If you have Nautilus as the filemanager, you can write a Nautilus script that does this for you, you just then have to right click and select the script. You can run essentially any script this way, I use it for some preset file conversions.
this post was submitted on 26 Jun 2025
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Just use nautilus-action
FWIW instead of dpkg -i stuff.deb, you can use apt as such: apt install ./stuff.deb (The path syntax like ./ is required to use a local file instead of searching for a package name).
Unlike dpkg, apt is able to fetch dependencies if needed.
the monkey's paw curls a finger and your wish is granted
you can now right click and select install. But it doesn't actually install properly.
It doesn't check dependencies.
You have 356 different copies of libcurl installed on your system.
Nginx, Apache and Lighttpd are all running in the background and collectively using the same port, somehow.
Wayland and X are both running with multiple sessions but none of them are on the default TTY.
dpkg doesn't? I sometimes use apt install command but didn't think it mattered if the deb package was configured right.
It's an embellishment on the above monkey's paw comment, not actual technical information.
Gnome-Software and GDebi can do exactly that for you. Download a deb, right click "open with X", and they'll install it for you using GUI. You can even change file associations so debs are opened by gdebi/gnome-software by simple double-clicking.
@RommieDroid It’s not there by default, but Gdebi can do the trick. I used it quite a lot when I first started with Linux.
That's awesome. Thank you.
@RommieDroid No problem. Many of us are here to help in the #linux community, though I wouldn’t say I’m the most advanced with it.
Strange when I double click a .deb and or a .flatpakref file the gnome software application opens with the option to install that package. (Linux mint)
I much preferred the windows way, shocker, with just downloading and double-click the exe file.
This is appimage!
Om, AppImage is portable exe. Has it's uses.
I really don't understand why it's not more streamlined, it should work like an exe where I just click it and it installs and handles dependencies automatically.
Installing a random .deb comes with enormous security implications. I am not sure that making the process more beginner friendly is a really good idea.
"Beginner friendly" should be limited to things from the main repositories, and for that there is the Software Center.
What linux does and does not protect the user from is endlessly hilarious to me.
Hey linux, I want to install a file you downloaded.
Linux: Sounds risky man
I'd like my file explorer to have super user privleges.
Linux: Are you out of your god damned mind?
Hey linux, I want to delete the kernel that I'm actively using right now.
Linux: Hell yeah. I'll go to the looney bin with you.
It's the same thing with .exe on windows. It's potentially dangerous and people need to be mindful what they download and install.
That is fair, I suppose being able to click and run stuff like Appimages has less security issues because in theory they are isolated? But don't the appimages get to decide their own permissions?
It's not any more secure. The point that "installing random debs is insecure" has been running around for at least the last 16 years I've been a Linux user.
While it's technically true, AppImages are as secure as random debs. Same with random repositories that are not provided by your system. Same with flatpaks.
And unless you're an extremely basic user, you'll eventually have to install an application not in your repositories. The method doesn't really matter, it's all equally (in)secure.
@MangoPenguin @RommieDroid It’s more so that the people working on “beginner friendly” Linux distros are pushing users towards Software Centers/App stores these days.
Those of us who are familiar with the old ways don’t really have much trouble, but there’s stuff that is a big pain, like #LibreOffice
Installing the latest version of that is easier to do in the terminal and can’t be done as conveniently as what you propose, though I wish it was that easy.
I'm not so sure about those beginner-friendly distros, they seem a little doggy and miss out on the massive work that the Debian and Ubuntu teams do that a smaller team can not. Snap is good for small, one time use or untrusted apps. But most of the time, its performance is really slow. It needs some work.
@RommieDroid Most of them are based on Ubuntu, such as Mint and the stagnated Pop! OS.
I can’t say what they are all like, but Ubuntu and its family are all the ones adopting a software center/App store these days.
In the past, I remember using Synaptic for searching for software, which was just a GUI front end for APT.
I’ve been using Nala lately in my VMs though.
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This is deliberately not allowed in order to ensure that Linux remains exclusive for nerds.
I use Mint and I just double-click *.deb files to install them. Ubuntu does not do this?
When I was on popos I would just double click deb files and eddy would open and install
"popos" is german for "butts", PopOS! is a bit different
Eddy doesn't care which, he's installing
Is this really a common occurrence for you, that the package isn't available via apt?
On Debian it is. The stable branch is a pain. I need to switch to something else.
Ah, understandable.
May I talk to you about our lord and savio, NixOS? (Only kinda /s)
I'm open to conversion!
Nice!
How much do you know of nix? (Just gauging where I should start in my propaganda script :D)
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If it's only due to the branch, i.e. a package or desired version isn't available in stable but is in testing or unstable, you may try using pinning.
Reading, thank you.
Just add your own context menu shortcut for .deb files that runs sudo deb -i $_
Not quite what you want, but in dolphin you can open a terminal with F4, and then just type sudo deb -i <package.deb> and your password. Pretty quick.
It's a useful shortcut.
Typing all that is still way much more work than just 2 clicks. Besides, OP specifically asked for an alternative without opening the terminal
Wait, for real? Gen Alpha doesn't know what a file type is??
fr, windows hides the file type by default.
Windows has done this since I was a kid (I'm a millennial). Later gens have no excuse.
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