How to Install OpenShot on Linux Mint 22 and 21

Linux Mint already ships OpenShot, a timeline-based video editor for quick cuts, titles, and multi-track projects. The version gap between Mint 22.x and 21.x is large enough that your install method changes what you get. You can install OpenShot on Linux Mint from the default repositories, the OpenShot stable PPA, or Flathub, depending on whether you care more about low maintenance, newer releases, or sandboxing.

OpenShot also publishes an official AppImage on its download page, but APT and Flatpak are easier to update and remove on Mint. Mint 22.x carries OpenShot 3.1.x in the default repositories, Mint 21.x stays on 2.5.x, and the stable PPA moves both releases to the current 3.5.x branch.

Install OpenShot on Linux Mint

The repository package is the easiest place to start. The stable PPA is the simplest APT-managed route to newer OpenShot builds on both supported Mint releases, and standard Linux Mint desktop installs already include Flatpak with a system-scope Flathub remote.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
Linux Mint repository	Ubuntu Universe	Mint 22.x: 3.1.x, Mint 21.x: 2.5.x	Via APT updates	Lowest maintenance, especially on Mint 22.x
OpenShot stable PPA	Launchpad PPA	Current 3.5.x stable build	Via APT updates	Mint 21.x or Mint 22.x users who want newer OpenShot releases
Flatpak	Flathub	Flathub stable build, currently 3.3.0	Via Flatpak updates	Sandboxed desktop installs

The repository package is the best fit when you want the least upkeep. Mint 21.x users have the strongest reason to move to the stable PPA, while Flatpak is more useful for sandboxing than for absolute version freshness.

Update Linux Mint Before Installing OpenShot

Refresh APT first so Linux Mint sees the current repository or PPA metadata before you install anything.

sudo apt update

These commands use sudo for package management tasks. If your account does not have sudo access yet, follow the guide to create and add users to sudoers on Linux Mint or switch to a root shell first.

Install OpenShot from Linux Mint Repositories

The default package is the lowest-maintenance option, and Linux Mint installs it as openshot-qt while the menu entry appears as OpenShot Video Editor.

sudo apt install -y openshot-qt

The -y flag accepts the APT confirmation prompt automatically. After the install finishes, confirm the package source and version with:

apt-cache policy openshot-qt

Relevant output on Mint 22.x includes:

openshot-qt:
  Installed: 3.1.1+dfsg1-1
  Candidate: 3.1.1+dfsg1-1
  Version table:
 *** 3.1.1+dfsg1-1 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Mint 21.x shows 2.5.1+dfsg1-2ubuntu0.1 from jammy-updates/universe. If you want the newer 3.5.x branch on either supported Mint release, move to the stable PPA.

Install OpenShot from the OpenShot Stable PPA

The OpenShot developers’ stable PPA is the easiest APT-managed way to move Mint 22.x and 21.x to the current 3.5.x branch. It matters most on Mint 21.x, where the default package is much older.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:openshot.developers/ppa -y

Update APT after adding the PPA so Linux Mint pulls the new package index. Mint 22.x shows lines like these, and Mint 21.x uses the same path with jammy instead of noble:

sudo apt update

Get:10 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu noble InRelease [18.1 kB]
Get:11 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages [3,400 B]
Get:12 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu noble/main i386 Packages [1,696 B]

Install the PPA build once the new source appears.

sudo apt install -y openshot-qt

Check the candidate package again to confirm APT is preferring the PPA.

apt-cache policy openshot-qt

Relevant output on Mint 22.x includes:

openshot-qt:
  Installed: 3.5.1+dfsg2+1791+202604080516~ubuntu24.04.1
  Candidate: 3.5.1+dfsg2+1791+202604080516~ubuntu24.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 3.5.1+dfsg2+1791+202604080516~ubuntu24.04.1 500
        500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Mint 21.x resolves the same upstream branch with a ~ubuntu22.04.1 suffix. OpenShot also publishes a daily PPA for testers, but that moving target is not a good default for a Linux Mint install guide.

Install OpenShot via Flatpak on Linux Mint

Linux Mint desktop installs already include Flatpak with Flathub configured as a system remote. Use this path when you want OpenShot sandboxed, but do not expect it to beat the stable PPA for version freshness.

Confirm the current Flatpak remote scope first.

flatpak remotes

flathub system

If that command does not show flathub, restore the remote on customized Mint systems with:

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

The --if-not-exists flag skips the add step when the remote is already present. Install OpenShot from the same system-scope remote once Flathub is available.

sudo flatpak install -y flathub org.openshot.OpenShot

The Flatpak app ID is org.openshot.OpenShot. Verify the installed build with:

flatpak info org.openshot.OpenShot

Relevant output includes:

OpenShot Studios, LLC - An easy to use, quick to learn, and surprisingly powerful video editor

          ID: org.openshot.OpenShot
         Ref: app/org.openshot.OpenShot/x86_64/stable
        Arch: x86_64
      Branch: stable
     Version: 3.3.0
      Origin: flathub

At the moment the Flathub build is 3.3.0, so Flatpak is the sandboxed choice rather than the newest OpenShot release. The current Flatpak permissions already include host file access, so most Linux Mint users do not need extra filesystem overrides just to open local project folders.

