Ubuntu

Scope:

  • Officially supported Ubuntu releases

  • Corresponding Linux Mint releases but not LMDE – refer to Debian instead

Package Repository

Add the TLP PPA to your package sources with the commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:linrunner/tlp
sudo apt update

Note

TLP and ThinkPad-related packages below are available via the official Ubuntu repository. Nevertheless it is recommended to use the TLP PPA to stay with the latest TLP version.

Package Installation

Install the packages

  • tlp (PPA or main) – Power saving

  • tlp-pd (PPA or main) – optional – Select TLP profile with a mouse click (Version 1.9 and newer)

  • tlp-rdw (PPA or main) – optional – Radio Device Wizard

either with your favorite package manager or the command:

Version 1.9 and newer

sudo apt install tlp tlp-pd tlp-rdw

Version 1.8 and older

sudo apt install tlp tlp-rdw

Note

Installing TLP from the PPA removes the default power management package power-profiles-daemon. When uninstalling TLP, you should reinstall it manually.

Legacy ThinkPads only: External Kernel Module for Battery Care

Important

Currently supported Ubuntu kernel versions (22.04 upgraded to the 6.8 HWE kernel) offer full battery care support – i.e. charge thresholds and recalibration – for ThinkPads from the Sandy Bridge generation (2011) onwards. An external kernel module (also referred to as “out-of-tree” module) is not required, and the following steps are not necessary. However, if your model is from the Sandy Bridge generation (2011) or older, read on.

Only if the bottom of the output of tlp-stat -b, section ‘Recommendations’, shows the line

Install tp-smapi kernel modules for ThinkPad battery thresholds and recalibration

then install the required package

  • tp-smapi-dkms (main) – optional – External kernel module providing battery charge thresholds and recalibration for ThinkPads prior to the Sandy Bridge generation (2011) and specific tlp-stat -b output up to that generation

either with your favorite package manager or the command

apt install tp-smapi-dkms

Warning

In Ubuntu 24.04 and newer the tp-smapi-dkms package from the official repositories is broken and does neither build nor install the kernel module.

Workaround: download the working package from Debian Sid and install manually

wget -P /tmp https://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/t/tp-smapi/tp-smapi-dkms_0.45-1_amd64.deb
sudo apt install /tmp/tp-smapi-dkms_0.45-1_amd64.deb

and prevent Ubuntu from updating to its broken package

sudo apt-mark hold tp-smapi-dkms

See also