The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To install Linux Mint 22.3 Cinnamon alongside Windows 11, make room for Mint from Windows, boot the Mint USB in the same firmware mode Windows uses, then choose Install Linux Mint alongside when the installer offers it. Do not choose Erase disk and install Linux Mint if you want to keep Windows or files on that disk. Back up important files and save your BitLocker recovery key before changing boot or firmware settings.
What you are installing
Linux Mint 22.3, codenamed “Zena,” is the release covered here. The Linux Mint Blog announced it on January 13, 2026, and says it is supported until 2029. The project lists minimum requirements of 2 GB RAM, 20 GB disk space and a 1024×768 display; it recommends 4 GB RAM for comfortable use and 100 GB disk space. These are project-published figures, not a recommended dual-boot allocation: Mint’s installation guide says the installed system takes roughly 15 GB and suggests a root partition of 100 GB or more if space permits. Linux Mint 22.3 release announcement.
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Cinnamon is an official Linux Mint edition. Mint describes it as its most popular edition and says it is primarily developed by and for the project. The download page currently recommends Mint 22.3 “Zena”; download the 64-bit Cinnamon ISO there. Mint has provided only 64-bit editions since version 20. Linux Mint download page.
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Back up files and keep your recovery key
Copy important personal files to a separate drive or trusted backup location. Partitioning mistakes can erase data, and recovery operations can also involve data loss. Check whether BitLocker or Windows Device Encryption is active, and make sure you can access the recovery key somewhere outside this PC. Microsoft warns that firmware, hardware or software changes can trigger a recovery-key prompt; Device Encryption may be enabled automatically. You do not need to assume that every PC must turn encryption off, but do not proceed without the key. Microsoft: Find your BitLocker recovery key.
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Make unallocated space for Mint
If Windows and Mint will share one drive, shrink the Windows volume in Windows Disk Management and leave the resulting space unallocated for the Linux installer. Available shrink space varies by machine. Do not delete or resize EFI System or Windows Recovery partitions as a shortcut. Microsoft: Disk Management.
Download and verify the Mint image
Download the 64-bit Cinnamon 22.3 ISO from the official download page, along with sha256sum.txt and sha256sum.txt.gpg. Verification has two distinct jobs: comparing the ISO’s SHA256 checksum with the published list checks that the file’s contents match; verifying the GPG signature on the checksum file checks that the list is authentic. Mint links a Windows-specific checksum tutorial from its verification page. Linux Mint: Verify your ISO image.
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Make a bootable USB
A USB flash drive is Mint’s simplest installation-media option. Its Windows instructions document Etcher’s three-step flow: select the ISO image, select the USB drive, then flash it. Confirm the selected drive carefully: writing the image overwrites the selected removable drive’s contents. A blank DVD is a fallback only if the computer cannot boot from USB; Mint notes optical media is slower and burning is more error-prone. Linux Mint installation guide: Burn the ISO.
Boot the USB in the right mode
- Insert the USB and restart the PC. Open the one-time boot-device menu using the key shown by the manufacturer or startup screen; the key varies by computer.
- Select the USB entry that matches Windows’ firmware mode. If Windows is installed in UEFI mode, choose the USB’s UEFI entry. Mint’s ISO can boot in EFI or BIOS mode, but matching Windows’ mode helps the dual-boot setup use the corresponding boot environment. Consult the PC manual for device-specific firmware settings. Linux Mint installation guide: Boot Linux Mint.
- Start the live session and test basic hardware, such as display, keyboard, touchpad and network. The live session runs from the USB and does not make persistent changes to the installed system.
Install Mint while keeping Windows
- On the Mint desktop, launch Install Linux Mint. Choose a language, connect to the internet if available, and decide whether to install multimedia codecs.
- At the installation-type screen, choose Install Linux Mint alongside the existing operating system if it appears. Mint says the installer automatically resizes the existing OS, makes room, installs Mint and sets up a boot menu. Read the displayed disk and size choices before accepting them; confirm they refer to the intended drive and leave Windows in place. Linux Mint installation guide: Install Linux Mint.
- Do not choose Erase disk and install Linux Mint for a dual boot. That choice is for replacing the existing system when all data on the selected disk may be erased.
- If the alongside option is unavailable, Something else provides manual partitioning control, but use it only if you can identify the Windows, EFI and Linux partitions confidently. Mint requires a root partition mounted at
/and recommends ext4. It says the installed system takes roughly 15 GB and suggests 100 GB or more for root if available. Mint also describes swap use for hibernation and as a RAM safety buffer; it does not make one swap size universal. If the partition identities are unclear, stop rather than guess or format a Windows partition. - Set the timezone, keyboard layout, username and a strong password, then finish the installer prompts. If you opt for full-disk encryption, Mint notes the keyboard layout at the relevant stage is en_US and mentions issues with some NVIDIA drivers; consider those caveats before selecting encryption rather than treating it as a routine default.
- When installation completes, restart and remove the USB when prompted.
Choose Windows or Mint after installation
A boot menu should let you choose Linux Mint or Windows. If it does not appear automatically, use the PC’s one-time boot menu to select the relevant boot entry. If the computer starts straight into Windows, Mint says this likely indicates a boot-order problem. In UEFI systems, its guide explains how to inspect EFI boot entries from a Mint live session. The Mint EFI entry may be named ubuntu for technical reasons, so a missing entry named “linuxmint” does not by itself prove Mint was not installed. Firmware menus differ, so identify the entries before changing boot order. Linux Mint installation guide: EFI.
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Which installation method should you use?
| Choice | Partitioning control | Data-preservation risk | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install alongside | Installer manages resizing and setup when offered | Lower effort, but review the drive and size choices before confirming | Most users keeping Windows 11 |
| Something else | Manual control over Linux partitions | Higher if you select or format the wrong partition | Users who can reliably identify EFI, Windows and Linux partitions |
| Erase disk | Replaces the selected disk’s existing layout | All data on the selected disk may be erased | Only when replacing the existing system and willing to lose that disk’s data |
For installation media, USB is the easiest route according to Mint. Use DVD only when the PC cannot boot from USB and you have a suitable optical drive.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common dual-boot problems
Windows starts directly after Mint installation
First check the firmware boot order and one-time boot menu for Mint’s EFI entry. Mint explains that the entry can appear as ubuntu. Its EFI guide describes inspecting entries from a live session; avoid changing entries until you know which one is Windows and which one starts Mint.
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The installer reports “Secure Boot Violation”
Mint documents two options: retry with an internet connection and without the third-party graphics/Wi-Fi software option, or disable Secure Boot in firmware. Treat disabling it as a troubleshooting choice, not a universal installation requirement. Firmware labels and availability vary by PC. Linux Mint installation guide: EFI.
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The regular ISO does not boot on newer hardware
Mint’s HWE images use a newer kernel to improve compatibility, but proprietary drivers and third-party modules may have limited support. The HWE page lists the regular Mint 22.3 kernel as 6.14 and HWE kernels as 7.0 and 6.17; those listings can change, so check the page before downloading. Try HWE only if the regular ISO does not work. Linux Mint 22.3 HWE information.
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Windows boot changes seem to hide Mint
Mint’s multi-boot guide describes reinstalling the GRUB menu after identifying the Linux partition and disk. Its commands use example device names: do not copy them literally without first identifying the correct partitions and disk for your computer. Linux Mint installation guide: Multi-boot.
Windows asks for a BitLocker recovery key
Enter the recovery key you saved before installation. Microsoft describes it as the way to regain access when a change in boot or hardware state triggers BitLocker protection. Do not bypass encryption or continue without a key you can retrieve.
Quick Recap
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