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Basalt on Linux

Install Basalt on a Linux desktop, as a .deb, an .rpm or an AppImage, and open your drive.

Basalt is the app that opens your drive. On Linux it has the same window as on Windows, with the same player, built on mpv.

Before you start

  • A 64-bit PC with a Linux desktop: Ubuntu 22.04 or later, Debian 12, Linux Mint 21, Fedora, or another of their age
  • Basalt Host running on a computer on the same network. See Getting started if it isn’t yet

Install it

Choose the file for your system on the download page, under On your computers.

Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and similar: the .deb.

sudo apt install ./Basalt-Client-Linux-amd64.deb

Fedora and similar: the .rpm.

sudo dnf install ./Basalt-Client-Linux-x86_64.rpm

Both install the mpv library Basalt plays with, and add Basalt to your applications.

Any other Linux desktop: the AppImage. It needs nothing installed except the mpv library, which most systems have as a package: libmpv2 (or libmpv1) on Debian and Ubuntu, mpv-libs on Fedora, mpv on Arch. Then make the AppImage executable and open it:

chmod +x Basalt-Client-Linux-x86_64.AppImage
./Basalt-Client-Linux-x86_64.AppImage

Pair with your host

The first time it opens, Basalt shows how it works and looks for hosts on your network.

  1. Choose your host from the list.
  2. Basalt Host shows six digits. Type them in Basalt.

That’s it: Basalt opens the drive, and connects by itself from now on. More, including what to do when the host isn’t listed, is in Pairing a device.

Find your way around

Where What is there
Files Every folder and file on the drive
Recent and Starred What you opened lately, and what you starred
Library Movies, TV Series, Videos, Music and Photos, as the host shares them
Manage host Shown when this device manages the host. See Manage host
Settings This device, the drive, playback and security

Press Ctrl K anywhere to search the drive or jump to a section. Play in your player hands a film to VLC, mpv, Celluloid, Haruna or Videos.

Updates

Basalt looks for new versions by itself, and shows what is new when one is out. The .deb and .rpm update through your package manager, which asks for your password; the AppImage replaces itself where it is. Your pairing and settings are kept. See Updates.

Uninstall

sudo apt remove basalt or sudo dnf remove basalt; for the AppImage, delete the file. Nothing on the drive is touched. Basalt’s settings stay in ~/.config/Basalt/: delete that folder too to forget the pairing.

Something unclear, or not covered here? Ask in Help and setup, where the community and Refora Technologies answer, or write to us, and we will improve this page.