How to install Plesk Panel on Ubuntu 24.04

This guide installs Plesk Obsidian 18.x on a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 LTS server. You will configure the system repository, run the official installer, and verify the panel is accessible. These steps apply to a standard Ubuntu 24.04 installation with root privileges.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) server with root or sudo access.
• Static IP address or valid DNS record for the server hostname.
• At least 2 GB of free RAM and 10 GB of free disk space.
• Internet connectivity to download the installer and dependencies.
• Firewall (UFW) open to ports 80, 443, and 8443.

Step 1: Update the system packages

Before installing the panel, ensure all system packages are current to avoid dependency conflicts. Run the update command to fetch the latest security patches and libraries.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

You will see a list of packages being upgraded. Wait for the process to finish without errors. If you see a warning about a broken dependency, run sudo apt --fix-broken install before proceeding.

Step 2: Install required dependencies

Plesk requires specific system libraries and tools to function correctly. Install the necessary packages including curl, wget, and the required kernel headers.

sudo apt install -y curl wget apt-transport-https software-properties-common

The installation will prompt you to confirm the action. Type Y and press Enter. The output will show packages being downloaded and configured.

Step 3: Add the Plesk repository key

Configure the system to trust the Plesk package repository. Download the GPG key and add it to the trusted keys list.

curl -sSL https://apt.plesk.com/plesk-release-public-key.gpg | sudo apt-key add -

Next, add the repository source list to the apt configuration.

echo 'deb http://apt.plesk.com/ plesk-release-2024 main' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/plesk-release-2024.list

This creates a new file in the sources list directory. Verify the file exists by running ls /etc/apt/sources.list.d/plesk-release-2024.list.

Step 4: Update package lists again

Refresh the local package database to include the new Plesk repository. This ensures the installer finds the correct version.

sudo apt update

You should see output indicating that package lists are being updated. If you see 0 upgraded, the repository is recognized but no new packages are available yet. This is expected before running the installer.

Step 5: Run the Plesk installer

Download and execute the official Plesk installer script. This script handles the full installation process, including database setup and web server configuration.

curl -sSL https://autoinstall.plesk.com/update | sudo bash

The installer will run automatically. You will see a progress bar and status messages. The script will download the installer, extract it, and run the setup wizard. Wait for the process to complete. Do not interrupt the process or close the terminal.

If the installation succeeds, you will see a message indicating that Plesk is installed and the service is starting.

Step 6: Configure the firewall

Allow traffic on the required ports so you can access the Plesk interface. Open ports 80, 443, and 8443 using UFW.

sudo ufw allow 'Plesk Administration (https)'
sudo ufw allow 'Plesk Administration (https)' port 8443/tcp
sudo ufw allow 'Plesk Administration (https)' port 80/tcp
sudo ufw reload

The output will confirm that rules are added. Reload the firewall to apply the changes immediately.

Verify the installation

Check the status of the Plesk service to confirm it is running. Use the systemctl command to view the service state.

sudo systemctl status plesk

You will see active (running) in the output. The output should show the main process and any child processes. If you see inactive, run sudo systemctl start plesk and check the logs at /var/log/plesk/.

Troubleshooting

If the installer fails or the panel does not start, check the Plesk logs for errors. The main log file is located at /var/log/plesk/. Review the install.log or error.log files for specific error messages.

sudo tail -n 50 /var/log/plesk/install.log

Common issues include firewall blocks or incorrect repository keys. Ensure the GPG key is valid by running apt-key list or apt-key fingerprint. If the repository is unreachable, check your internet connection and DNS resolution.

If the web server (Apache or Nginx) fails to start, check its specific logs at /var/log/apache2/error.log or /var/log/nginx/error.log. Look for permission errors or missing modules. Restart the web server with sudo systemctl restart apache2 or sudo systemctl restart nginx as appropriate.

Ensure the server hostname resolves correctly. Run hostname and ping $(hostname) to verify DNS. If the panel is not accessible via browser, verify that port 8443 is listening with sudo netstat -tlnp | grep 8443.