Name Application ID Version Branch Installation
Zen app.zen_browser.zen 1.18.8b stable user
.... I messed up the install and want to install it again ... thanks
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Hm, I don't understand the question. Do you want to remove the zen browser package? Is it installled as flatpak or .deb package (or Appimage)?
When you go to Software center and search for zen at tab installed, do you see it? Then you can click on "uninstall" to remove it.
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Yes it is installed as a flatpak .... I want to remove it and then reinstall it again ..... Zen Browser is only offered as a flathub or tar.xz and I have no idea how to open a tar.xz file .... I don't really like flatpak but I had no choice ....
I followed a post for opening a tar.xz using dtrx in the terminal but it didn't work .....
sudo apt install dtrx
dtrx your-file.tar.xz
```
There would also be an appimage which you can use and is easier to install than the tarball
https://github.com/zen-browser/desktop/releases/download/1.18.10b/zen-x86_64.AppImage
Zen also offers an installation script which automatically installs the browser in your home directory
curl -fsSL https://github.com/zen-browser/updates-server/raw/refs/heads/main/install.sh | $SHELL
(the script installs the tar.xz package)
When you doubleclick on the tar.xz file it should be unzipped. Then in the unzipped folder search for a README file which shows the install instructions.
Edit: Sorry, it has no README file and no install.sh file in the folder. I don't know how to install it this way, that seems to be difficult. I would use the installation script, the Appimage or flatpak.
I tested both, the Appimage and the installation script. Both worked.
When you want to use the Appimage, download it and right-click on the file, select properties and enable "allow launching as program". Then you can doubleclick to start the browser.
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There is no official uninstall script for the tar.xz package of Zen browser. That's not so good.
I only found this:
You can see here what you would need to remove if you want to undo the installation with the script:
~/.tarball-installations
~/.local/bin/zen
~/.local/share/applications/zen.desktop
and maybe also
~/.cache/zen
I'd probably prefer the Appimage or flatpak because it is easier to remove.
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AppImages and Flatpak aren't part of the system.
I have already exolained elsewhere how to install Firefox ESR, Tor Browser and Zen browser quite easily.
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Extract the tarball with Ark/File Roller.
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Go to the extracted folder and search the cog icons in that folder for the browser name (firefox/tor/zen).
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Use Main Menu to create a new entry under Internet, in this instance, zen.
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In the command box to launch, browse to the cog icon named zen in the extracted folder.
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To add the zen icon in the blank space for one, go to the extracted folder and open the sub folder browser | chrome | icons and choose 'default64.png
You can now add zen to Dash from the Menu.
Updating can then be done as you would in Windows; Help | About and it will then check for updates.
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Really complicated to install!
OK thanks for that info I managed to get the Appimage downloaded and installed thaks to a Youtube video I found after going through more thn a dozen .... also found a video on how to download an apt called Alien on the terminal which is supposed to convert all tar.xz files to deb but it didn't work for me ....
Anyway I'm busy setting up Zen as a 2nd browser untill I get more comfortable with it as it is quite a chang from Brave .... thanks again for the help .... this spelling problem on Brave is driving me nuts .... so Zen maybe be #1 shortly .... LOL
No not really.
You don't need alien. When you have .rpm packages which you want to convert to .deb packages, then you use alien.
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Thank you sir for your reply however I installed Zen using Appimage before I read your post gonna quit for the night my poor tired brain is scrambled ... LOL
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The issue with any AppImage is you have to keep going back to check for new releases, delete the old and install the new. Messy.
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I find it difficult for Linux beginners (and also for me, because I found no readme file, no installer script in the tarball) and you need to create a .desktop file and (if you like to save it outside from Downloads) a new directory/folder where you save zen. With your explanation it is clear now.
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I will do a video for all three browsers.
You cannot add to desktop or Dash before creating Main Menu entry.
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To remove a Flatpak, You can go to Gnome Software and click there on the Uninstall Botton. Alternatively, You can delete it in Terminal with:
flatpak uninstall [Name]
The Name, You get when You type in Terminal flatpak list in a List. If the Name isn't show entirely, expand the Terminal and use the Command again.
You could use the Program Gear Lever. It is an AppImage Management Tool which includes Updating of AppImages (downloading the newest Version). It is maybe nothing for You because it is only available as Flatpak but in common it seems to be a nice thing to have when using AppImages.
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Here is the video as promised. Forgot that Tor needs a slightly different approach!
It has taken me about 6 attempts to get it right!
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Thank you Ponce some very useful information in your post .... I'll give the flatpak uninstall a try first ....
Swarf thank you so much for all that hard work I wasn't aware that Applmages couldn't be auto updated ... Ponce gave a solution in his post above even if it is a flatpak app just in case I can't get my head around your fantastic video ....
I downloaded it ... I hope you don't mind.... so I can follow it more slowly and enlarge it a bit .... have a bit of a problem with my eyes .... kinda like the lyrics in the song about " the leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old" .... LOL
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I want to thank everyone for all their great tips and tricks and information in their posts above .... you have all been a great help in solving my problem trying to get Zen Browser installed on my laptop ....
It seems Brave can't fix the problem with my spelling checker that keeps shutting down intermittently and I can't do without it the older I get the worse I get .... LOL .... so it looks like a new browser is in my very near future ....
Zen's pretty good ig, I'm using Vivaldi, and its pretty good. It also has a spellchecker baked into it, but it's very very customisable and has built-in ad-blocker like Brave (unfortunately YouTube understands the blocking and it takes around 7-8 seconds per video to try and load the ads, and ultimately failing and playing the video, don't know the case for Brave). If Brave is able to play ad-free much faster, than I won't suggest Vivaldi.
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