ICQ2 LINUX RELEASE:Native desktop research alpha 0.2.03aAUGUST 23, 2026
← Download page

RELEASE NOTES

ICQ² 0.2.03a for Linux

The first native ICQ² graphical desktop-client research alpha for 64-bit Linux. It connects to the same live network as the Windows app and the separately available Linux terminal client.

What is included

  • Compact contact list, classic menus, statuses and independent message windows.
  • Registration, saved accounts, password recovery and reconnect.
  • Contacts, authorization, groups, aliases, privacy controls and active sessions.
  • Profile viewing and editing plus Global Directory search.
  • Direct text messages and local history protected with SQLCipher per UIN.
  • Session secrets stored through the desktop Secret Service.
  • A separate signed GUI update channel with safe activation and rollback.

Install from one file

  1. Download the DEB installer below.
  2. Open your Downloads folder and double-click the file.
  3. Click Install in the software installer.
  4. Open ICQ2 from the application menu.

The first launch verifies the embedded production-signed release and installs it for your user. The Linux TUI, saved accounts and per-UIN data are not replaced.

Download ICQ² GUI 0.2.03a (.deb)

Automatic signed updates

The GUI checks its own Ed25519-signed discovery document. A newer package is staged only after its signature, size, SHA-256 value, product, version, platform and architecture are verified. The next launch performs a health check and automatically restores the previous working version if activation fails.

icq2-gui-update --status
icq2-gui-update --check
icq2-gui-update --rollback

The terminal client keeps its existing 0.2.02a update channel. The two clients do not install over one another.

Advanced manual install

Download the installer, archive, detached signature and public key into one directory, then run:

chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh   --archive icq2-gui-0.2.03a-linux-x86_64.tar.gz   --signature icq2-gui-0.2.03a-linux-x86_64.tar.gz.sig   --public-key icq2-linux-gui-update-public-key.pem   --manifest-url https://icq2.net/releases/linux/gui-x86_64/friends.manifest

Download install.sh · Download the archive · Download the signature · Download the public key

Verify the download

  • DEB size: 1,803,786 bytes
  • DEB SHA-256: AF57189768625881B6A733248E0C30FBA305F61F52AA35477410ADC9D54E9246
  • Archive size: 1,806,647 bytes
  • Archive SHA-256: 895668A9AC075B03A1DEC9DC1B3CD43447372B15E2FC26C49A3B8F8CEFD09A72
  • Ed25519 public-key fingerprint (DER SHA-256): C423C34816E445CE74E92D845BD0F8919CFAE4F9D3BA3FEE308217E29A9F2C4B

Complete signed checksums · Detailed installation notes

Research-alpha limits

File transfer, contact-card transfer, group chat, calls and end-to-end encryption are not included. Transport is encrypted, but the service can process message contents. ICQ² is an independent project and is not affiliated with Mirabilis, AOL, VK, or the former ICQ service.