How to Install Prowlarr

On a Linux-Based System

If you’re running a media automation stack on Linux, Prowlarr is one of those tools that quietly makes everything else less painful. It centralizes indexer management for Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr, and friends, so you’re not reconfiguring the same indexers over and over again.

This post walks through how I install Prowlarr on a Linux-based system using the official method. I’m assuming you already have a basic Linux install up and running. If not, start with A Beginner’s Guide to Linux before continuing.

What This Post Is About

This is a practical, command-line-focused guide to installing Prowlarr on Linux. No Docker, no fancy orchestration, just a clean install using systemd so it behaves like a proper service.

Why I Use Prowlarr

Before Prowlarr, every app had its own indexer config. Any change meant fixing things in multiple places. Prowlarr solves that by acting as a single source of truth for indexers and syncing them automatically to the apps that need them.

Once it’s set up, you mostly forget it exists—and that’s exactly what I want.

Prerequisites

A Linux system (Debian or Ubuntu-based works best)
A non-root user with sudo access
Basic comfort with the terminal

If commands like cd, ls, or sudo look unfamiliar, go back and skim the Linux basics article first.

Step 1: Update Your System

I always start by updating the system. It avoids weird dependency issues later.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

Prowlarr is built on .NET, so we need the runtime installed.

sudo apt install -y curl sqlite3

The Prowlarr install script will handle the .NET runtime automatically.

Step 3: Install Prowlarr

This is the official install method recommended by the Prowlarr project.

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Prowlarr/Prowlarr/develop/distribution/debian/install.sh | sudo bash

This script:

Creates a prowlarr user
Installs Prowlarr under /opt
Sets up a systemd service

You don’t need to manually create users or services unless you enjoy making life harder.

Step 4: Start and Enable the Service

Once installed, start Prowlarr and enable it at boot.

sudo systemctl enable prowlarr
sudo systemctl start prowlarr

To verify it’s running:

systemctl status prowlarr

You should see active (running). If not, check the logs before touching anything else.

Step 5: Access the Web Interface

By default, Prowlarr runs on port 9696.

Open a browser and go to:

http://<your-server-ip>:9696

If you’re installing locally, http://localhost:9696 works.

What Worked Well

The official install script just works
systemd integration is clean
No manual .NET setup required

What Didn’t

Error messages aren’t always beginner-friendly
Firewall rules can silently block access
Permissions issues show up if you mix users carelessly

Lessons Learned

Use the official install script unless you have a strong reason not to
Let Prowlarr run as its own user
Verify the service status before troubleshooting the UI

Featured Image Suggestion

A clean photo or illustration showing a Linux terminal beside the Prowlarr web dashboard.

Suggested Screenshot Locations

Prowlarr running in the browser on port 9696
systemctl status prowlarr showing active

Wrap-Up

Prowlarr is one of those tools that feels optional until you use it. After that, manually managing indexers feels unnecessary and outdated.

Now that it’s installed, the next logical step is connecting it to Sonarr and Radarr—which is where it really earns its keep.

Summary

Prowlarr centralizes indexer management
The official Linux install is straightforward
systemd makes it reliable and low maintenance

More on Prowlarr can be found on the official website!

Question for the Reader

Are you running Prowlarr natively, in Docker, or not at all? What’s been your biggest pain point so far?

Related: A Beginner’s Guide to Linux