Linux Mint for Windows users: how to switch without surprises

For Windows users, Linux Mint is one of the easiest ways to keep an older PC useful: it’s free, and its desktop works much like Windows. Try it from a USB stick first, back up your files, and check that the apps you need have a Linux or web version before you install.

Last updated October 25, 2026 · Facts checked against linuxmint.com and the official Linux Mint guides

The short version

The current release is Linux Mint 22.3 “Zena”, a long-term support release supported until April 2029.
It needs a 64-bit PC with 2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended) and 20 GB of disk space (100 GB recommended).
Pick Cinnamon if you’re unsure. Choose Xfce or MATE for older, slower machines.
You can run it from USB without touching Windows. Installing can erase your drive, so back up first.

What Linux Mint is

Linux Mint is an operating system for desktop and laptop computers. The project describes it as completely free of cost, with almost all of its components open source. It’s funded by donations and advertising, not licenses.

Linux Mint 22.3 “Zena” was released on January 13, 2026. It’s based on Ubuntu 24.04 and will get updates until April 2029, so you won’t need to reinstall for years.

The next major release changes the numbering. The Linux Mint team says it will be called Linux Mint 27 “Adrien”, will be based on Ubuntu 26.04, and is scheduled for Christmas 2026. From then on, version numbers follow the year. Release plans can slip, so check the Linux Mint blog for the latest.

Which edition should you choose?

Linux Mint 22.3 comes in three editions. They run the same system and apps. Only the desktop (the menu, panel and window style) differs.

Edition	What Linux Mint says about it	Best for
Cinnamon	The most popular edition, and the one to start with if you’re unsure	Most PCs from the last decade
MATE	Uses fewer resources and can run faster on older computers	Older laptops and a traditional layout
Xfce	Extremely stable and very light on resources	The oldest or slowest hardware you plan to keep

Linux Mint says choosing an edition is largely a matter of taste. You can try all three from USB before you decide.

The 22.3 release announcement lists these system requirements:

2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended for comfortable use)
20 GB of disk space (100 GB recommended)
A 1024×768 screen resolution

Linux Mint has been 64-bit only since version 20. Its installation guide notes that a computer made after 2007 probably has a 64-bit processor. There’s also LMDE 7 (Linux Mint Debian Edition), which is listed under “Other versions” on the download page. Most people should pick one of the three main editions.

Older graphics or virtual machines: Linux Mint 22.2 and 22.3 ship a newer kernel to support recent AMD processors. The release notes say this kernel has issues with VirtualBox and with old NVIDIA cards that use the 470 driver. If that’s you, Linux Mint suggests installing 22.1 and upgrading to 22.3 afterward.

Try it from a live USB first

A live USB runs Linux Mint straight from the stick. Nothing is installed, and Windows stays as it is. Here’s the process at a high level:

Download the ISO file for your edition from linuxmint.com. The installation guide also explains how to verify the download.
On Windows, write the ISO to a USB stick with Etcher, the tool Linux Mint’s guide recommends. This erases the stick.
Restart the PC and press its boot menu key. Linux Mint’s guide lists common keys: Esc, F1, F2, F8, F10, F11, F12 or Delete. Then choose the USB stick.
Press Enter at the Linux Mint menu to start the live session.

Changes you make in the live session aren’t saved, so treat it as a test drive. Use it to check the things that matter: Wi-Fi, sound, the touchpad, the webcam, your printer, and sleep when you close the lid.

Installing: dual-boot or replace Windows

Before you install: Copy your documents, photos and browser passwords to an external drive or cloud storage. If Windows uses BitLocker or device encryption, find your recovery key first. Microsoft keeps a copy at aka.ms/myrecoverykey if it’s backed up to your Microsoft account.

