How to fix N: Package 'package-name' is not installed, so not removed. Did you mean 'package-name2'? in APT

First, check whether the package you're trying to remove is installed on your system:

apt list --installed | grep package-name

This will show if a package matching that name is installed. If it returns nothing, the package is not installed and there's nothing to remove.

APT's suggestion in the error message indicates similarly-named packages that ARE installed. If one of the suggested names is what you intended to remove, use that name instead:

sudo apt remove suggested-package-name

For example, if you tried to remove "docker" but APT suggests "docker.io", use:

sudo apt remove docker.io

If you're not sure about the correct package name, search APT's package database:

apt search package-keyword

Replace "package-keyword" with part of the package name you're looking for. This will show all packages matching that keyword, including their exact names and descriptions. Find the one you want to remove and note its exact name.

Once you've identified the likely package name, verify it with:

apt show package-name

This shows details about the package including whether it's installed. If the output says "State: installed", then you have the right package name and can remove it. If it says "State: not/installed", the package is not currently on your system.

Once you've confirmed the correct package name, remove it:

sudo apt remove correct-package-name

APT will show you what it plans to remove and ask for confirmation. Review the output carefully before typing 'y' to proceed.

If the notice indicates the package is already removed (not installed), you can simply ignore the message. The notice is just APT informing you that nothing was removed for that particular package name, but other packages in the command may still be processed.

If you were trying to remove only that one package, you're done—it's already off your system.