One of the most common frustrations for a new Linux user is opening their shiny new “App Store”—whether it’s GNOME Software, KDE Discover, or Pamac—only to find it feels empty. You search for a popular app like Spotify, Discord, or Steam and get no results, even though you know they’re available for Linux.
The problem isn’t the software store; it’s that the store doesn’t know where to look.
By default, these graphical frontends are often configured to only look at your distribution’s native repositories (like those for APT, DNF, or Pacman). They don’t yet have the “keys” to open the doors to the massive app libraries of Flatpak and Snap.
This guide will show you how to enable Flatpak and Snap backends in the three most popular Linux software centers, effectively merging all your app sources into one unified, easy-to-use interface.
What Is a Software Store “Backend”?
Think of GNOME Software, KDE Discover, or Pamac as a “shopping mall.” This mall is just the building—the frontend you see. A “backend” is the plugin that gives the mall a key to a specific anchor store, like the “Flathub Store” or the “Snap Store.”
Without the backend, the mall doesn’t even know that store exists. Once you install the backend (the plugin), the mall can list all the products from that store right alongside its own. Your goal is to give your software center the keys to both Flathub (for Flatpaks) and the Snap Store (for Snaps).
Prerequisite: Install the Core Flatpak and Snap Systems
Before you can enable the backends, you must have the core services installed on your system. The backend is just the plugin for the store; it’s not the package manager itself.
1. Install Flatpak and Add Flathub
First, install the Flatpak framework. On most modern distros, it’s already installed.
Bash
# On Fedora, Zorin, etc.
sudo dnf install flatpak
# On Debian/Ubuntu, etc.
sudo apt install flatpak
Next, you must add the Flathub remote. This is the “store” that Flatpak will pull apps from. We covered this in detail in our WHAT ARE FLATPAK REMOTES GUIDE. If you haven’t done this, run this one crucial command:
Bash
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
2. Install Snapd
Second, install the Snap daemon (snapd). This is the service that manages Snap packages.
Bash
# On Fedora
sudo dnf install snapd
# On Debian/Ubuntu (it's usually pre-installed)
sudo apt install snapdAfter installing snapd on Fedora, you must also enable its socket service so that Snap applications can run:
sudo systemctl enable --now snapd.socket
You can find full, distribution-specific instructions at SNAPCRAFT.IO.
Once flatpak (with the Flathub remote) and snapd are installed, you are ready to integrate them into your graphical store.
How to Enable Backends in GNOME Software
On Ubuntu 20.04 and later, the default “Ubuntu Software” app is actually the Snap Store, which does not support Flatpak plugins. If you want Flatpak integration, you need to install the gnome-software package separately.
GNOME Software is the default store for GNOME, used by Fedora, Ubuntu, Zorin OS, and many others. It relies on specific plugin packages to find new sources.
On Debian/Ubuntu-based Distributions (Ubuntu, Zorin OS, Pop!_OS)
These distributions make it very easy by providing explicit plugin packages. Open a terminal and run:
Bash
sudo apt install gnome-software-plugin-flatpak gnome-software-plugin-snap
This one command installs both the Flatpak backend and the Snap backend for GNOME Software.
On Fedora
Fedora has a “Flatpak-first” philosophy, so the Flatpak plugin (gnome-software-flatpak) is almost always installed by default along with the gnome-software package. You shouldn’t need to do anything extra for Flatpak.
To integrate Snapd in GNOME Software on Fedora, you simply need to install the snapd package (as shown in the prerequisite). The gnome-software-plugin-snap package is often pulled in as a dependency, or the integration is handled automatically by the main snapd package.
After installing, proceed to the “Restart and Refresh” step.
How to Enable Backends in KDE Discover
KDE Discover is the default software center for the Plasma Desktop, used by Kubuntu, Fedora KDE Spin, Manjaro KDE, and more. Like GNOME Software, it needs backend packages.
On Debian/Ubuntu-based Distributions (Kubuntu, KDE Neon)
The package names are clear and simple. Open a terminal and run:
Bash
sudo apt install discover-backend-flatpak discover-backend-snap
This gives Discover the ability to see and manage both package types.
On Fedora (KDE Spin)
Fedora’s KDE spin also has straightforward package names for this. To add Flatpak to KDE Discover and Snap, run:
Bash
sudo dnf install discover-backend-flatpak discover-backend-snap
This will install the necessary plugins for Discover to communicate with the flatpak and snapd services you installed earlier.
How to Enable Backends in Pamac (Manjaro & some Arch Linux)
Pamac is the default graphical software manager on Manjaro Linux and a popular choice for other Arch-based distributions. Pamac is incredibly powerful and makes this process the easiest of all.
You have two methods:
Method 1: The Terminal Way (Pacman)
You can install the plugins directly using pacman.
Bash
sudo pacman -S pamac-flatpak-plugin pamac-snap-plugin
This will install both plugins. After a quick restart of Pamac, you’ll be ready to go.
Method 2: The GUI Way (Recommended for Pamac)
Pamac has this functionality built directly into its preferences, which is the “Arch-way” of doing things—powerful and transparent.
- Open the Pamac (Add/Remove Software) application.
- Click the “hamburger” menu (three lines) or the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Go to Preferences.
- Enter your password when prompted.
- Go to the “Third Party” tab.
- You will see two toggles:
- Enable Flatpak support
- Enable Snap support
- Turn both of these toggles to the ON position.
- Close the preferences window. Pamac will automatically refresh its cache.
This is the cleanest and most straightforward method for Manjaro users.
The Final, Crucial Step: Restart and Refresh!
This is the step everyone forgets. You have installed the backends, but the software store is still running and doesn’t know they exist yet. You must fully quit and restart the software center.
The easiest way to ensure this works is to log out of your session and log back in, or simply reboot your computer.
If you’re in a hurry, you can try to force-quit the application from the terminal:
- For GNOME Software:
killall gnome-software(Then reopen it from your app menu) - For KDE Discover:
killall plasma-discover(Then reopen it) - For Pamac: Simply close and reopen the window.
After reopening, the store will take an extra minute to cache all the new app listings from Flathub and the Snap Store. You will now see thousands of new applications, often with a “Source” dropdown on the app page, allowing you to choose which version to install (e.g., the Fedora RPM, the Flathub version, or the Snap version).
You have now successfully created a truly unified software center.
Do you prefer to have all your apps in one store, or do you install Flatpaks and Snaps from the command line? Share your experiences and any tips you have in the comments section below!