Our app officially supports Linux Debian. Please see What Linux versions does Proton VPN support? for a list of which versions are currently supported.
It should also work with most distros based on these Linux versions (not Ubuntu Server or Raspbian), but they are not officially supported.
1. Get the Proton VPN repository setup DEB package
This package contains the repository configuration and keys that are required to install the Proton VPN app.
Download the Proton VPN DEB package
2. Install the Proton VPN repository
Double-click the downloaded DEB package to install the repository using your default package manager.
Please don’t try to check the GPG signature of this release package (dpkg-sig –verify). Our internal release process is split into several part and the release package is signed with a GPG key, and the repo is signed with another GPG key. So the keys don’t match.
If you want to check the repo package integrity, you can check its checksum with the following command:
echo "c68a0b8dad58ab75080eed7cb989e5634fc88fca051703139c025352a6ee19ad protonvpn-stable-release_1.0.3-2_all.deb" | sha256sum --check -
3. Update the apt-get package list
The following command updates the list of available packages and their versions. Doing this allows you to install the Proton VPN App. Open Terminal and enter:
sudo apt-get update
4. Install the Proton VPN Linux app
Last step! Type this command:
sudo apt-get install protonvpn
Linux system tray icon
Please note that we don’t support the system tray icon on Debian 11 because the package gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1 has been depreciated and is not present on Debian 11. However, a system tray icon is supported on Debian 12 on our upcoming new Proton VPN app for Linux. You’re welcome to help test-run a beta version of our new app.
Our Linux app on Debian 10 and earlier can show a system tray icon that stays active when you close the main Proton VPN window and allows you to easily Quick Connect or Disconnect.
To install the system tray icon, open Terminal and enter:
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1
You might be asked to select your default displays manager. If you are unsure which it is, enter the following command into a new terminal window to find out:
grep '/usr/s\?bin' /etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service
Restart your system.
Once installed, simply log in with your Proton account credentials. If you do not yet have an account, you can sign up for a Free Proton VPN plan for Linux.
You are now ready to protect your online activity and access blocked content with Proton VPN.
Note: The system tray icon may not work on Debian 11 because it requires dependencies that have been deprecated.
Learn how to use the Proton VPN Linux app
Notes
1. Uninstall the official app
To uninstall the official app:
sudo apt-get autoremove protonvpn
Remove any leftover files:
rm -rf ~/.cache/protonvpn
And
rm -rf ~/.config/protonvpn
2. Disable Kill Switch if you have uninstalled the app
The Kill Switch can be easily disabled from within the official Linux app, but this will not be possible if you uninstalled the app first without disabling the Kill Switch. This may result in your system being unable to access the internet. To remove the Kill Switch after the app has been uninstalled:
a) Identify Proton VPN connection names by running the command:
nmcli connection show --active
This will display a list of all your system’s active connections.
b) Look for any connections with the pvpn- This usually includes pvpn-killswitch and pvpn-ipv6leak-protection, and may include pvpn-routed-killswitch. Delete all these connections using the following command:
nmcli connection delete [connection name]
For example:
nmcli connection delete pvpn-killswitch
c) Re-run the following command to verify that Proton VPN connections have been deleted:
nmcli connection show --active
If any Proton VPN connections remain, delete them as described above.
3. Required dependencies
Our Linux app needs one of the following dependencies installed in order to work. Installing both of these dependencies is not recommended as it may cause problems:
- KWallet or
- Gnome-keyring
Note that most distros come pre-installed with one of these dependencies, so usually no additional configuration is required. Also required is:
- systemd
4. Try out our beta Linux app
The beta version of our Linux app gives you access to new features before they are released publicly, but it is still in development. By using the beta version and sharing your feedback, you can help us find and address bugs.
Important: You cannot upgrade from the beta version of our Linux app to the stable version. You will need to uninstall the beta app and then install the official app. Similarly, if you are using the stable version of our Linux VPN app, you should uninstall it before installing the early beta version.
If you would like to install the beta version instead of the stable release of this app:
1. Download the beta package. Enter:
wget https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian/dists/unstable/main/binary-all/protonvpn-beta-release_1.0.3-2_all.deb
2. Install the Proton VPN beta repository containing the new app. Run:
sudo dpkg -i ./protonvpn-beta-release_1.0.3-2_all.deb && sudo apt update
3. If you’re running the old (v3) Proton VPN app or CLI (stable or beta versions), simply run:
sudo apt update && apt upgrade
If you don’t have Proton VPN installed, run:
sudo apt install proton-vpn-gnome-desktop
To check for updates and ensure that you’re running the latest version of the app, enter:
sudo apt update && apt upgrade
System tray icon (beta)
By default, the GNOME desktop doesn’t support tray icons. To enable this functionality on Debian-based distributions, run:
sudo apt install libayatana-appindicator3-1 gir1.2-ayatanaappindicator3-0.1 gnome-shell-extension-appindicator
On Debian 11, you’ll need to restart your computer. Once you’ve done this, open the Extensions app and ensure that Ubuntu AppIndicators is toggled on before launching the app.
How to remove the beta Linux app
To uninstall the new Linux app, open a terminal and enter:
sudo apt purge "protonvpn*" proton-vpn-gnome-desktop && sudo apt autoremove