Launch OpenShot on Linux Mint

OpenShot can be installed from any terminal session, but it still needs an active graphical desktop session to open. Repository and PPA installs use the same launcher and terminal command, while Flatpak keeps its own app ID.

Launch OpenShot from the Linux Mint Menu

Open the Linux Mint menu, search for OpenShot Video Editor, and start it from the Sound & Video category. Xfce and MATE place the launcher in the same general application group.

The first full launch opens the project files panel, preview window, and timeline in the main editor workspace.

Launch OpenShot from Terminal on Linux Mint

Use the terminal launcher when you want to start the editor directly or watch startup messages.

APT or stable PPA install:

openshot-qt

Flatpak install:

flatpak run org.openshot.OpenShot

Update or Remove OpenShot on Linux Mint

Keep updates and cleanup tied to the same package format you used for installation. That avoids stale PPA configuration and makes Flatpak removal more predictable later.

Update OpenShot on Linux Mint

APT and stable PPA installs update through the normal package manager. The command below refreshes package metadata and upgrades only OpenShot.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade openshot-qt

Update the Flatpak build through the same system-scope remote you used for installation.

sudo flatpak update org.openshot.OpenShot

If you want broader Flatpak maintenance tips, see the guide to upgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint.

Remove the APT Version of OpenShot on Linux Mint

Remove the package and any now-unused dependencies in one step.

sudo apt remove --autoremove openshot-qt

If you used the stable PPA and no longer want it configured, remove the source after the package is gone.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:openshot.developers/ppa -y

Refresh APT and confirm that the candidate falls back to the default Mint repositories.

sudo apt update && apt-cache policy openshot-qt

Relevant output on Mint 22.x includes:

openshot-qt:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 3.1.1+dfsg1-1
  Version table:
     3.1.1+dfsg1-1 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 Packages

Mint 21.x falls back to 2.5.1+dfsg1-2ubuntu0.1 from jammy-updates/universe after the same cleanup. If you also want to remove local settings, check which OpenShot data paths actually exist before deleting anything.

find "$HOME" -maxdepth 3 \( -path "$HOME/.openshot_qt" -o -path "$HOME/.local/share/openshot" \) -print

The escaped parentheses keep the two candidate paths in one OR test, so find prints only the OpenShot locations you want to review.

If that command prints one or both directories, remove only the paths you actually find.

rm -rf ~/.openshot_qt ~/.local/share/openshot

Remove the Flatpak Version of OpenShot on Linux Mint

Remove the Flatpak app and its sandbox data with the same system scope you used during installation.

sudo flatpak remove --delete-data org.openshot.OpenShot -y

Verify that the app ID is gone when the uninstall finishes.

sudo flatpak list --app --columns=application | grep -Fx org.openshot.OpenShot || echo NOT_INSTALLED

The grep -Fx check matches the exact app ID only, so the fallback NOT_INSTALLED line prints when the Flatpak is gone.

NOT_INSTALLED

If you launched the Flatpak build before removing it, check whether ~/.var/app/org.openshot.OpenShot still exists before you delete anything else from your account.

find "$HOME" -maxdepth 3 -path "$HOME/.var/app/org.openshot.OpenShot" -print

Troubleshoot OpenShot on Linux Mint

Most launch problems come from stale local settings or graphics stack issues, not from the package manager itself. Check the small items below before you remove and reinstall the editor.

Reset OpenShot Settings on Linux Mint

If OpenShot hangs or keeps reopening with broken preferences, check whether the local settings directory exists first.

find "$HOME" -maxdepth 2 -path "$HOME/.openshot_qt" -print

When that command prints ~/.openshot_qt, rename the directory and let OpenShot build a fresh profile on the next launch.

mv ~/.openshot_qt ~/.openshot_qt.backup

Check Graphics Drivers Before Reinstalling OpenShot on Linux Mint

Preview glitches and startup crashes after a driver change are often graphics issues rather than broken OpenShot packages. On GeForce hardware, start with the guide to install NVIDIA drivers on Linux Mint. AMD and Intel systems usually benefit more from the guide to upgrade Mesa drivers on Linux Mint.

OpenShot on Linux Mint FAQ

Which package name installs OpenShot on Linux Mint?

APT uses the package name openshot-qt. The menu entry still appears as OpenShot Video Editor, while the Flatpak build uses the app ID org.openshot.OpenShot.

Do I need the OpenShot stable PPA on Linux Mint?

Not for a working install, but it is the easiest APT-managed way to move both supported Mint releases to OpenShot 3.5.x. Mint 21.x users get the biggest jump because the default package there is still on the older 2.5.x branch.

Is the OpenShot Flatpak more locked down on Linux Mint?

It is sandboxed, but the current Flathub build already includes host file access. Most Linux Mint users can open local project folders without adding extra filesystem overrides.

Can I download OpenShot directly on Linux Mint instead of using APT or Flatpak?

Yes. OpenShot publishes an official AppImage on its download page. It is useful for a portable install, but it does not follow Linux Mint’s normal APT or Flatpak update workflow.

Conclusion

OpenShot is ready on Linux Mint with an update path that matches how closely you want to track upstream releases. If preview playback still feels rough on a GeForce system, install NVIDIA drivers on Linux Mint next. AMD and Intel users should upgrade Mesa drivers on Linux Mint instead.