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I followed this Q&A for Ubuntu Server only: How can PPAs be removed? and used one answer there:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:whatever/ppa

...but it only worked for the current session and didn't survive a reboot. In other words the PPA reappeared later. This made a Graphical User Interface (GUI) method that "simply works" with the click of a button highly desirable.

How can a PPA be removed with the GUI?

This is not a duplicate

This is not a duplicate of: How can PPAs be removed? where only answers using the terminal are requested. Answers using the GUI have been deleted. The rules can be bent when a terminal answer is given followed by "you can try this GUI option too".

This question is about Ubuntu Desktop and GUI answers are requested. A new GUI solution in the future should be deleted from the Ubuntu Server question but is allowed here.

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  • It would interesting to know if one of the other answers in askubuntu.com/questions/307/how-can-ppas-be-removed works for the case you tested. (I have removed the package, used sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:whatever/ppa followed by sudo apt update with success, but I must admit, that my case was quite simple.
    – sudodus
    Commented Feb 4, 2018 at 17:15
  • 1
    @sudodus I just started to wonder if I remembered to run sudo apt update afterwards. I may have omitted that step. The GUI method does run that for you in the background though when you close the window/panel.
    – WinEunuuchs2Unix
    Commented Feb 4, 2018 at 17:17
  • 1
    Both answers here are covered there: askubuntu.com/a/813957/158442, askubuntu.com/a/684300/158442,
    – muru
    Commented Feb 5, 2018 at 8:59
  • Yes, you forgot to run apt update.
    – RonJohn
    Commented Feb 5, 2018 at 10:10
  • @RonJohn Which is another reason to use the GUI method, it does apt update for you.
    – WinEunuuchs2Unix
    Commented Feb 5, 2018 at 11:00

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
15

Remove PPAs with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS GUI

Select Software Settings -> Software & Updates -> Other Software:

Remove PPA.png

Highlight the PPA you want to remove and click the Remove button.

Note that many PPA's have two entries; one for the programs and one for the source code.

You should have an Internet connection before completing this operation because Ubuntu needs to update apt sources when you close the panel.

For more details see these Tecmint Instructions with many screen shots for both adding PPAs and removing PPAs.

4
  • What if PPA contain newer versions of standard package? OP may need GUI for ppa-purge. Do we have any?
    – N0rbert
    Commented Feb 4, 2018 at 18:32
  • @N0rbert In this case I'm the OP and answerer... Sorry I don't now anything about ppa-purge... The GUI method above worked for me to get rid of solaar PPA which I no longer use and the Logitech Battery application didn't really work for me: askubuntu.com/questions/991148/…
    – WinEunuuchs2Unix
    Commented Feb 4, 2018 at 18:43
  • 2
    OK, sorry for misunderstanding :) ppa-purge will disable repository and revert packages installed from it to versions from repository. It is useful when using PPA for GIMP or for LibreOffice. See this answer for details.
    – N0rbert
    Commented Feb 4, 2018 at 18:46
  • 1
    @N0rbert Thanks for the link. I use both GIMP and LibreOffice so it's good to know. However it's irrelevant for this Q&A thread which is seeking GUI only solutions. You raise a good point though that someone could write a yad or zenity front end for ppa-purge. My plate is already full with yad projects though.
    – WinEunuuchs2Unix
    Commented Feb 4, 2018 at 18:49
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I found better method.
We can use Y PPA Manager for installation and removing software:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/y-ppa-manager
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install y-ppa-manager

It has Purge button under Manage PPAs menu:

Y PPA Manager has Purge button

1
  • 7
    +1 for more robust application. I'm developing allergic reactions to so many third party applications so it's not for me in this case. Also it's a little ironic installing a new PPA to get rid of too many PPA's :) However I think many users would enjoy your answer and exploring abilities of Y-ppa-manager.
    – WinEunuuchs2Unix
    Commented Feb 4, 2018 at 18:58

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