How To Install Gwenview on Ubuntu 20.04
Want a slick image viewer that doesn’t stare back at you with error dialogs? Installing Gwenview on Ubuntu 20.04 is straightforward if you know the right commands and why they matter. Below you’ll find everything from the quick apt method to compiling from source, plus a couple of real‑world tweaks that keep your pictures crisp.
Why Switch to Gwenview?
I’ve seen this happen after a bad driver update: you open an image in Eye‑D or another lightweight viewer, and the colors look like someone mixed up a traffic light. Gwenview handles raw files, high‑dynamic‑range images, and even simple edits right out of the box—no extra software needed.
Quick Install Using apt
1. Make sure Universe is enabled
sudo add-apt-repository universe
Ubuntu’s default install omits many KDE packages; Universe hosts Gwenview. If you skip this, the package won’t be found later.
2. Refresh your package list
sudo apt update
Keeps the local index up‑to‑date so apt knows where to fetch Gwenview from.
3. Install Gwenview
sudo apt install gwenview
You’ll see a dependency tree pop up; just hit “Y” when prompted.
4. Launch it
gwenview &
If you don’t get any error messages, congratulations—you’ve got a fast, feature‑rich viewer that plays well with your system.
Observation: After upgrading to 20.04 LTS, I had Eye‑D broken because the new kernel dropped support for some framebuffer drivers. Switching to Gwenview immediately fixed image rendering and even added an “auto‑rotate” button that saved me a few headaches.
Installing From Source (When apt Fails)
Sometimes the packaged version is too old or you want the bleeding‑edge features. Here’s how to compile it yourself:
1. Install build essentials
sudo apt install build-essential cmake git libqt5svg5-dev qtbase5-dev libkf5config-dev libkf5coreaddons-dev
These libraries provide the Qt framework and KDE libs Gwenview depends on.
2. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/KDE/gwenview.git cd gwenview
3. Create a build directory and run CMake
mkdir build && cd build cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
Separating source from build keeps your system tidy and lets you tweak compiler options if needed.
4. Compile and install
make -j$(nproc) sudo make install
make builds the binaries; sudo make install copies them into /usr/local/bin, making them available system‑wide.
5. Run Gwenview
gwenview &
Note: If you run into “undefined reference” errors, double‑check that all KDE libs are up‑to‑date. It’s a common hiccup when mixing source builds with pre‑installed packages.
Using Flatpak (Alternative)
If you prefer sandboxed applications, Flatpak is a quick drop‑in:
sudo apt install flatpak flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo flatpak install flathub org.kde.Gwenview
Then launch with:
flatpak run org.kde.Gwenview
This keeps Gwenview isolated from the rest of your system, which can be handy if you’re on a shared machine.
Final Thought
Whether you go the apt route or build it yourself, Gwenview is a solid choice for any Ubuntu user who wants reliable image viewing without the bloat. Give it a try next time that thumbnail looks off‑color or your favorite photo viewer starts lagging—your pictures will thank you. Cheers!
