Fedora’s default repositories focus on free and open source software, which means certain applications, proprietary drivers, and multimedia codecs are not available out of the box. Users who need software like Google Chrome, Steam, NVIDIA drivers, or additional multimedia support often find that enabling third-party repositories and RPM Fusion streamlines software installation and playback capabilities. These steps address package limitations caused by licensing, legal, or philosophical reasons, and allow you to install popular tools and codecs that Fedora’s standard repos exclude.

Enable Fedora’s Third-Party Repositories

Fedora includes a curated set of third-party repositories that provide access to select proprietary and closed-source applications, such as Google Chrome, Steam, and NVIDIA drivers. These repositories are managed by the Fedora Workstation Working Group and must be manually enabled by the user. Enabling these repos allows you to install and update additional software using familiar tools like GNOME Software or the dnf package manager.

Step 1: Open the GNOME Software application. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines or “hamburger” menu) in the top right corner and select Software Repositories.

Step 2: In the Software Repositories window, locate the section labeled Third Party Repositories. Click the Install button next to this section. You may be prompted to enter your password. This action enables Fedora’s third-party repositories and makes additional software sources available.

Step 3: After enabling, you will see individual sub-repositories for software like Google Chrome or NVIDIA drivers. Toggle these on as needed to access specific applications.

Alternatively, you can enable third-party repositories via the command line:

sudo dnf install fedora-workstation-repositories

This command installs the package that defines the third-party repositories, but you still need to enable individual repos for each application through the Software app or by editing repository files.

Enable RPM Fusion Repositories for Multimedia and Additional Software

RPM Fusion is an independent, community-maintained repository that provides a much broader selection of software, including many multimedia codecs, drivers, and applications not available in Fedora’s official or curated third-party repos. RPM Fusion is divided into two main repositories:

  • Free: Contains open-source software that is not shipped by Fedora due to legal or policy reasons.
  • Nonfree: Contains software that is not open-source or may be restricted by patents or licensing.

Enabling RPM Fusion allows you to install packages like ffmpeg, proprietary NVIDIA drivers, and a wide range of other multimedia tools.

Method 1: Enable RPM Fusion via Command Line

Step 1: Open a terminal window. To enable the Free repository, run:

sudo dnf install https://mirrors.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm

This command downloads and installs the RPM Fusion Free repository configuration for your current Fedora version.

Step 2: To enable the Nonfree repository (for proprietary or patent-restricted software), run:

sudo dnf install https://mirrors.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm

Step 3: After enabling RPM Fusion, update the core group to ensure AppStream metadata is available in GNOME Software:

sudo dnf groupupdate core

This step ensures that packages from RPM Fusion show up in the graphical software center.

Method 2: Enable RPM Fusion via Graphical Interface

Step 1: Visit the RPM Fusion Configuration page in your web browser.

Step 2: Download the RPM file for the Free repository that matches your Fedora version. Double-click the downloaded file, which opens it in GNOME Software. Click the Install button and enter your password if prompted.

Step 3: Repeat the process for the Nonfree repository if you need access to proprietary software or codecs.

Step 4: Once both repositories are installed, open a terminal and run:

sudo dnf groupupdate core

This final step ensures the software center displays RPM Fusion packages.

Enable and Manage Additional Software Repositories

Fedora supports adding and managing other repositories using the dnf config-manager command. This is useful if you need to add custom or third-party repos not covered above.

Step 1: To add a new repository, download or create a .repo file and place it in /etc/yum.repos.d/. Then, add it with:

sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo /path/to/repository.repo

Step 2: To enable a repository, use:

sudo dnf config-manager setopt repository-id.enabled=1

Replace repository-id with the actual repository identifier.

Step 3: To disable a repository, run:

sudo dnf config-manager setopt repository-id.enabled=0

Step 4: To remove a repository, delete its .repo file from /etc/yum.repos.d/.

Enable Flathub for More Flatpak Applications

Fedora’s default Flatpak setup may not include the full Flathub repository, which hosts a large catalog of desktop applications. To access the full range, you can add Flathub manually:

Step 1: Add Flathub to your system with:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

This command registers Flathub as a Flatpak remote, allowing you to install applications from its catalog. You can then search and install Flatpak applications using the Software app or the flatpak command line tool.

Enabling third-party repositories and RPM Fusion in Fedora removes many software and multimedia limitations, allowing you to install popular tools, drivers, and codecs. Regularly check for updates and review repository sources to maintain a secure and stable system.