A new basic edition of Linux Mint is now available for download.
Linux Mint 22.1 is the first update in the Linux Mint 22.x series and, like that version, is built on top of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and uses Linux Kernel 6.8 (though the distro plans to release newer kernel updates more often by opting-in to the Ubuntu HWE).
Being on Ubuntu 24. 04 LTS, Linux Mint 22. 1 receives continuous updates until July 2029.
Though it features few foundational changes, Linux Mint 22.1 brings improvements to what sits on top – a new version of the Cinnamon desktop, Wayland-friendly features, new APT tools, expanded capabilities in many core apps, and more.
In this post, I share a review of what’s new and advanced in Linux Mint 22. 1, where to download the ISO for verification, recap the formula requirements, and how to upgrade from Linux Mint 22 so you don’t need to reinstall.
Come on!
Linux Mint 22. 1 comes with a new desktop environment of its own, Cinnamon 6. 4.
The headline change in Cinnamon 6.4 is a brand new default theme. It uses rounder corners in applets and menus, boosts contrast and padding, and uses a ‘floating’ style for panel applets and menus. The changes effect a more modern looking desktop aesthetic.
However, the new Cinnamon desktop theme isn’t on show in Linux Mint 22.1 by default.
The distro continues to use its own Mint-Y-Dark theme out-of-the-box. To switch to the new default Cinnamon theme go to Settings > Themes > Advanced Settings and change the the Desktop theme to Cinnamon (first in the list).
Drag the slider over the symbol to see how the two themes compare:
Cinnamon 6. 4 also comes with a major visual and UX improvement, which all users will notice regardless of the theme they use: cluttered dialogs.
Added unordered conversations to improve Cinnamon’s Wayland compatibility and overall end-user experience, as the previous mix of GTK-style floating conversations were seamlessly lost among other open programs (which have their own floating conversation boxes ).
The screenshot below shows Linux Mint’s new Clutter-based authentication dialogs and messages.
Clutter is used for most modal dialogs, adding session logout/logout; the force is activated to quit smoking; key fob unlock; Wi-Fi/WPS network connections; Keep/undo solution demo or track changes, and more.
By giving system dialogs and prompts a uniform look more closely aligned to the style of the desktop environment, Linux Mint makes it more obvious that a request or change will affect the entire desktop or OS, and not an individual app.
Another addition to Cinnamon 6. 4 is a new night light feature. This works on both the default X11/Xorg query and the (improved but experimental) Linux Mint Wayland query. You can enable Night Light in Linux Mint 22. 1 via Settings > Night Light.
When night light is on, the screen will become warmer (more orange) at dusk as blue light is filtered out. At dawn, the colors on the screen return to normal. Instead, a traditional time program can be used and the color temperature/intensity is adjustable.
Cinnamon 6.4 adds power profile switching to the Power applet and the Power Management settings panel, possible now that Linux Mint 22.1 ships with power-profiles daemon (PPD) preinstalled.
The functions displayed are the same as always: Energy Saving, Balance and Performance. Depending on your system hardware on PPD, you may only find two, as you would on any Linux distribution that employs PPD.
Most of us think of APT as a singular thing but it’s actually a collection of tools and libraries – some, though still working, are decades old and no longer maintained.
Linux Mint finds it difficult to create some of these jobs with newer, more modern elements used in the desktop stack.
Therefore, Linux Mint 22. 1 modernizes its APT stack by replacing legacy parts with an adapted set of proprietary and scalable packet control libraries and equipment:
Applications and formula features previously used by aptdaemon, synaptic, and apturl are now their respective replacements in Linux Mint 22. 1; no one will notice much (if any) difference from what was happening before.
For example, double-clicking on a DEB package to install, Captain looks like Gdebi, although it has some improvements, like a button to view a list of files inside the DEB and preview them in-situ, which is neat.
And the switch finally allows the distro to offer a GUI assistant so users can ‘downgrade foreign packages’ (i.e., packages which are newer than/not in the main repos).
Several of Linux Mint’s default apps pick up some minor new features.
Nemo file manager now includes an option to disable auto-expanding treeview columns if using drag and drop to move/copy files, and actions (downloadable scripts for the file manager) now support keyboard shortcuts.
Bulky record renaming is now provided to remove accents from record names; Software Manager gets a number of speed improvements and a thumbnail is preinstalled for generating previews of OpenRaster (. ora) records used in graphic design applications.
Each new edition of Linux Mint would load new wallpapers and continue shipping with wallpapers from previous editions, each grouped by the Linux Mint codename. Group wallpapers via tags like Uma, Wilma, Virginia, etc. It probably doesn’t mean much to most.
In Linux Mint 22.1, the number of desktop wallpapers has been reduced and the way they’re listed simplified. A new ‘Wallpapers’ group offers a range of colourful abstract desktop backgrounds. More themed sets will come in later releases.
Cinnamon 6. 4 makes it easy to locate the audio “boost” option on the Settings > Sound page if you need to boost your system’s volume beyond one hundred percent. This is useful for quiet videos, but be careful not to blow up the speakers.
But we’re done now; There are many others:
As you might expect, this update includes many bug fixes, functionality improvements, and translation adjustments. Although invisible (and difficult to capture), those adjustments are so apparent (and easy to capture).
Download Linux Mint 22. 1 from the Linux Mint online page as a direct ISO download (via local mirror) or the official torrent if you prefer.
The Linux Mint 22.1 ISO is <3 GB in size – almost half the size of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (5.7 GB)! Ensure you have enough disk space (and bandwidth) to download the image, and a USB stick or memory card you can use to flash it to.
The formula requirements for Linux Mint 22. 1 are the same as for version 22: your computer will need to have a 64-bit dual-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, and 15 GB of free space to run Linux Mint, but any specifications beyond . These will provide a better overall experience. Training
A comprehensive installation advisor on the Linux Mint documentation site will guide you step-by-step through the Linux Mint installation, if you need help.
You can upgrade to Linux Mint 22. 1 from Linux Mint 22. 0 directly, if you want to download the ISO, upgrade it to a USB drive, and reinstall the operating system.
Upgrading Linux Mint is done using the Mint Upgrade tool.
On Linux Mint 22.0 run sudo apt install mintupgrade from the command line to install the upgrade tool (if an older version is installed it must be updated first).
Then run sudo mintupgrade to get the latest version.
Please note that Linux Mint updates cannot be obtained immediately, on the day of the ISO release. This allows for further testing if last-minute errors are detected and consistency to ensure local updates run smoothly.
You will be prompted to back up files, settings, and settings before you can proceed and install any pending updates. If you need to skip any of those steps, go to Mint Update > Settings and adjust accordingly.
As one of the most well-known and used Linux distributions, Linux Mint is famous for not making a splash. Large adjustments can and do occur, as seen here, but their developers take a considered and careful approach in introducing and implementing them.
Windows 10 ends this year and more people will turn to Linux for a way to continue using their computer safely without buying a new PC or an expensive Windows 11 license; Linux Mint, more than other distributions, could benefit from this.
Of course, things are done.
Linux Mint 22.2 will be the next major in-series update, expected to see release in July 2025. For details on what changes the Linux Mint team have planned for that release, watch this space!
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