Here, we will show you how to download and install the popular ThinkorSwim Trading platform using a command terminal on Ubuntu 24.0, 22.04, or 20.04 LTS, Linux Mint, Elementary OS, Zorin, Debian, CentOS, and others.
What is Thinkorswim?
Thinkorswim is an online trading platform developed by TD Ameritrade that allows users to trade in various stocks, options, futures, and equities. In addition to the web-based platform, the company also provides a dedicated desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux to trade efficiently with advanced tools, screeners, and charts.
The application is free and can be used with TD Ameritrade and others. Once you install Thinkorswim on your Linux Desktop, you will have free real-time quotes, hundreds of chart studies, options risk graphs, and more.
Although this trading platform’s interface is complex and meant for advanced users, beginners or less active traders can also use it to invest.
Steps to install Thinkorswim on Ubuntu 24.04 Linux
The commands and other steps will be the same for the latest Ubuntu 24.04 and previous Ubuntu versions, including other Linux distros.
1. Open the Command Terminal
The first thing you need is the command terminal. To find it, either go to the Application launcher and search for it or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+ALT+T.
2. Download Thinkorswim Linux Desktop App
As I said at the beginning of the article, we can easily install a dedicated version of this trading platform on any Linux. Hence, download its installer script using the command below.
sudo apt install wget -y
wget https://tosmediaserver.schwab.com/installer/InstFiles/thinkorswim_installer.sh
3. Install Thinkorswim on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux
Now that we have the script on our system, the next step is to run it under sudo rights to install it on your Linux platform. The command will be the same for all Linux systems.
If you already have Java on your system, then you can skip this command; otherwise, first install JDK using the given command:
The error without JDK the system will generate:
No suitable Java Virtual Machine could be found on your system. The version of the JVM must be at least 1.7. Please define INSTALL4J_JAVA_HOME to point to a suitable JVM.
To install OpenJDK:
sudo apt install openjdk-17-jdk
Next, run the downloaded script:
sh thinkorswim_installer.sh4. Setup Wizard
A graphical installation wizard for the ThinkorSwim Linux desktop application will open as you run the script. Press the OK button.
Leave the Destination Directory as it is and click the ‘Next’ button to proceed.
Select your Account provider. If you are new and want to use ThinkorSwim for trading, select the default account option.
Again, let the “Create desktop icon” option be selected and hit the Next button.
5. Thinkorswim Linux Interface
As you finish the installation, the application will start. After updating, it will ask you to enter your account username and password. If you don’t have one, go to the official website of this trading platform and register one.
Make the Desktop shortcut executable:
After completing the installation you will have ThinkorSwim shortcut icon Right click on the shortcut and select “Allow launching” option.
Also, copy it to to create a Application shortcut for ThinkorSwim.
sudo cp ~/Desktop/thinkorswim.desktop /usr/share/applications/If you want to use terinal then here is the Command to run Thinkorswim:
/home/$USER/thinkorswim/./thinkorswim
If you are using Linux Mint, right-click the icon and select “open.” Then select “Mark as Trusted.”
Also, see:
Did all this, worked fine, but closed TOS and icon on desktop disappeared, not in apps, where is it?
Mine did same disappearing act! Re-installed & it disappeared again after close. Even tried re-starting laptop, no luck!
Hoping someone can tell us how to add desktop shortcut & re-start program after closing it!
I have updated the article, please follow it to create the Desktop shortcut…
Created the launcher, it doesn’t launch the app.
Try modifiy ~/Desktop/Thinkorswim.desktop entry in the “Exec” line:
Exec=sudo /opt/thinkorswim/./thinkorswim
Hello I managed to do all of the steps. It seems that the application is loading ( I have a slow internet speed due to the use of a hotspot ). It does seem like the login window is taking time to open. Additionally in response to sudo sh thinkorswim_installer.sh, I saw the following message at the end of my terminal transcript, 04:41:58.947: Failed to load module “canberra-gtk-module”. So, I’m wondering if it was a good install
Run this command to solve this error:
sudo apt install libcanberra-gtk-module libcanberra-gtk3-moduleFollowed instructions, cannot get it to boot up after initial install. Am running Mint (Cinnamon). The desctop icon does not give me option to “Allow Launching”. When I go to file manager, selecting Thinkorswim does not launch application.
Simply Right Click on the icon and select open. After that select, the option “Mark as Trusted” and the Desktop shortcut will work.
Thanks. I used your method to install TOS on POP_OS 21.04. It seems to be working fine.
Also change Terminal to true
Installed TOS on Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS.
It launches when I run the installer, but there is no screen showing.
When I press the Super key, there is a window with the TOS icon that also says, “Paper@thinkorswim [build 1975]” but, again it doesn’t show a TOS screen. It is clear.
Also, when I created the Thinksorswim.desktop file and try to run it, I get a message that says,
“This .desktop file has errors or points to a program without permissions. It can not be executed.”
Here is what my .desktop file looks like, after editing per the comments in this thread
[Desktop Entry]
Version 1.0
Type=Application
Name=Thinkorswim
Comment=Trading
Exec=sudo /opt/thinkorswim/./thinkorswim
Icon=/opt/thinkorswim/thinklogo.png
Terminal=true
StartupNotify=false
I was able to do the installation, create the desktop icon and run from there in Ubuntu 20.04.
My installation failed to give a desktop icon. I do not know how to launch. Attempted to create a desktop icon to launch. When I run command sudo mv thinklogo.png / opt / thinkorswim I receive an error: cannot move ‘thinklogo.png’ to ‘/opt/thinkorswim/’: Not a directory
First, check while installing the application which directory you have used. By default it is /opt/thinkorswim/
For anyone who succesfully installed, created the launcher, but got this error message:
“thinkorswim has encountered a critical error and cannot be started. Please click Download and reinstall the application. Note: To keep your workspaces, select ‘Update existing installation’, otherwise they will be erased.”
The issue is that the installer runs as root and installs every file to /opt/thinkorswim also as owned by root. There is no justifiable reason to run this program (closed source, self-updating with internet access, manual install, etc) as root day to day on a desktop machine.
Change ownership of the main folder and all it’s files to your user with ‘sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /opt/thinkorswim’ in a terminal and try again with the launcher created above.
Easy fix for me… LOCK session and log back in. Poof… TOS magically appears!
I pulled my hair out for a while trying to figure this one out. Install/Uninstall TOS, try every version of Java, etc. Not sure why TOS doesn’t appear until I LOCK user and log back in.
I am on Ubuntu 22.04, Java openjdk version “11.0.21”, Run As Program to launch.
Hope this helps!
Hello,
Currently I have had to Uninstall Java 11 and install Zulu OpenJDK 17.0.10 as instructed by
Schwab Think or Swim would not start at all until java 17 was installed. Schwab updated Java Requirement.June 2024. Running Linux Mint 20.3. Tried upgrading to Mint 22 but failed to dual boot into windows10 so reinstalled 20.3. all OK again.
Thank you for posting the command line instructions
I wonder if Ubuntu 24,04 would be the same installation?