How to fix E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages in APT

Start by refreshing your package metadata. This may resolve the issue if the problem is based on outdated dependency information:

sudo apt update

After updating, try your original command again (e.g., sudo apt upgrade). Sometimes simply refreshing the package index is sufficient to resolve resolver conflicts.

Since the error specifically mentions held packages, check which packages are currently held on your system:

apt-mark showhold

This will list any packages that have been explicitly marked to not be automatically upgraded. Review this list carefully—if you see packages that are related to your install/upgrade operation, they may be the cause of the conflict.

If you identified held packages that are preventing upgrades, carefully unhold them to allow APT to manage them. Only do this for packages you're confident about:

sudo apt-mark unhold package-name

Replace package-name with each held package you want to release. After unheld packages, try your operation again:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Unheld packages will now be considered by the dependency resolver, potentially allowing it to find a valid solution.

Use APT's built-in broken package fixer to automatically resolve issues:

sudo apt --fix-broken install

This command analyzes unmet dependencies and attempts to create a consistent package state by installing missing packages or removing conflicting ones. Review what it proposes before confirming.

If interrupted operations left packages in a partially configured state, complete the configuration:

sudo dpkg --configure -a

The -a flag configures all unconfigured packages. This often helps resolver conflicts that stem from incomplete package operations.

If apt's resolver still cannot find a solution, aptitude has a more advanced algorithm that can sometimes find solutions apt misses:

sudo apt install aptitude
sudo aptitude install package-name

When aptitude encounters conflicts, it presents multiple possible solutions interactively and lets you choose which approach to take. This gives you more control over how dependencies are resolved.

If the error started after adding a third-party PPA, that PPA may be the source of the incompatibility:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:username/ppa-name

After removing problematic PPAs, run the fixes again:

sudo apt update
sudo apt --fix-broken install
sudo dpkg --configure -a

PPAs often create dependency conflicts with official repositories, and removing them is sometimes the only way to resolve persistent issues.

If packages are being held back from a major version upgrade, try a distribution upgrade instead of a regular upgrade:

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

This command is more aggressive about upgrading packages and changing dependencies for major version transitions. Review what it plans to remove before confirming, as dist-upgrade may remove packages if necessary to resolve conflicts.

If a specific package consistently causes conflicts, remove it entirely and reinstall it fresh:

sudo apt remove --purge package-name
sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt clean
sudo apt update

The --purge flag removes the package and its configuration files. After cleaning up, you can reinstall it:

sudo apt install package-name

A fresh installation often resolves complex dependency conflicts that have accumulated.