PureVPN on Ubuntu: get the desktop app ready for everyday use

The attraction of a desktop VPN app is simple: open it, choose a location, and get on with your day. PureVPN documents that route on Linux, including browser-based login. Before installing, though, we'd spend a minute checking exactly which build you're getting.

This walkthrough uses the provider's DEB package instructions for an Ubuntu desktop. It isn't a hands-on test or a promise of support for every Ubuntu release and processor.

Check the app version first

PureVPN's Linux security advisory names GUI 2.10.0 and CLI 2.0.1: IPv6 could escape the tunnel after network changes, and existing firewall rules could be altered without being restored. The public GUI release notes we reviewed on September 9, 2026 don't confirm a fixed version.

Ask support which current build resolves both issues and supports your Ubuntu release. A newer version number alone isn't confirmation. We'd settle that question before using the app for traffic you need to keep inside the tunnel.

Record your system details in Terminal:

cat /etc/os-release
uname -m

The installation example below is for an amd64 package, corresponding to an x86-64 machine. Don't force it onto an ARM device. Use a maintained Ubuntu release and confirm package compatibility with PureVPN.

Download and install the desktop package

Get the Linux GUI package from PureVPN's official downloads page. You need an active subscription for the connection and administrator access for installation.

PureVPN's GUI setup instructions describe opening the downloaded DEB file with the desktop installer, approving installation, and authenticating with your system password. If your desktop doesn't offer an installer, use Terminal with the exact downloaded filename.

For a file named PureVPN_amd64.deb in Downloads:

sudo apt install "$HOME/Downloads/PureVPN_amd64.deb"

Replace the filename if yours includes a version number. Review the proposed package changes before confirming. An architecture or dependency error is a reason to check the package with support, rather than force the installation.

Installing a GUI package from Terminal still installs the desktop app; it isn't the separate PureVPN CLI setup.

Sign in and choose a location

Open PureVPN from the application menu and choose Log in. Complete the login in your browser using your PureVPN account, then return to the app. This is the browser handoff described in the provider's login walkthrough.

In Locations, choose a country, or expand the available city choices. Once connected, the central connection control lets you disconnect. See the location-management guide if the screen differs from what you expect.

For the first session, keep the setup simple: one location and a manual connection. Leave automatic startup until you've checked that connecting and disconnecting both behave as expected.

Give the first session a proper check

Before connecting, note your public IP and confirm that normal browsing works. After connecting, repeat the IP check and check DNS and IPv6 behavior separately. PureVPN provides IP, DNS, and IPv6 check pages.

We'd also try the small things that can interrupt an ordinary workday:

• Can you still reach a printer or local file share you use?
• After a sleep-and-wake cycle, does traffic still follow the expected route?
• After disconnecting, does normal browsing return?

If you maintain firewall rules, compare their state before and after the session using the tools you already use to manage them. A changed public IPv4 address alone doesn't verify DNS, IPv6, or firewall behavior.

When to stop troubleshooting and ask for help

If the browser signs you in but the app stays logged out, save the error and the app version. If the connection fails, note the location and protocol shown. Send those details with your Ubuntu release; omit passwords, tokens, and private configuration files.

Avoid making several network changes at once. One change followed by the same check gives you a useful clue; five changes leave you guessing which one mattered.

If you prefer managing a tunnel independently of the app, our manual WireGuard guide covers Ubuntu and Fedora. It has its own routing and DNS checks, and doesn't automatically supply the app's kill switch.