Installation

System Requirements

WireGuird requires the following to run properly:

Operating System: Ubuntu 18.04+, Linux Mint 21.1+, or compatible Debian-based distribution
Desktop Environment: GNOME, XFCE, KDE, or any DE with system tray support
Root Access: Required for managing WireGuard tunnels
Dependencies: GTK+3, WireGuard tools, and system libraries

WireGuird controls WireGuard through wg-quick commands, which require root privileges. You’ll need to run the application with sudo or configure appropriate permissions.

Installation Methods

Choose the installation method that best suits your needs:

Pre-built Package (Recommended)
Build from Source

Download Pre-built .deb Package

The easiest way to install WireGuird is using the pre-built .deb package for your Ubuntu version.

Choose Your Version

Select the appropriate package for your Ubuntu/Linux Mint version:v1.1.0 - For Ubuntu 23.04:

wget https://github.com/UnnoTed/wireguird/releases/download/v1.1.0/wireguird_amd64.deb

v1.0.0 - For Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, 22.10, and Linux Mint 21.1:

wget https://github.com/UnnoTed/wireguird/releases/download/v1.0.0/wireguird_amd64.deb

v0.2.0 - For Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, 20.04 LTS, and 21.04:

wget https://github.com/UnnoTed/wireguird/releases/download/v0.2.0/wireguird_amd64.deb

Each release is tested specifically for the listed Ubuntu versions. Using the correct version ensures compatibility with your system’s GTK libraries.

Install the Package

Install the downloaded .deb package using dpkg:

sudo dpkg -i ./wireguird_amd64.deb

If you encounter dependency errors, resolve them with:

sudo apt-get install -f

This command installs any missing dependencies automatically.

Verify Installation

Check that WireGuird is installed correctly:

which wireguird

You should see the path to the installed binary, typically /usr/local/bin/wireguird or /usr/bin/wireguird.

What Gets Installed

The .deb package installs:

Binary: The WireGuird executable
Icons: Application icons in /opt/wireguird/Icon/
Desktop Entry: .desktop file for application launcher
Dependencies: All required system libraries

Compile WireGuird from Source

Building from source gives you the latest code and allows customization.

Install Build Dependencies

First, install all required development libraries and tools:For Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt install wireguard-tools libgtk-3-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev golang-go resolvconf

For Linux Mint:

sudo apt install wireguard-tools libgtk-3-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev golang-go resolvconf

These dependencies are defined in deps.sh and are required for both building and running WireGuird.

Dependency Breakdown:

wireguard-tools: Provides wg and wg-quick commands
libgtk-3-dev: GTK+3 development headers
libayatana-appindicator3-dev: System tray support library
golang-go: Go compiler (1.16+ recommended)
resolvconf: DNS management utility

Clone the Repository

Download the WireGuird source code:

git clone https://github.com/UnnoTed/wireguird
cd wireguird

Install Dependencies with Script

Run the automated dependency installer:

chmod +x ./*.sh
./deps.sh

This script detects your distribution and installs the correct packages.

Build the Package

Create the .deb package:

./package.sh

The build process:

Generates GTK bindings (gui/get/generator/generator.go)
Embeds static assets using fileb0x
Compiles the Go source code
Creates a .deb package in ./build/

The package script automatically detects your distribution (Ubuntu/Fedora) and uses the appropriate packaging format.

Install the Built Package

Install your freshly built package:

./install.sh

Or manually:

sudo dpkg -i ./build/wireguird_amd64.deb

Build Troubleshooting

Go version too old

If you see errors about Go version:

go version

WireGuird requires Go 1.16 or later. On older Ubuntu versions, install a newer Go:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:longsleep/golang-backports
sudo apt update
sudo apt install golang-go

GTK bindings error

If you encounter GTK-related build errors:

sudo apt install pkg-config libgtk-3-dev

Ensure pkg-config can find GTK:

pkg-config --modversion gtk+-3.0

Missing fileb0x

If the build fails on static asset embedding:

go install github.com/UnnoTed/fileb0x@latest

Ensure $GOPATH/bin is in your PATH.

Post-Installation Setup

Prepare WireGuard Directory

WireGuird reads tunnel configurations from /etc/wireguard/. Ensure this directory exists with proper permissions:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/wireguard
sudo chmod 700 /etc/wireguard

The /etc/wireguard/ directory should have 700 permissions (read/write/execute for root only) to protect your VPN configuration and private keys.

Configure WireGuard

If you don’t have WireGuard configured yet:

Enable WireGuard Kernel Module

Ensure the WireGuard kernel module is loaded:

sudo modprobe wireguard

Verify it’s loaded:

lsmod | grep wireguard

Test wg-quick

Verify wg-quick is available:

wg-quick --version

This command is used by WireGuird to manage tunnels (gui/tunnels.go:232, 286).

