What FlashPrint is and why you need it on Linux

FlashPrint is the printer driver software made by Flashforge, a 3D printer manufacturer. If you own a Flashforge 3D printer and use Linux, you need FlashPrint to send print jobs from your computer to the printer. Without it, your Linux system won't recognize the printer or understand the files you're trying to print.

Linux doesn't automatically include drivers for most 3D printers the way Windows does. You have to install them manually. FlashPrint on Linux works differently than on Windows or Mac — it runs through a command-line installation and requires a few dependencies your system may not have yet.

Key Takeaways

  • FlashPrint on Linux requires you to download the correct version for your processor type (32-bit or 64-bit) from Flashforge's website.
  • You must install several supporting libraries first, including Qt5 and libusb, before FlashPrint will run.
  • The installation happens through the terminal using commands, not through a graphical installer like Windows.
  • After installation, you need to set up printer permissions so your user account can access the printer without administrator rights.

Check your Linux system type before downloading

FlashPrint comes in two versions: one for 32-bit Linux and one for 64-bit Linux. Installing the wrong one will not work. You need to find out which one your system is.

Open a terminal and type this command, then press Enter:

uname -m

If the output says x86_64, you have 64-bit Linux and need the 64-bit version of FlashPrint. If it says i686, you have 32-bit Linux and need the 32-bit version. Write down which one you have — you'll need it when you download.

Download FlashPrint from Flashforge

Go to the Flashforge website and navigate to their Downloads or Support section. Look for FlashPrint and select the Linux version that matches your system type (32-bit or 64-bit). The file will be a .tar.gz archive — a compressed folder that contains all the FlashPrint files.

Save the file to your Downloads folder or another location you can find easily. Remember the exact filename — you'll type it into the terminal in the next step.

Install required libraries before FlashPrint

FlashPrint depends on several libraries that may not be installed on your Linux system yet. You need to install these first, or FlashPrint will not start. Open a terminal and run these commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each one. Your system will ask for your password — type it in when prompted.

For Ubuntu or Debian-based Linux:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install libqt5gui5 libqt5core5a libusb-1.0-0

For Fedora or Red Hat-based Linux:

sudo dnf install qt5-qtbase libusb

If you are not sure which type of Linux you have, open a terminal and type cat /etc/os-release. Look for the NAME line — it will say Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, or something similar.

Extract and install FlashPrint from the terminal

Navigate to the folder where you downloaded FlashPrint. In the terminal, type:

cd ~/Downloads

This moves you into your Downloads folder. Now extract the FlashPrint archive by typing:

tar -xzf FlashPrint-[version].tar.gz

Replace [version] with the actual version number in your filename. For example, if your file is named FlashPrint-5.7.1-x64.tar.gz, type tar -xzf FlashPrint-5.7.1-x64.tar.gz. This creates a folder with all the FlashPrint files inside.

Move into that folder and run the installation script:

cd FlashPrint-[version]

sudo ./install.sh

The installer will ask for your password and then copy FlashPrint files to the correct system locations. This usually takes less than a minute.

Set up printer permissions so you can use it without sudo

By default, only the administrator (root) can access USB printers on Linux. You need to add your user account to the printer group so you can print without typing your password every time. Open a terminal and type:

sudo usermod -a -G lpadmin $USER

Then type:

sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER

Log out of your Linux account completely and log back in. This refreshes your permissions. After you log back in, you can open FlashPrint and connect to your printer without needing administrator rights.

Launch FlashPrint and connect your printer

After installation is complete, you can start FlashPrint from your applications menu or by typing FlashPrint in a terminal. When it opens, connect your Flashforge printer to your computer with a USB cable. FlashPrint should detect it automatically.

If FlashPrint does not see your printer, go to the printer settings menu inside FlashPrint and click "Add Printer" or "Detect Printer". Make sure the USB cable is plugged in firmly on both ends. If you still have trouble, restart FlashPrint and try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if the installation script says "permission denied"?

The install.sh file needs execute permission. In the terminal, type chmod +x install.sh before running sudo ./install.sh. This gives the script permission to run.

FlashPrint starts but my printer does not show up. What's wrong?

First, check that the USB cable is connected to both the printer and your computer. Second, make sure you logged out and back in after running the usermod commands — your permissions won't take effect until you do. Third, try unplugging the printer, waiting 10 seconds, and plugging it back in.

Can I install FlashPrint on any Linux distribution?

FlashPrint works on most common Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and Linux Mint. It may not work on very new or very specialized distributions. If you have an uncommon Linux version, check Flashforge's website to see if they list it as supported.

Do I need to reinstall FlashPrint after a Linux system update?

Usually no. FlashPrint stays installed after system updates. However, if a major update changes your Qt5 libraries, FlashPrint may stop working. If that happens, run the install.sh script again to repair it.