Can’t Install .NET 10 on Ubuntu via apt? Here’s a Workaround That Actually Works

Source: Dev.to

TL;DR

• dotnet-sdk-10.0 may not be available via apt yet, depending on your region.
• This is due to APT repository propagation, not a broken setup.
• Microsoft’s official install script is the supported workaround.
• Installing the SDK also installs the runtime.
• You can safely keep .NET 8, 9, and 10 side‑by‑side.

The Problem: apt Can’t Find .NET 10 (Yet)

Even with Microsoft’s Ubuntu repository configured (https://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/24.04/prod), the SDK installation fails:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install dotnet-sdk-10.0

Result:

E: Unable to locate package dotnet-sdk-10.0

Why This Happens

Microsoft rolls out APT packages gradually across mirrors and regions. Consequently:

• Some users can install .NET 10 immediately.
• Others won’t see the package yet.

apt cannot install packages that haven’t reached your mirror. You can check availability with:

apt-cache policy dotnet-sdk-10.0

If it reports “Unable to locate package,” the SDK simply isn’t there yet.

The Workaround: Microsoft’s Official Install Script

Until the APT package reaches your region, use Microsoft’s installer script:

wget https://dot.net/v1/dotnet-install.sh
chmod +x dotnet-install.sh
./dotnet-install.sh --channel 10.0

The script installs .NET 10 under $HOME/.dotnet.

Important: Set Environment Variables

After installing via the script, add .NET to your PATH:

# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
export DOTNET_ROOT=$HOME/.dotnet
export PATH=$PATH:$DOTNET_ROOT:$DOTNET_ROOT/tools

Reload the shell:

source ~/.bashrc   # or source ~/.zshrc

Verify the Install

dotnet --list-sdks

Expected output (example):

10.0.101 [/home/youruser/.dotnet/sdk]

Side‑by‑Side with .NET 8 and .NET 9

Installing .NET 10 this way does not interfere with existing installations. You can have:

• .NET 8 (installed via apt)
• .NET 9 (installed via apt)
• .NET 10 (installed via the script)

When dotnet-sdk-10.0 becomes available via apt in your region, you can switch back to a fully package‑managed setup.

Final Thoughts

• If apt can’t find .NET 10 on Ubuntu 24.04, your system isn’t misconfigured.
• The package simply hasn’t propagated to your mirror yet.
• Microsoft’s official install script is safe, supported, and works as a reliable temporary solution.

Once the APT package is available in your region, you can revert to installing .NET 10 via apt.