How to Install NVTOP on Linux: A Step-by-Step Guide

This guide will help you easily install and use NVTOP to monitor your graphics cards on a Linux system.

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Understanding GPU Monitoring

Linux

What is NVTOP?

NVTOP is a handy tool that acts like a task manager specifically for your graphics cards (GPUs). If you have ever used a tool like top or htop to see how much of your computer's central processor (CPU) is being used, NVTOP does the exact same thing, but for your graphics processors. While the name originally stood for NVIDIA TOP, modern versions of this tool can also monitor graphics cards made by AMD and Intel.

When you open NVTOP, it gives you a beautiful, color-coded visual dashboard right inside your computer's terminal. It displays live graphs showing how hard your GPUs are working and how much video memory (VRAM) is currently being used. You can also quickly check important health details, such as the temperature of your graphics cards, how fast the cooling fans are spinning, and how much electricity they are consuming.

Beyond just looking at charts, NVTOP is highly useful for managing what your computer is actually doing. It provides a detailed list of every single program that is using the GPU at that exact moment. If an artificial intelligence script crashes, a video render gets stuck, or a program freezes, you can use NVTOP to easily find that broken process and safely shut it down without having to restart your whole server or computer.

Prerequisites

  • A computer or server running a Linux operating system (such as Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, or Fedora).
  • A supported graphics card (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) physically installed in your machine.
  • The official graphics drivers for your GPU already installed and working correctly.
  • Access to the command-line terminal.
  • Admin (sudo) privileges on your user account so you can install new software.
  • An active internet connection to download the software packages.

Step-by-Step Installation

1

Open your terminal

Open your command-line interface. On most desktop Linux versions, you can do this by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
2

Update your package list

For Ubuntu, Debian, and Linux Mint
It is always best to ensure your system knows about the latest software updates before installing anything new. Type the following command and press Enter:
BASH 
sudo apt update
3

Install NVTOP

Download and install the application by running the package manager command for your specific Linux version:
For Ubuntu / Debian:
BASH 
sudo apt install nvtop
For Arch Linux:
BASH 
sudo pacman -S nvtop
For Fedora:
BASH 
sudo dnf install nvtop
4

Launch NVTOP

Once the installation is complete, you can start monitoring your GPUs immediately. Just type the application name and press Enter:
Bash 
nvtop
(To exit the monitor at any time, just press the q key on your keyboard or F10).

Final Thoughts

You have now successfully added a powerful monitoring tool to your Linux system.

  • Prepared your system by updating your software package list.
  • Installed NVTOP using the correct terminal command for your specific Linux version.
  • Learned how to launch the application to view live graphs of your GPU's performance, temperature, and running programs.

With these new skills, you can confidently track your graphics card's health and keep your heavy workloads running smoothly.

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