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Table of Contents
Installing ProtonVPN GUI on Ubuntu (Manual Repository Setup)
This guide explains how to manually add the ProtonVPN repository to Ubuntu and install the GNOME desktop application.
Requirements
- Ubuntu with GNOME desktop environment
- Internet connection
- sudo/root access
Step 1: Add the GPG Key
sudo apt install gnupg wget -q -O - https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian/public_key.asc | sudo apt-key add -
Note: You may see a warning that `apt-key` is deprecated. This can be ignored for now.
Step 2: Add the ProtonVPN Repository
echo "deb https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/protonvpn-stable-release.list
Step 3: Update Package Sources
sudo apt update
Step 4: Install the GNOME Desktop App
sudo apt install proton-vpn-gnome-desktop
Step 5 (Optional): Enable System Tray Support
sudo apt install libayatana-appindicator3-1 gir1.2-ayatanaappindicator3-0.1 gnome-shell-extension-appindicator
Troubleshooting
If the package is still not found:
- Check the contents of the repository file:
cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/protonvpn-stable-release.list
It should contain:
deb https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian stable main
- Run:
sudo apt clean && sudo apt update
Alternative: Install CLI Version
If you prefer the command-line interface:
sudo apt install protonvpn-cli
Then log in and connect:
protonvpn-cli login YOUR_USERNAME protonvpn-cli connect --fastest
Using ProtonVPN CLI on Ubuntu
This guide explains how to install and use ProtonVPN via the command-line interface (CLI) on Ubuntu.
Requirements
- Ubuntu system (any desktop environment)
- ProtonVPN account
- sudo/root access
Step 1: Install the CLI tool
If the ProtonVPN repository is already added, simply run:
sudo apt install protonvpn-cli
If not, follow the repository setup instructions from the GUI installation page.
Step 2: Initialize the CLI
protonvpn-cli init
This will prompt you to choose:
- VPN protocol (OpenVPN or WireGuard)
- DNS settings
- Kill switch behavior
- Auto-connect options
Step 3: Log in
protonvpn-cli login YOUR_USERNAME
Replace `YOUR_USERNAME` with your actual ProtonVPN account name.
Step 4: Connect to VPN
To connect to the fastest available server:
protonvpn-cli connect --fastest
To connect to a specific country:
protonvpn-cli connect DE
To disconnect:
protonvpn-cli disconnect
Step 5: Status and Diagnostics
Check connection status:
protonvpn-cli status
View current IP and server:
protonvpn-cli info
Optional Commands
Enable kill switch:
protonvpn-cli killswitch --on
Enable auto-connect on boot:
protonvpn-cli configure --autoconnect on