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This guide installs Linux Mint 22.3 Cinnamon while keeping Windows 11 available as a dual-boot option. The key safety rule is simple: choose Install Linux Mint alongside when offered, and never choose Erase disk and install Linux Mint if the disk contains Windows or files you need.
What you’ll install and what you’ll need
Linux Mint’s January 13, 2026 release announcement identifies version 22.3, code-named “Zena,” as a long-term support release supported until 2029. The official download page describes Cinnamon as Mint’s most popular edition and says it is developed primarily by and for Linux Mint. Get the 64-bit Cinnamon image from the official Linux Mint download page.
Linux Mint publishes these baseline figures for 22.3: 2 GB of RAM, with 4 GB recommended for comfortable use; 20 GB of disk space, with 100 GB recommended; and a 1024×768 display resolution. These are project-published requirements, not a recommendation to give a dual-boot installation only 20 GB. The installation guide says the installed system takes roughly 15 GB and suggests a root partition of 100 GB or more if space permits.
- A PC running Windows 11 with enough free space to allocate to Mint.
- A USB flash drive to make bootable installation media. Creating the installer overwrites the selected drive, so copy off anything you need first.
- A backup of important personal files and access to your BitLocker or Device Encryption recovery key, if encryption is active.
Prepare Windows before changing boot settings
Back up files and locate your recovery key
Back up important files before resizing partitions or installing an operating system. Mint warns that selecting or formatting the wrong partition during manual installation can erase data. Microsoft also notes that recovery operations can involve data loss.
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Check whether BitLocker or Windows Device Encryption is active, and save the recovery key somewhere you can reach without this PC. Firmware, hardware, or software changes can cause Windows to request it at startup; Device Encryption may be enabled automatically on some devices. You do not need to turn encryption off as a universal rule, but you should not begin without access to the key.
Shrink the Windows volume to make room
If Windows and Mint will share the same drive, use Windows Disk Management to shrink the Windows volume and leave the resulting space unallocated. Microsoft’s instructions for shrinking a volume are at Disk Management in Windows. The amount Windows can shrink varies by machine; do not assume a fixed size or modify EFI or Recovery partitions to create space.
After shrinking, confirm the disk layout in Disk Management. Identify the Windows volume and the unallocated area, but do not format the unallocated area in Windows. The Mint installer needs to use that space.
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- LIVE OR INSTALL - On supported hardware, start the Linux Mint live environment to evaluate it or launch the installer.
- PLATFORM BOUNDARY - Not designed to boot Apple Silicon or other ARM-based computers. Confirm CPU architecture and USB-boot support before purchase.
- BOOT SETTINGS VARY - Boot-menu keys and UEFI settings differ by manufacturer; consult the computer maker's instructions if the USB is not listed.
- BACK UP BEFORE INSTALLING - Disk-partition and installation choices can erase files or operating systems. Disconnect nonessential drives and preserve the USB until it is no longer needed for installation or recovery.
Download and verify the Linux Mint ISO
Download the Linux Mint 22.3 Cinnamon 64-bit ISO and the accompanying sha256sum.txt and sha256sum.txt.gpg files from Mint’s download and verification pages. Verification checks two different things:
- SHA256 checksum: compares the ISO’s calculated checksum with Mint’s published value to detect corruption or an altered download.
- GPG signature: checks that the checksum file was signed with the Linux Mint signing key, helping establish that the checksum list itself is authentic.
Follow Mint’s ISO verification instructions, including its Windows-specific checksum tutorial. Do not treat a matching checksum alone as proof of authenticity: the signature check is a separate step.
Make a bootable USB from Windows
- Insert the USB flash drive you are willing to erase and confirm which drive it is in Windows.
- Open Etcher and select the Linux Mint ISO image.
- Select the correct USB drive as the target. Check the drive carefully: flashing overwrites its contents.
- Choose Flash and wait for the process to finish.
These are the select-image, select-drive, flash steps in Linux Mint’s USB installation-media guide. USB is Mint’s simplest recommended route. A blank DVD is a fallback only if the PC cannot boot from USB; Mint notes that optical media is slower and burning is more error-prone.
