Compare offers and check the full cost before you choose.
We’d use NordVPN’s GUI for daily connections on Ubuntu and the terminal for status checks. Both control the same client, so you can switch between them without setting up a second VPN.
You’ll need an active subscription, administrator access, and a local desktop running a supported configuration. NordVPN lists Ubuntu 22.04 or newer with GNOME or KDE; check your processor architecture too. Official GUI requirements.
For an SSH-only machine, follow the Ubuntu Server guide.
1. Check Ubuntu release and processor architecture
Open Terminal and run:
cat /etc/os-release
uname -m
printf '%s\n' "$XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP"
The output identifies your release, architecture, and desktop. Check support separately if you’re running an Ubuntu derivative or another desktop, and keep these details for troubleshooting.
Before connecting, note your public IP using a browser IP checker and confirm that ordinary browsing works. This gives you a baseline for the checks below.
2. Install the GUI
The commands below use NordVPN’s official installer and Ubuntu packages. If you already use the Snap version, stick with that installation method instead of adding another.
Download the installer before executing it so you can review it. These commands require curl and less:
curl --fail --show-error --location \
https://downloads.nordcdn.com/apps/linux/install.sh \
--output nordvpn-install.sh
less nordvpn-install.sh
Press q to leave the viewer. After a successful download and review, run:
sh nordvpn-install.sh -p nordvpn-gui
Review administrative prompts and stop if installation reports an error. This download-first sequence adapts NordVPN's official GUI installation instructions.
3. Log in and connect
Find NordVPN in your application menu. Choose its login action, complete authentication in your browser, and return to the app. Select Secure my connection or choose a location. NordVPN's login instructions.
Make the first connection manually. Once you’ve checked it and disconnected successfully, decide whether to enable automatic connection.
Four controls worth knowing
| Task | Desktop approach | Terminal approach |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday connection | Select a location in the app | nordvpn connect |
| See connection state | Read the connection panel | nordvpn status |
| Review configuration | Open the app's settings | nordvpn settings |
| Stop the connection | Use the disconnect control | nordvpn disconnect |
You can leave the terminal closed for routine use. Open it when you need an exact status message or command help; the GUI exposes most CLI functions. See the GUI reference and CLI command reference.
4. Check the things you use every day
Revisit the IP checker you used before connecting and compare the address. Then load a website, try your usual applications, and reach a local printer or file server if you use one. We’d give local devices their own check: working internet access doesn’t establish that they’re reachable.
Disconnect and confirm browsing still works. If something fails, change one setting at a time so you can identify the cause. This checks basic operation; DNS, IPv6, and individual application traffic need separate checks for a leak audit.
If something goes wrong
Socket permission denied: for the specific /run/nordvpn/nordvpnd.sock permission error, NordVPN documents:
sudo usermod -aG nordvpn "$USER"
Save your work and reboot as instructed in the installation guide. Use this remedy when the error identifies socket permissions.
Browser login gets stuck: record the prompt and error. Our token-login walkthrough provides an alternative and explains how to keep the token private.
The app doesn’t open: record your Ubuntu release and installed package versions before following NordVPN's launch troubleshooting. Avoid starting with a settings reset: it removes useful information about the failing configuration.
Uninstalling the Ubuntu packages
Disconnect first and close the app. For the package installation used above, NordVPN publishes this removal command:
sudo apt-get --purge remove 'nordvpn*'
Keep the quotes. Review the package list before confirming: the pattern can select multiple NordVPN packages, and purge removes package configuration. This isn’t the removal method for Snap. Official uninstall instructions.
Check internet access after removal. To stop paying for the service, cancel renewal in your account too; uninstalling leaves the subscription active.
Troubleshooting: separate installation, login and network errors
Identify the last step that succeeded before changing anything. If the package installed but no window opens, check the GUI package and desktop requirements. If the window opens but login never completes, record the browser handoff and account error. If status works but a connection fails, the package and permissions may already be functioning.
For the exact socket error, follow our NordVPN permission-denied guide, which checks the account and membership after reboot. If public websites work but a printer or NAS does not, use the Linux local network guide. Reinstalling for either symptom can obscure the cause.
Can I use these steps on Ubuntu Server?
Use the headless Ubuntu Server guide instead. Token login and preserving remote access need separate planning; a desktop walkthrough does not establish that SSH will remain reachable.