Installing Linux Mint: making the USB drive, trying it out and the setup steps

Information checked against official sources on Oct. 24, 2026.

Linux Mint is free; it needs no license or product key. A good choice for a new computer sold without an operating system, or for giving an older computer a second life. The steps are based on Linux Mint's own official installation guide.

1. Download the ISO file

1. Go to https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php.
2. Choose an edition. If unsure, Cinnamon (Linux Mint's recommendation); on an old or low-powered computer, Xfce or MATE.
3. Download the ISO file. The download page also explains how to verify the file.

2. Prepare the USB drive

Use a USB drive of at least 8 GB; everything on it will be erased.

• The tool Linux Mint recommends: Etcher. Download Etcher from its official source and run it: pick the ISO with Select image, the USB drive with Select drive, and write it with Flash!.
• Rufus works too: Ubuntu's guide recommends Rufus on Windows; the steps are in our bootable USB guide. If Rufus shows an "ISOHybrid" notice, continue with the recommended Write in ISO Image mode.

3. Start from USB and try it without installing

1. Plug in the USB drive, turn on the computer and select the USB drive with the boot menu key (key for your brand).
2. Press Enter in the menu that appears. Linux Mint starts directly from the USB drive without being installed (live session).
3. In this session, check that Wi-Fi, sound, display, touchpad and keyboard work. If something does not work, you find out before installing.

4. Install

Double-click the Install Linux Mint icon on the desktop. The setup steps:

1. Language: choose your language.
2. Keyboard layout: choose the layout of your keyboard.
3. Internet: connect. If connected, tick the box to install multimedia codecs (for video and music files).
4. Installation type: on a new computer with nothing on the disk, choose Erase disk and install Linux Mint. On a used computer, back up your files first: this option deletes everything on the disk.
5. Time zone: choose your location.
6. User: enter your name, a user name and a strong password. According to Linux Mint's guide, use lowercase letters in the user name, without punctuation or accented characters.
7. When installation finishes, select Restart Now and remove the USB drive when asked.

About disk encryption: setup offers to encrypt the whole disk. Linux Mint's guide notes that the keyboard is in the English (US) layout at that step and that some NVIDIA drivers can cause problems, and suggests that beginners encrypt the home folder instead. If you set a password, keep this in mind: you will need to type it with the English keyboard layout.

5. Drivers and updates

• Open Menu > Administration > Driver Manager, tick the recommended drivers, apply and restart. If there is no internet, plug in your Linux Mint USB drive; Driver Manager can take the needed packages from there.
• Install updates with Update Manager.

If something goes wrong

• Setup does not see the disk or shows an Intel RST warning: according to Ubuntu's documentation, the Intel RST used on some computers is not supported and setup cannot continue until it is turned off (Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu). On a computer with no operating system on the disk, setting the storage mode to AHCI in the BIOS (or turning off VMD) is safe; the setting's name and location depend on the model, see the manufacturer's manual. If Windows is already installed on the disk, changing this setting can stop Windows from starting.
• The USB drive does not start: installation problems and Fn key and Fn Lock.

Installing programs

On Linux Mint, programs are installed from Software Manager. The Linux versions of the programs on our site usually come from Flathub; the essential programs for Linux page also has one command that installs them all.