How to properly install and use texlive with package manager

Just run tlmgr init-usertree first and then run sudo tlmgr update --all.


Maybe you will get:

/usr/bin/tlmgr: Initialization failed (in setup_unix_one):
/usr/bin/tlmgr: could not find a usable xzdec.
/usr/bin/tlmgr: Please install xzdec and try again.
Couldn't set up the necessary programs.
Installation of packages is not supported.
Please report to [email protected].
tlmgr: exiting unsuccessfully (status 1).

If so, you have to install the xzdec package, from your package manager or through sudo apt-get install xzdec.


To use the GUI, you also need to install perl-tk:

sudo apt-get install perl-tk

Then you can summon the GUI via:

tlmgr --gui

And then hit the Load Default button.


If you want to use tlmgr on Ubuntu you basically have two options:

  1. Install texlive from scratch and create a dummy package

  2. Use install-tl-ubuntu, as described in this answer on tex.SE