

Why This Works Better Than the Snap Build

I tried installing Exaile from Snap once. It launched slower than usual, and the first run forced me to wait for a large download of dependencies that were already on my system. The native Debian package pulls everything from the same source your OS uses, so there’s no duplication or extra overhead.

Common Pitfall: Missing GStreamer Libraries

After a fresh install on 20.04, some users reported “cannot open audio device” errors. That usually means gstreamer1.0-plugins-base is missing. Resolve it with:

sudo apt install gstreamer1.0-plugins-base

Once that’s in place, Exaile starts playing right out of the box.

Enjoy Your Music

With those steps completed, launch Exaile from your application menu or exaile in a terminal. Import your library, tag tracks, and enjoy the minimalistic interface that doesn’t distract you with ads or auto‑playlists.

That’s it—no more headaches over broken players.