Unable to Update MATLAB on Ubuntu 18.04

I am running MATLAB R2018b and noticed that update 4 is available from the notification menu. However, everytime I attempt to update, the installer states it does not have write permissions for the folder, obviously. I am unable to give update installer root permissions to update, it is not a huge problem, but the software costing $100 because I am a college student and not able to simply update is a dissapointment. UPDATE: I upgraded to Ubuntu 19.04 and am still unable to give MATLAB root access, I love the program but the community is not helpful.

[Aylin]

Hi, do you start MATLAB on the Linux command line? If so, have you tried starting MATLAB with admin permissions, for example:

sudo /usr/local/MATLAB/R2018b/bin/matlab

Does updating MATLAB work after it is started by the admin user?

Note: it should go without saying, but please be careful when executing code under an admin user. To improve safety, most normal tasks on an operating system should be done using a non-admin user.

[Austin Cassel]

I have since installed Matlab R2019a and still have the issue, I run Matlab through a launcher provided through the Ubuntu repositories. When I run the above command it returns a license error -9, I have attempted to fix it but it does not run through command line even though everything matches, host ID, username, et cetera. I essentially give-up at this point, if I need an update, I will just download it and reinstall it.

Answer 1

[Bukoko Ikoki]

For the current version of matlab, which is R2019b, presuming installation path is default and matlab is not running, try:

cd /usr/local/MATLAB/R2019b/bin/glnxa64

and then:

sudo ./update_installer

[Pietro Binel]

That worked perfectly, thank you.

[Diego Benitez]

It works for me too !!! thanks

[MICHAEL MULLIGAN]

Works for me as well, Thanks!!

[Fangliang Bai]

elegant yet simple solution. Thanks!

[Victor Mauel Villa Olvera]

Thank you.

[Yuval Levental]

This also worked for me

[Michael Jiao]

Thank you! Good

[Wangyuan Ding]

Thank you! It worked.

[Tong Zhao]

It also worked for me trying to update R2021a Update 1, thank you!

[Obed Rios]

Yes, work for me too, R2020b Update 6, Thank you!!

[Bukoko Ikoki]

Alternatively, you can update directly from MATLAB after obtaining a writing right on MATLAB installation directory by typing in UBUNTU terminal:

sudo chmod -R a+rwx /usr/local/MATLAB/R2022b

Or by getting ownership of the directory

sudo chown yourusername /usr/local/MATLAB/R2023a

[Hannes Börngen]

Same procedure is working on macOS:

cd /Applications/MATLAB_R20\d(2)[ab].app/bin/maci64

Replace the version with the one you want to update, e.g.:

cd /Applications/MATLAB_R2022b.app/bin/maci64

and then, as in the accepted answer:

sudo ./update_installer

.

My problem was that starting the update from the gui crasehd the MATLAB instance. The approach above seems to be a workaround for the problem.

[Per Jørgensen]

I installed 2023b on OpenSUSE and I can't find ./update_installer anywhere - it seems that it is renamed to ./MathWorksUpdateInstaller

[Mohnish]

Thanks alot bro,it worked fro me.