Start the installer from the “Install Linux Mint” icon in the live session. It asks for your language and Wi-Fi network, and whether to install multimedia codecs. Then it asks how you want to install:

Erase disk and install Linux Mint replaces Windows completely. Everything on the drive is lost.
Install alongside Windows shrinks Windows to make room and adds a boot menu, so you can choose a system each time you start the PC. This is called dual-booting.
Something else lets you partition the drive by hand. It’s for experienced users.

Dual-booting is a sensible way to switch gradually. Linux Mint recommends installing Windows first and Linux Mint second, because reinstalling Windows later overwrites the boot menu. If your drive is small, keep in mind that Linux Mint recommends 100 GB for itself.

After that you set your time zone, keyboard and user account. When it finishes, restart and remove the USB stick when you’re prompted.

What’s different from Windows

You install apps from the Software Manager

Instead of downloading installers from websites, you open the Software Manager, search, and click Install. Windows .exe installers don’t install on Linux Mint. Before you switch, check that each program you rely on has a Linux version or a web version.

The Software Manager also offers Flatpak apps. Since Linux Mint 22, unverified Flatpaks are turned off by default, and turning them on shows a security warning.

One tool updates everything

The Update Manager delivers software updates, security updates and kernel updates from one window. A new kernel is installed alongside the old one, so you can boot the previous kernel if a new one causes trouble. Since 22.3, its tray icon also warns you when an update needs a restart.

Common Windows apps and their Linux options

On Windows you use	On Linux Mint, try
Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint	LibreOffice: Writer, Calc and Impress (free, runs on Linux)
Outlook or Windows Mail	Thunderbird, which Linux Mint packages itself
Photoshop	GIMP, a free image editor for Linux, macOS and Windows
Any web app (webmail, Google Docs, streaming)	The same site in your Linux browser

Specialist software is where switching gets hard. If a program you depend on only runs on Windows and has no web version, keep Windows (or dual-boot) for that task. See our guide to free office alternatives for more on documents.

Your first-week checklist

Install all updates. Open the Update Manager and apply everything it offers.
Check for drivers. Open Driver Manager from the Administration section of the menu, tick any drivers it offers, click Apply Changes, and restart. Linux Mint calls this one of the first things to do after installing.
Add codecs if you skipped them. If you didn’t tick the multimedia codecs box during installation, install them from Sound & Video in the menu.
Set up Timeshift snapshots. Open Menu → Administration → Timeshift, choose RSYNC, pick a drive and choose a schedule. Linux Mint recommends daily and boot snapshots. If an update breaks something, you can roll the system back.
Back up your files separately. Timeshift protects system files and settings only. By default it excludes your home folder, so your documents and photos still need their own backup.

Frequently asked questions

Is Linux Mint free?

Yes. Linux Mint describes itself as completely free of cost, and almost all of it is open source. There’s no license to buy, and updates are free for the life of each release.

Is Linux Mint good for old laptops?

It’s a good fit for many of them. The official minimum is a 64-bit processor with 2 GB of RAM, but 4 GB is recommended. Linux Mint says the MATE and Xfce editions are lighter on resources than Cinnamon. For very low-spec machines, see our lightweight Linux distros guide.

Is Linux Mint based on Ubuntu?

The main editions are. Linux Mint 22.x is based on Ubuntu 24.04, and the next release is planned on Ubuntu 26.04. LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) is the version based on Debian instead.

Linux Mint vs Windows 11: which should I use?

If your PC meets Windows 11’s requirements and you rely on Windows-only software, Windows 11 is the simpler choice. If your PC can’t run Windows 11, Linux Mint keeps it supported until April 2029, as long as your apps have Linux or web versions. Our Windows 10 end of support guide compares all the options, and our Can It Run? database shows what your model supports.

Is Linux Mint safe?

Linux Mint gets regular security updates through its Update Manager. Like any system, it’s only as safe as you keep it: install updates promptly, and get software from the Software Manager rather than random websites. Linux Mint itself warns that unverified Flatpaks come from sources it can’t vouch for.