How to Fix "Dependency Is Not Satisfiable" Error in Linux

By Marcus Johnson Jul 6, 2026 7 min read How-To Guides

The "Dependency is not satisfiable" error appears when you try to install a package that requires another package that is not available or has a conflicting version. This is especially common when installing .deb files downloaded from the internet.

Fix 1: Use apt-get to Fix Dependencies

If you downloaded a .deb file and got this error when installing with dpkg, use apt instead. Run sudo apt install ./packagename.deb instead of sudo dpkg -i packagename.deb. APT automatically resolves and installs all required dependencies. This is the simplest fix for most dependency issues.

Fix 2: Run apt --fix-broken Install

If you already have broken dependencies, run sudo apt --fix-broken install. This command attempts to fix broken packages by installing missing dependencies or removing conflicting packages. It is the go-to fix for dependency problems on Debian-based systems.

Fix 3: Add Missing Repositories

Sometimes the dependency is in a repository you do not have enabled. For example, some software requires the universe or multiverse repository, or a specific PPA. Check the software documentation to see which repositories are needed. Add them with sudo add-apt-repository, run sudo apt update, and try installing again.

Fix 4: Install Dependencies Manually

If you cannot resolve dependencies automatically, install them manually. The error message usually lists the missing dependencies. Search for them with apt-cache search dependencyname and install each one with sudo apt install dependencyname. Start from the bottom of the dependency chain and work up.