First Launch

Launch WireGuird for the first time:

sudo wireguird

WireGuird must be run with sudo because it executes wg-quick commands that require root privileges to modify network interfaces.

Alternative Launch Methods:

From Application Menu: Search for “Wireguird” in your application launcher
Desktop Entry: Click the WireGuird icon if your DE auto-detected it
System Tray: If “Start on Tray” is enabled, the application launches minimized

Create Desktop Launcher with sudo

To avoid typing sudo each time, create a desktop launcher:

sudo nano /usr/share/applications/wireguird.desktop

Add the following content:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Wireguird
Comment=WireGuard VPN Manager
Exec=pkexec wireguird
Icon=/opt/wireguird/Icon/wireguard_off.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Network;VPN;

pkexec provides a graphical password prompt, making it easier to launch WireGuird with root privileges from the application menu.

Updating WireGuird

Check for Updates

WireGuird can automatically check for updates (configurable in Settings). When an update is available, you’ll see a notification dialog (gui/gui.go:168-201).

Manual Update

Download New Version

Download the latest .deb package for your Ubuntu version from the releases page.

Stop Running Instance

Close WireGuird and ensure it’s not running:

pkill wireguird

Install Update

Install the new package (it will automatically upgrade):

sudo dpkg -i ./wireguird_amd64.deb

Uninstallation

To remove WireGuird from your system:

sudo apt remove wireguird

To also remove configuration files:

sudo apt purge wireguird

Uninstalling WireGuird does not remove your WireGuard tunnel configurations in /etc/wireguard/ or the WireGuard kernel module.

Troubleshooting Installation

Package dependency errors

If you see dependency errors during installation:

sudo apt-get install -f
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

This resolves missing dependencies and updates your package list.

Application won't launch

Check if all dependencies are installed:

ldd $(which wireguird)

Look for any “not found” entries. Install missing libraries with:

sudo apt install libgtk-3-0 libayatana-appindicator3-1

No system tray icon

Some desktop environments require additional packages for system tray support:GNOME:

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator

KDE Plasma: System tray support is built-in, but ensure the system tray widget is added to your panel.

Permission denied errors

If you see “Permission denied” when trying to activate tunnels:

Ensure you launched WireGuird with sudo or pkexec
Check /etc/wireguard/ permissions:
```
ls -la /etc/wireguard/
```

Verify wg-quick is executable:

which wg-quick
ls -la $(which wg-quick)

Distribution-Specific Notes

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Later

Ubuntu 22.04+ includes WireGuard in the default repositories with full kernel support. No additional repositories needed.

Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and 20.04 LTS

WireGuard is available but may require backports:

sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r)
sudo apt install wireguard

Linux Mint 21.1

Linux Mint 21.1 is based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and has full WireGuard support out of the box.

Next Steps

Quick Start Guide

Now that WireGuird is installed, learn how to add your first tunnel and connect to a VPN in under 5 minutes.

Get Started

User Guide

Advanced

Development

System Requirements

Installation Methods

Download Pre-built .deb Package

What Gets Installed

Compile WireGuird from Source

Build Troubleshooting

Post-Installation Setup

Prepare WireGuard Directory

Configure WireGuard

First Launch

Create Desktop Launcher with sudo

Updating WireGuird

Check for Updates

Manual Update

Uninstallation

Troubleshooting Installation

Distribution-Specific Notes

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Later

Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and 20.04 LTS

Linux Mint 21.1

Next Steps

Quick Start Guide

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

User Guide

Advanced

Development

​System Requirements

​Installation Methods

​Download Pre-built .deb Package

​What Gets Installed

​Compile WireGuird from Source

​Build Troubleshooting

​Post-Installation Setup

​Prepare WireGuard Directory

​Configure WireGuard

​First Launch

​Create Desktop Launcher with sudo

​Updating WireGuird

​Check for Updates

​Manual Update

​Uninstallation

​Troubleshooting Installation

​Distribution-Specific Notes

​Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Later

​Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and 20.04 LTS

​Linux Mint 21.1

​Next Steps

Quick Start Guide

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

System Requirements

Installation Methods

Download Pre-built .deb Package

What Gets Installed

Compile WireGuird from Source

Build Troubleshooting

Post-Installation Setup

Prepare WireGuard Directory

Configure WireGuard

First Launch

Create Desktop Launcher with sudo

Updating WireGuird

Check for Updates

Manual Update

Uninstallation

Troubleshooting Installation

Distribution-Specific Notes

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Later

Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and 20.04 LTS

Linux Mint 21.1

Next Steps