How to Install SMPlayer on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
Want a lightweight video player that still feels full‑featured? SMPlayer does the trick without bloating your system. In this post you’ll learn the quickest ways to get it up and running on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, plus a couple of handy tweaks that make playback smoother.
Install from the Official Repositories
Ubuntu 22.04 ships SMPlayer in its universe repository, so there’s no need for a PPA or manual builds.
1. Enable Universe
The universe repo is usually enabled by default, but if it isn’t, run:
sudo add-apt-repository universe
SMPlayer lives there; without it apt can’t find the package.
2. Update Package Lists
sudo apt update
3. Install SMPlayer
sudo apt install smplayer
Why this matters: The smplayer meta‑package pulls in all the libraries it needs, so you won’t have to hunt for missing dependencies later.
4. Add Codecs (Optional but Recommended)
Many users run into “no audio” or “unsupported format” errors after installing SMPlayer alone. Install Ubuntu’s restricted extras:
sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras
Real‑world note: A friend of mine got his video playback stuck on a blue screen because he forgot to add the codecs. Installing this package fixed it in seconds.
5. Launch
Find SMPlayer in your application launcher or type smplayer in a terminal.
That’s all there is to it. If you’re happy with the stable 22.04 build, you’re done.
Install via Snap (All‑in‑One Package)
If you prefer sandboxed packages that stay up to date automatically:
sudo snap install smplayer
The Snap bundle contains its own libraries, so it runs the same version everywhere without pulling in system dependencies. Great if you’re on a minimal install or want to avoid messing with apt.
Install via Flatpak (From Flathub)
Flatpak users can grab SMPlayer from Flathub:
sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo sudo flatpak install flathub org.smplayer.Smplayer
Flatpak keeps the app isolated and offers a newer version if you’re on an older Ubuntu release that still ships an older SMPlayer in its repos.
Build from Source (For the Curious)
If you want the bleeding‑edge build, follow these steps:
1. Install Build Dependencies
sudo apt install git cmake qtbase5-dev libqt5multimedia5-plugins \
libsmplayer-mpv2 libmpv-dev ffmpeg
SMPlayer relies on Qt and MPV for playback; pulling the dev packages ensures you get all headers.
2. Clone the Repository
git clone https://github.com/smplayer-org/smplayer.git cd smplayer
3. Configure, Build, Install
mkdir build && cd build cmake .. make -j$(nproc) sudo make install
This gives you the very latest features and bug fixes that may not yet hit Ubuntu’s package mirrors.
Heads‑up: Building from source skips the packaging system, so updates will require you to repeat this process. If you’re on a shared machine, the Snap or Flatpak options might be easier.
Quick Fix: Stuck at “Could Not Find mpv” Error
I’ve seen users hit that error after installing SMPlayer from the repos but not having MPV installed separately. The fix is simple:
sudo apt install libmpv2
Now SMPlayer can find its playback engine and you’re good to go.
Customize Playback Settings
Once SMPlayer launches, tweak a few things for the best experience:
- Open Settings => Video
Enable “Use hardware acceleration” if your GPU supports it.
Offloads decoding to the GPU, reducing CPU usage and improving frame rates.
- Open Settings => Audio
Choose “PulseAudio” or “ALSA” depending on your sound card.
Real‑world note: On my older laptop I had to switch from PulseAudio to ALSA because the former caused a crackling hiss in MP4s.
That’s everything you need to get SMPlayer running on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS—whether you prefer the straightforward apt install, the sandboxed Snap or Flatpak, or the bleeding‑edge source build.
