Install Flatpak and Flathub Apps on openSUSE Leap 16

A working Flathub setup on openSUSE Leap 16 in a few minutes. Flatpak ships with the GNOME desktop, but no app store remote is configured, so a fresh install cannot install anything yet until you add one. This guide adds Flathub, installs your first app, and hands you a command reference. Run on openSUSE Leap 16 (Flatpak 1.16) in June 2026.

Install Flatpak

The GNOME desktop already has it. Check:

flatpak --version

You should see the installed release:

Flatpak 1.16.0

On a minimal or server install it is not there. Add it with zypper:

sudo zypper install flatpak

With Flatpak present, point it at an app source.

Add Flathub

This is the step Leap leaves to you. A fresh system has zero remotes, so add Flathub, the main Flatpak app repository:

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Confirm it registered:

flatpak remotes --columns=name,url

Flathub shows in the list:

flathub	https://dl.flathub.org/repo/

Sync the app metadata once so search and GNOME Software see the catalog. Skip this and search comes back empty:

sudo flatpak update --appstream

Catalog synced. Now grab something to run.

Install a Flatpak app

Install by application ID. Here is Flatseal, the standard tool for managing Flatpak permissions:

sudo flatpak install -y flathub com.github.tchx84.Flatseal

The first app pulls down a shared runtime. That runtime is reused by every other app that needs it, so later installs are much smaller:

Installing runtime/org.gnome.Platform/x86_64/50
Installing app/com.github.tchx84.Flatseal/x86_64/stable

Confirm it landed:

flatpak list --app --columns=application,version,branch,origin

Your app appears with its version and origin:

com.github.tchx84.Flatseal	2.4.1	stable	flathub

Here is the whole flow captured end to end:

Launch it from your application menu, or from the terminal:

flatpak run com.github.tchx84.Flatseal

Looking for a different app? Search the catalog by name.

Search Flathub for apps

Find apps by name. After the appstream sync above, search returns real results:

flatpak search gimp

You get the application ID to install, plus its version and branch:

GNU Image Manipulation Program	High-end image creation	org.gimp.GIMP	3.2.4	stable	flathub

If search prints nothing, you skipped flatpak update --appstream. Run it, then search again.

Update and remove

Update every installed app and runtime in one command:

sudo flatpak update -y

Remove an app by ID:

sudo flatpak uninstall -y com.github.tchx84.Flatseal

Uninstalling an app leaves its runtime behind for other apps. When you have removed several apps, reclaim the disk the orphaned runtimes use:

sudo flatpak uninstall --unused -y

Keep these within reach.

Flatpak command reference

The commands you will reach for, in one place:

That is it. Flathub is wired in and you can install anything from it, on the command line or through GNOME Software. If you just set up the machine, the things to do after installing Leap 16 guide covers the rest, and the zypper command reference handles the native package side.