---
title: Install Core base snap on Ubuntu using the Snap Store | Snapcraft
description: Get the latest version of Core base snap for on Ubuntu - Snap runtime
  environment
url: https://snapcraft.io/install/core/ubuntu
---

[Canonical Snapcraft](https://snapcraft.io/)

# Install Core base snap on **Ubuntu**

# Core base snap (core)

[Canonical](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/canonical "View all snaps from Canonical")

* [Canonical](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/canonical "View all snaps from Canonical")
* [Devices and IoT](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=devices-and-iot)

[Install](https://snapcraft.io/install/core/ubuntu#install)

#### Snap runtime environment

Base snaps are a specific type of snap that include libraries and dependencies common to many applications. They provide a consistent and reliable execution environment for the snap packages that use them.

This core base snap additionally includes the snapd binaries, which in later releases are installed separately as the snapd snap. For more details on the snapd snap, see <https://snapcraft.io/snapd>.

The core base snap provides a runtime environment based on Ubuntu 16.04 ESM (Xenial Xerus).

Other Ubuntu environment base snaps include:

* Core 18: <https://snapcraft.io/core18>
* Core 20: <https://snapcraft.io/core20>
* Core 22: <https://snapcraft.io/core22>
* Core 24: <https://snapcraft.io/core24>

**Using a base snap**

Base snaps are installed automatically when a snap package requires them. Only one of each type of base snap is ever installed.

Manually removing a base snap may affect the stability of your system.

**Building snaps with core**

Snap developers can use this base in their own snaps by adding the following to the snap's snapcraft.yaml:

```
 base: core
```

**Additional Information**\*

For more details, and guidance on using base snaps, see our documentation: <https://snapcraft.io/docs/base-snaps>

### Package name

* core

---

### License

* Other Open Source

---

### Last updated

* 21 April 2026 - latest/stable
* 7 September 2026 - latest/edge

---

### Websites

* [snapcraft.io](https://snapcraft.io "https://snapcraft.io")

---

### Source code

* [github.com/snapcore/core](https://github.com/snapcore/core "https://github.com/snapcore/core")

---

### Report a bug

* [github.com/snapcore/core/issues](https://github.com/snapcore/core/issues "https://github.com/snapcore/core/issues")

---

##### Report a Snap Store violation

* [Report this Snap](https://snapcraft.io/install/core/ubuntu#report-snap-modal)

---

## Enable snaps on Ubuntu and install Core base snap

Snaps are applications packaged with all their dependencies to run on all popular Linux distributions from a single build. They update automatically and roll back gracefully.

Snaps are discoverable and installable from the [Snap Store](https://snapcraft.io/store), an app store with an audience of millions.

### Enable snapd

If you’re running [Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus)](https://www.ubuntu.com/) or later, including [Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver)](https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features) and [Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FocalFossa/ReleaseNotes), you don’t need to do anything. Snap is already installed and ready to go.

For versions of Ubuntu between [14.04 LTS (Trusty Tahr)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/TrustyTahr/ReleaseNotes) and [15.10 (Wily Werewolf)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WilyWerewolf/ReleaseNotes), as well as Ubuntu flavours that don’t include *snap* by default, *snap* can be installed from the Ubuntu Software Centre by searching for *snapd*.

Alternatively, snapd can be installed from the command line:

```
sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd
```

Either log out and back in again, or restart your system, to ensure snap’s paths are updated correctly.

### Install Core base snap

To install Core base snap, simply use the following command:

```
sudo snap install core
```

### Other popular snaps…

[See more...](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured)

[See more in Featured](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured)

### More things to do…

#### [Get the snap store](https://snapcraft.io/snap-store)

Browse and find snaps from the convenience of your desktop using the snap store snap.

#### [Learn more about snaps](https://snapcraft.io/docs)

Interested to find out more about snaps? Want to publish your own application? Visit [snapcraft.io](https://snapcraft.io/) now.

[Back to top](https://snapcraft.io/install/core/ubuntu)

© 2026 Canonical Ltd.
Ubuntu and Canonical are registered trademarks of Canonical Ltd.

Powered by [Charmed Kubernetes](https://www.ubuntu.com/kubernetes)

[Join the forum](https://forum.snapcraft.io/), contribute to or report problems with,
[snapd](https://bugs.launchpad.net/snapd),
[Snapcraft](https://bugs.launchpad.net/snapcraft),
or [this site](https://github.com/canonical/snapcraft.io/issues/new).

* [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/snapcraftio)
* [Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/snapcraftio)
* [Share on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/snapcraftio)

* [Terms of Service](https://ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/snap-store-terms)
* [Data privacy](https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/data-privacy)
* [Manage your tracker settings](https://snapcraft.io/install/core/ubuntu)
* [Service status](https://status.snapcraft.io/)
* [Other functions](https://dashboard.snapcraft.io/)
* [Contact us](https://snapcraft.io/about/contact-us)
