Linux

Run Obscreen Player on any Linux distribution as a native app.

About this platform

Linux powers a wide range of digital signage hardware, from lightweight mini PCs to repurposed desktops. Obscreen Player for Linux ships as AppImage, .deb or .rpm packages and supports both x86_64 and aarch64 architectures. Compatible with Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch and many more.

Technical specifications

Operating System	Any Linux distribution (glibc 2.17+)
Architecture	x86_64, aarch64
RAM	1 GB minimum
Storage	100 MB free space
Resolution	Up to 4K
Package	AppImage, .deb, .rpm

How to install

1. Download the package matching your distribution and architecture from obscreen.io/players/linux or the GitHub releases page.
2. Install or run:
   • AppImage: chmod +x obscreen-player.AppImage then double-click or run from terminal.
   • .deb: sudo apt install ./obscreen-player.deb (or sudo dpkg -i obscreen-player.deb).
   • .rpm: sudo dnf install ./obscreen-player.rpm (or sudo rpm -i obscreen-player.rpm).
3. Pair with your Studio: launch the app and enter your Obscreen instance URL to register the device.

Looking for the legacy systemd browser-based player?

The previous chromium + systemd install method is still used on Raspberry Pi as the additive path. See the Raspberry Pi page for details if you specifically want a headless browser-based setup.

Platform features

• Multiple package formats: AppImage for portable, self-contained execution, or .deb/.rpm for clean system-wide installs. Available for both x86_64 and aarch64.
• Auto-update: the player checks for updates automatically and stays up to date without manual intervention.
• Multi-screen support: drive multiple displays from a single Linux machine, each with independent content.
• Offline playback: content is cached locally; playback continues if the network is temporarily lost.

Host Identification Configuration

To help you identify and locate your device, you can set the following metadata in [obscreen-player-dir]/var/run/play file:

Name & Icon

CLIENT_HOSTNAME="My Device"
CLIENT_ICON=auto # any font-awesome icon name (i.e. fa-desktop, fa-laptop, fa-tablet, fa-mobile, fa-tablet-alt, fa-mobile-alt)

Search for icons

You can browse the free icon catalog here.

Positioning

Choose one of the following options from more precise to less precise location:

1. Precise positioning

CLIENT_LONGITUDE=
CLIENT_LATITUDE=

2. Structured address-based positioning

CLIENT_STREET=
CLIENT_CITY=
CLIENT_STATE=
CLIENT_COUNTRY=
CLIENT_POSTAL_CODE=

3. Query address-based positioning

CLIENT_ADDRESS_QUERY= # (e.g. "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500")

See more about customizing the player's URL here.