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Boot the USB in the same firmware mode as Windows
- Leave the USB inserted, restart the PC, and open its one-time boot-device menu. Use the key shown by the startup screen or the PC manufacturer’s instructions; the key differs among computers.
- If Windows is installed in UEFI mode, choose the USB entry marked UEFI. Mint media can boot in either EFI or BIOS mode, but matching Windows’ firmware mode helps the dual-boot setup use the corresponding boot environment. Check your device manual if the menu is unclear.
- Choose the option to start Linux Mint and wait for the live session to load.
The live session runs from the USB so you can check basic hardware, such as the display, keyboard, touchpad, Wi-Fi, and sound, before installing. It does not make persistent changes to the installed system. If essential hardware does not work, stop and troubleshoot compatibility before proceeding.
Install Mint without removing Windows 11
- In the live session, open Install Linux Mint.
- Choose your language, connect to the internet if available, and choose whether to install multimedia codecs.
- At the installation-type screen, choose Install Linux Mint alongside the existing operating system if that option appears.
- Review the displayed disk and size choices carefully. Mint says this option automatically resizes the existing operating system, makes room for Mint, installs it, and sets up a boot menu. Continue only if the displayed changes match your intention to keep Windows and its files.
- Set your time zone, keyboard layout, user name, and a strong password, then follow the remaining installer prompts.
- When installation finishes, restart and remove the USB when prompted.
Do not select “Erase disk and install Linux Mint” for a dual-boot installation. That choice is for replacing the existing system on the selected disk, where its data can be erased.
If “Install Linux Mint alongside” is missing
The installer’s Something else option provides manual partition control, but it is intended for people who can confidently identify Linux, Windows, EFI, and recovery partitions. Mint requires a root partition mounted at / and recommends ext4. It says Mint itself takes roughly 15 GB and suggests 100 GB or more for root if available. Mint also describes swap for hibernation and as a RAM safety buffer; it does not make one swap size universally required.
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If you cannot identify the correct partitions with confidence, stop rather than guessing. Formatting or assigning the wrong partition can destroy Windows or personal data. Seek device-specific help before making manual changes; do not alter EFI or Recovery partitions as a workaround.
Choose Windows or Mint after installation
After the restart, a boot menu should let you choose Linux Mint or Windows. If the menu does not appear, use the PC’s one-time boot menu to check whether Mint is available. Avoid changing partitions to solve a boot-selection problem until you know which operating system and boot entry the PC is starting.
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The PC boots straight into Windows
Mint says this commonly points to a firmware boot-order issue. Start with the firmware’s boot options and look for the Mint/EFI boot entry. If you need to inspect entries, Mint’s EFI boot guide explains using a Mint live session. The entry may be named ubuntu, not linuxmint; Mint uses that EFI name for technical reasons. Firmware menus and labels vary by PC.
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“Secure Boot Violation” appears
Mint documents two troubleshooting approaches: retry installation with an internet connection and without selecting the third-party graphics and Wi-Fi software option, or disable Secure Boot in firmware. Treat disabling Secure Boot as a troubleshooting step, not a routine prerequisite. Firmware labels and available settings vary by device; consult the manufacturer’s guidance before changing them.
A newer PC will not boot the regular ISO
If the regular ISO does not work on newer hardware, Mint provides HWE images with newer kernels to improve compatibility. Its HWE page lists kernel 6.14 for regular Mint 22.3 and HWE kernels 7.0 and 6.17; these listings can change, so check the current Mint HWE page before downloading. Mint cautions that proprietary drivers and third-party modules may have limited support with HWE. Try HWE only when the regular ISO fails to work.
Windows boot changes seem to have replaced Mint
Mint’s multi-boot guide describes reinstalling the GRUB menu after identifying the Linux partition and disk. The commands use example device names, which are not safe to copy without confirming the correct machine-specific partition and disk. See Mint’s multi-boot guide; if you cannot positively identify those devices, get help before running recovery commands.
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Enter the recovery key you saved before installation. Microsoft explains that boot or hardware-state changes can trigger this prompt. If you cannot access the key, do not try to bypass encryption or make further boot changes; recover access through the account or organization that manages the device.
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