How to Install OpenShot on Linux Mint 22 and 21

Linux Mint already ships OpenShot for quick cuts, title work, and multi-track timeline edits, but the package source changes the version and dependency set you get. You can install OpenShot on Linux Mint from the default repositories, the OpenShot stable PPA, or Flathub, depending on whether you want the lowest maintenance path, newer APT-managed packages, or Flatpak delivery.

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, the stable PPA moves both releases to the current 3.5.x branch, and Flathub currently packages OpenShot 3.3.0.

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	Package Branch	Updates	Best For
Linux Mint repository	Ubuntu Universe	Mint 22.x: 3.1.x, Mint 21.x: 2.5.x	APT updates from the base repositories	Lowest maintenance, especially on Mint 22.x
OpenShot stable PPA	Launchpad PPA	OpenShot 3.5.x with matching PPA libraries	APT updates from the PPA	Mint users who want newer OpenShot packages without switching to AppImage
Flatpak	Flathub	Flathub stable build, currently 3.3.0	Flatpak app and runtime updates	Users who prefer Flathub packaging and separate runtimes

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 because the default package is much older. Flatpak is useful for Flathub packaging, but the current app permissions include host file access, so do not treat it as the strictest isolation option.

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. On Mint 21.x, APT can include Blender and Inkscape as recommended packages for title-related workflows, so review the proposed package list before confirming the transaction.

sudo apt install openshot-qt

After the install finishes, confirm the package source and version.

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.

Standard Linux Mint desktop installs provide add-apt-repository through mintsources. On stripped-down systems, install that Mint package only if the helper is missing.

command -v add-apt-repository >/dev/null 2>&1 || sudo apt install mintsources

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 both PPA packages once the new source appears. The openshot-qt package provides the launcher and interface, while python3-openshot provides the matching OpenShot Python library. Installing only openshot-qt can leave python3-openshot on the older distro package.

sudo apt install openshot-qt python3-openshot

Check both package candidates again to confirm APT is preferring the PPA for the interface and the OpenShot library.

apt-cache policy openshot-qt python3-openshot

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
python3-openshot:
  Installed: 0.7.0+dfsg2+1243+202604080421+daily~ubuntu24.04.1
  Candidate: 0.7.0+dfsg2+1243+202604080421+daily~ubuntu24.04.1
  Version table:
 *** 0.7.0+dfsg2+1243+202604080421+daily~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 OpenShot branch with ~ubuntu22.04.1 suffixes. OpenShot also publishes a daily PPA for testers, but that moving target is not a good default for a Linux Mint desktop install.

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 Flathub packaging and Flatpak runtime updates, but do not expect it to beat the stable PPA for version freshness or strict file isolation.

Confirm the current Flatpak remote scope first.

flatpak remotes --columns=name,options

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 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:

          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 a Flathub packaging and runtime 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 launch may show OpenShot’s welcome prompt over the editor workspace, including an optional error and metrics checkbox. Choose the privacy setting you prefer, then continue to the editor.

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. Refresh package metadata and upgrade only the OpenShot packages.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade openshot-qt python3-openshot

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 OpenShot interface package and its OpenShot Python library first.

sudo apt remove openshot-qt python3-openshot

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. Review unused dependencies separately, especially if Mint 21.x installed Blender, Inkscape, or OpenShot libraries only for this editor. APT shows the removable package list before confirmation, so decline if it includes packages you still need.

sudo apt autoremove

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.

The cleanup command targets only those candidate OpenShot paths. Remove a path from the command first if you want to keep that profile or data directory.

Deleting these directories removes OpenShot preferences, recent-project state, and local profile data for your account. Back up anything you need before running the removal command.

rm -rf -- "$HOME/.openshot_qt" "$HOME/.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 uninstall --delete-data org.openshot.OpenShot

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

flatpak list --system --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

If the path still exists and you want to remove the remaining Flatpak profile data, back up any projects or settings you need, then delete the directory.

Deleting the Flatpak profile removes OpenShot settings and sandboxed application data for your account. Back up any project state or preferences you want to keep.

rm -rf -- "$HOME/.var/app/org.openshot.OpenShot"

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 the OpenShot settings path, rename the directory and let OpenShot build a fresh profile on the next launch.

mv "$HOME/.openshot_qt" "$HOME/.openshot_qt.backup.$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"

Fix OpenShot PPA Package Mismatch on Linux Mint

If the PPA build still behaves like the older repository version, check both package candidates. A partial PPA install can upgrade openshot-qt while leaving python3-openshot on the Ubuntu base package.

apt-cache policy openshot-qt python3-openshot

Both packages should show the OpenShot PPA as the installed source when you use the PPA method. If only openshot-qt points to the PPA, reinstall the matched package pair after a successful APT metadata refresh.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install openshot-qt python3-openshot

If sudo apt update cannot connect to ppa.launchpadcontent.net, fix the network or retry after Launchpad is reachable before reinstalling. APT cannot choose the PPA packages until the PPA index downloads successfully.

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.

Conclusion

OpenShot is ready on Linux Mint with a package source that matches your update preference: the repository package for low maintenance, the stable PPA for newer APT-managed builds, or Flathub for Flatpak packaging. 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.