2. Linux Mint

If Ubuntu feels like the “standard” Linux distribution, then Linux Mint is its friendly, more familiar cousin. Built on top of Ubuntu, Mint takes everything great about it and adds a polished, Windows-like experience that’s especially inviting for newcomers.

Where Ubuntu introduced you to the GNOME desktop, Linux Mint uses Cinnamon (its default edition), which looks and feels closer to the Windows layout you might already know, with a taskbar, start-menu style launcher, and system tray.

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to install Linux Mint, update your system, install drivers, and customize the desktop so it feels like home.

We’ll start with a quick overview of Mint’s key features, including its Cinnamon desktop, which gives you a clean, classic layout. Then, we’ll go step by step through downloading the ISO file, creating a bootable USB drive, and installing Mint on your computer.

Once installed, we’ll cover system updates, software management through the Software Manager, and how to enable additional drivers if needed. On top of that, we’ll explore some simple tweaks and customization tips to make your Linux Mint setup truly yours.

What is Linux Mint?

Linux Mint is one of the most popular and beginner-friendly Linux distributions in the world. If Linux is the engine, then Mint is the car that makes it feel familiar and easy to drive, especially for people coming from Windows.

It builds on top of Ubuntu, taking the same stable and secure foundation and adding its own tools, tweaks, and desktop environment to create a complete, ready-to-use system that “just works” out of the box.

Linux Mint was first released in 2006 with a simple goal: to provide a modern, elegant, and comfortable desktop experience for everyday users.

Since then, it has grown into a polished, flexible operating system that works on laptops and desktops, with a focus on simplicity and user-friendliness.

Some of the reasons people love Linux Mint include:

• Familiar Interface - The Cinnamon desktop looks and behaves much like Windows, making the transition from other operating systems smoother.
• Stability & Reliability - Built on Ubuntu’s LTS releases, Mint inherits the same stable foundation, ensuring your system runs smoothly.
• Free & Open Source - Linux Mint is completely free to download, install, and share.
• Strong Community - A friendly global community provides help, tutorials, and support for beginners and advanced users alike.
• All-in-One Out of the Box - Mint comes with multimedia codecs, software management tools, and essential applications pre-installed, so you can start using it immediately.

In short, Linux Mint gives you the power and security of Linux while keeping things familiar, comfortable, and easy to navigate. It’s a fantastic choice if you want a system that works right away and lets you focus on your tasks rather than setup and configuration.

For this guide, we’ll be using Linux Mint 22 Cinnamon Edition - the latest stable release designed for long-term usability and daily productivity.

What’s New in Linux Mint 22?

Here are some highlights of what’s new in Linux Mint 22 Cinnamon Edition:

• Cinnamon 6.4 Desktop - A polished, responsive desktop environment with improved animations, better window management, and smoother performance.
• Performance Enhancements - Faster system startup, reduced memory usage, and optimized resource management make Mint feel snappy on both older and newer hardware.
• Updated Software Packages - Includes the latest versions of essential applications like Firefox, LibreOffice, GIMP, and multimedia tools.
• Enhanced Security - Mint inherits Ubuntu’s long-term support updates and kernel improvements, giving you stronger out-of-the-box security.
• Improved Hardware Support - Better detection and support for newer CPUs, GPUs, and Wi-Fi devices, making installation and day-to-day use easier.
• Refined User Experience - Small but impactful tweaks to menus, applets, and settings help make navigation smoother and more intuitive.

Linux Mint 22 is designed to be friendly and familiar for newcomers while offering the stability, security, and performance that everyday users and developers alike can rely on.

Downloading Linux Mint 22 ISO

The first step in installing Linux Mint is to grab the ISO file, which is the official installation image containing everything needed to set up.

Here’s how to download it:

• Go to the official Linux Mint website → linuxmint.com/download
• Select Linux Mint 22 Cinnamon Edition (the recommended edition for most users).
• Choose a download option - either direct download or a torrent for faster downloading.
• Once downloaded, you’ll have a file named something like linuxmint-22.2-cinnamon-64bit.iso.

Creating a Bootable USB