Linux Mint

Last reviewed on 2026-10-04 Reference
Quick facts
  • Type: Ubuntu-based desktop distribution (plus a Debian-based edition, LMDE).
  • Editions: Cinnamon (flagship), Xfce and MATE.
  • Package manager: apt, with Flatpak/Flathub built into the Software Manager. Snap is disabled by default.
  • Current release: Linux Mint 22.3 "Zena" (January 2026), based on Ubuntu 24.04, supported until April 2029.
  • Next: Mint 23, based on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, planned by the Mint team for around Christmas 2026.

Who Linux Mint is for

Linux Mint aims to be a complete, conventional desktop that works without much configuration. Its Cinnamon desktop uses a traditional layout — panel at the bottom, menu at the left, system tray at the right — which makes it a common recommendation for people coming from Windows. It suits:

  • New Linux users who want a familiar desktop and graphical tools for updates, drivers and backups.
  • Older or modest hardware, especially with the Xfce or MATE editions.
  • People who want Ubuntu's hardware support and software availability without Snap packages.

It is a less natural fit for servers (there is no server edition) or for users who want the newest desktop technology first; Fedora gets there sooner.

How Mint relates to Ubuntu and Debian

The main edition uses Ubuntu LTS packages and repositories as its base and adds Mint's own desktop, tools and repository on top. As a result, almost any Ubuntu instruction or .deb package for the matching Ubuntu LTS also works on Mint — Mint 22.x corresponds to Ubuntu 24.04 "noble". The project releases a new major version after each Ubuntu LTS, then point releases (22.1, 22.2, 22.3) roughly every six months that update the desktop and tools on the same base.

LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) delivers the same desktop on top of Debian stable. The current version, LMDE 7 "Gigi" (October 2025), is based on Debian 13. LMDE exists partly as insurance in case Ubuntu ever stopped being a suitable base.

Mint's own tools

  • Update Manager — handles package updates, kernel selection and upgrades between point releases.
  • Timeshift — system snapshots (rsync or Btrfs) to roll back a bad update. Mint now maintains Timeshift itself.
  • Driver Manager — installs proprietary GPU and Wi-Fi drivers.
  • Software Manager — a graphical store mixing apt packages and Flathub apps.
  • Warpinator — sends files between computers on the local network.

Day-to-day reference

Updating
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
# or the Mint wrapper, which respects Update Manager's settings:
mintupdate-cli upgrade
Which version am I on?
cat /etc/linuxmint/info
cat /etc/os-release
Snap packages

Mint ships an APT preference file (/etc/apt/preferences.d/nosnap.pref) that stops snapd from being installed as a dependency. If you really need a Snap, delete that file, then sudo apt install snapd. Most desktop apps are also available as Flatpaks.

Upgrading

Point releases within a series (for example 22.2 to 22.3) are offered in Update Manager under Edit → Upgrade to …. Moving to a new major version (such as 21.3 to 22, and later 22.3 to 23) uses the mintupgrade tool and follows instructions published on the Linux Mint blog with each release. Mint 21.x is supported until April 2027, so there's time to plan. Take a Timeshift snapshot first.

Mint, Wayland and the desktop

Cinnamon has traditionally been an X11 desktop. Mint 21.3 (January 2024) added an experimental Cinnamon Wayland session; the Mint team has said full Wayland support for Cinnamon is a goal for Mint 23. The Xfce and MATE editions remain X11-based. See Wayland vs X11 for what the difference means in practice.

Official resources

Going deeper

Linux Mint is a trademark of its respective owner. This page is not affiliated with the Linux Mint project.