In this article, we describe how to use the Proton VPN for Linux app on your Fedora system. Please see What Linux versions does Proton VPN support? for a list of which versions are currently supported.

1. Get the Proton VPN repository setup RPM package

This package contains the repository configuration and keys that are required to install the Proton VPN app.

Download the Proton VPN RPM package

2. Install the Proton VPN repository

Double-click the downloaded RPM package to install the repository using your default package manager. 

3. Update the dnf 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 dnf update

4. Install the Proton VPN Linux app

Then run:

sudo dnf install protonvpn

5. Install required dependencies for the alternative routing feature

Enter:

sudo dnf install python3-pip

Then:

pip3 install --user 'dnspython>=1.16.0'

Linux system tray icon

Our Linux app 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 dnf install libappindicator-gtk3 gnome-tweaks gnome-shell-extension-appindicator

If you use the default GNOME desktop and the system tray icon does not show, open the GNOME extensions app, go to Appindicator and KStatusNotifieritem, and toggle the switch on.

The GNOME extensions app can be installed using:

sudo dnf install gnome-extensions-app

Restart your system after installing GNOME extensions.

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 secure your internet connection and access blocked content with Proton VPN. 

Learn how to use the Proton VPN Linux app

Notes

1. Uninstall the official app

To uninstall the official app, run:

sudo dnf remove protonvpn -y; sudo dnf autoremove -y; sudo dnf clean packages

Check if all Proton VPN packages are uninstalled:

dnf/yum list installed | grep proton

Check if any Proton VPN folders remain on your system:

ls -ld /usr/lib/python3.*/site-packages/proton*

If any folders are found then remove them using:

sudo rm -rf /usr/lib/python3.*/site-packages/proton*

Check again that all folders are removed (see last step above).

2. How to disable the kill switch after you have uninstalled the app

Disable the kill switch inside the app settings before you uninstall it or you may not be able to access the internet. If you don’t do this, you can disable the kill switch even after the app has been uninstalled by taking the following steps:

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) Repeat the above steps to ensure all Proton VPN connections are removed. 

4. Required dependencies

You’ll need one of the following dependencies installed for the Proton VPN app to work (do not install both as this will cause problems):

• KWallet
• Gnome-keyring

Most Fedora Spins have one of them installed by default, so it’s unlikely you’ll need to take further action. Also required is:

• Systemd

But again, on most Fedora Spins, this is pre-installed. 

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. 

The Fedora version of the app has currently been tested on Fedora 38 with the GNOME desktop environment. 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/fedora-38-unstable/protonvpn-beta-release/protonvpn-beta-release-1.0.1-2.noarch.rpm

2. Install the Proton VPN beta repository containing the new app. Run:

sudo dnf install ./protonvpn-beta-release-1.0.1-2.noarch.rpm

3. If you’re running the old (v3) Proton VPN app or CLI (stable or beta versions), simply run:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

If you don’t have Proton VPN installed, run:

sudo dnf install --refresh proton-vpn-gnome-desktop

To check for updates and ensure that you’re running the latest version of the app, enter:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

System tray icon (optional)

By default, the GNOME desktop doesn’t support tray icons. To enable this functionality:

1. Run:

sudo dnf install libappindicator-gtk3 gnome-shell-extension-appindicator gnome-extensions-app

2. Restart your computer.

3. Once you’ve done this, open the Extensions app and ensure that AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem Support is toggled on before opening the app.

How to remove the beta Linux app

To uninstall the new Linux app, open a terminal and enter:

sudo dnf remove "protonvpn*" proton-vpn-gnome-desktop