How to Upgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint 22 and 21

To upgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint, start by updating the Flatpak apps and runtimes you already use. Linux Mint 22.x and 21.x desktop installs include Flatpak with Flathub enabled, so most systems need sudo flatpak update, not a new Flatpak package source.

Upgrade the flatpak package itself only when you need a newer tool build than the Mint archive provides. The stable PPA path checks the candidate first, upgrades the related Flatpak package set together, and includes rollback commands for returning to the Mint archive.

Update Flatpak Apps and Runtimes on Linux Mint

This is the path most readers need for a Flatpak update or upgrade command. Updating Flatpak content refreshes installed applications, runtimes, and extensions from enabled remotes; it does not replace the APT-owned flatpak package.

Confirm Flatpak and Flathub on Linux Mint

Linux Mint desktop editions normally have Flatpak installed and Flathub enabled system-wide. Confirm both before following generic install-Flatpak instructions from another distro:

flatpak --version
flatpak remotes --columns=name,options

A standard Mint desktop install should show flathub with the system scope. Relevant output includes:

flathub	system

If flatpak --version fails or flathub is missing, you are probably working on a customized or trimmed-down Mint installation. Restore the Mint archive package and Flathub remote, then rerun the same checks:

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

These commands use sudo for system-level package and Flatpak remote changes. If your account does not have sudo access yet, follow the guide on how to create and add users to sudoers on Linux Mint.

Update Flatpak Apps and Runtimes

Refresh every installed Flatpak application, runtime, and extension from the enabled remotes:

sudo flatpak update

Use sudo here because Mint’s normal Flathub remote is system-scoped. If you deliberately installed apps with --user, update that per-user scope with flatpak update --user instead.

If Flatpak reports that nothing needs updating, the system-scope apps and runtimes are already current for the enabled remotes.

To update one application, append its app ID, such as sudo flatpak update org.videolan.VLC. The same pattern works for Flathub apps you might already use from guides such as install Discord on Linux Mint or install GitHub Desktop on Linux Mint.

Use Update Manager for Routine Flatpak Updates

Linux Mint Update Manager can handle routine Flatpak app and runtime updates when you prefer the desktop workflow. Choose Upgrade for Flatpak app or runtime updates. A Remove action usually means cleanup for an unused runtime; review the names before accepting it so you do not confuse runtime cleanup with updating an app.

Use the terminal path when you need package-source control, a repeatable command, or the rollback path for the APT-owned flatpak package.

Upgrade the Flatpak Package on Linux Mint

Linux Mint 22.x ships Flatpak 1.14.x from its Ubuntu 24.04 base, while Linux Mint 21.x ships Flatpak 1.12.x from its Ubuntu 22.04 base. The Flatpak stable PPA provides Flatpak 1.16.x packages for the Ubuntu LTS bases behind both Mint release series. Treat it as a third-party APT source: add it only when the newer Flatpak tool matters, then keep the rollback path available.

Linux Mint release	Ubuntu base	Archive Flatpak	Flatpak stable PPA
Linux Mint 22.x	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Flatpak 1.14.x	Flatpak 1.16.x
Linux Mint 21.x	Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	Flatpak 1.12.x	Flatpak 1.16.x

Refresh Linux Mint Package Metadata

Refresh the current package lists before adding the PPA so APT starts from a clean view of the Mint archive:

sudo apt update

Add the Flatpak Stable PPA

Use the stable PPA for this package-level upgrade. The development PPA is a preview channel for newer prerelease builds and is not the normal path for Mint desktops. Do not reuse this PPA for a future Mint series unless Launchpad lists packages for that series’ Ubuntu base.

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:flatpak/stable

The -y flag accepts the Launchpad prompt automatically. Mint 22.x creates flatpak-stable-noble.list, while Mint 21.x creates flatpak-stable-jammy.list; that .list file is normal for PPA-based configuration on Linux Mint.

Refresh APT after adding the PPA, then confirm that the new candidate comes from ppa.launchpadcontent.net:

sudo apt update

The APT refresh should mention the Flatpak stable PPA branch for your Mint base, such as noble on Mint 22.x or jammy on Mint 21.x. Then inspect the selected package candidate:

apt-cache policy flatpak

Relevant output from Mint 22.x includes:

flatpak:
  Installed: 1.14.6-1ubuntu0.1
  Candidate: 1.16.6-1~flatpak1~24.04.1
  Version table:
     1.16.6-1~flatpak1~24.04.1 500
        500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/flatpak/stable/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages

On Mint 21.x, the same check should show the jammy branch and a 1.16.6-1~flatpak1~22.04.1 candidate.

Upgrade the Flatpak Package Set

Name the related Flatpak packages explicitly so Mint 22.x and Mint 21.x use the same package surface instead of relying on APT to choose companion upgrades by dependency needs. Review the transaction before confirming; it should upgrade only flatpak, libflatpak0, gir1.2-flatpak-1.0, and bubblewrap, with no package removals.

sudo apt install --only-upgrade flatpak libflatpak0 gir1.2-flatpak-1.0 bubblewrap

Verify the Flatpak Version

Confirm the package-level upgrade after APT finishes:

flatpak --version

After this package upgrade, Mint 22.x and Mint 21.x should report Flatpak 1.16.6. Run sudo flatpak update afterward if you also need to refresh installed apps and runtimes.

Troubleshoot Flatpak Upgrades on Linux Mint

Most Flatpak upgrade problems fall into two separate layers: APT may still prefer the Mint archive package, or Flatpak apps may still need runtime updates after the package-level upgrade.

Fix a Flatpak Candidate That Does Not Change

If APT reports that nothing can be upgraded, refresh package metadata and inspect the candidate directly:

sudo apt update
apt-cache policy flatpak

Relevant output should show the PPA candidate above the Mint archive version:

flatpak:
  Installed: 1.14.6-1ubuntu0.1
  Candidate: 1.16.6-1~flatpak1~24.04.1
  Version table:
     1.16.6-1~flatpak1~24.04.1 500
        500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/flatpak/stable/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages

If the candidate still points to the Mint archive version, add the stable PPA again and refresh APT:

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:flatpak/stable
sudo apt update

Then rerun the candidate check:

apt-cache policy flatpak

Fix Missing Runtime Errors After a Flatpak Upgrade

A newer flatpak package does not refresh app runtimes by itself. Runtime errors usually mean the app content layer still needs an update or the Flathub remote is missing or disabled.

Look for error wording that says a required runtime was not found. Then check the remote list, including disabled remotes:

flatpak remotes --show-disabled --columns=name,options

If flathub is present and enabled, update the installed app content:

sudo flatpak update

If flathub appears with a disabled option, enable it first and rerun the update:

sudo flatpak remote-modify --enable flathub
sudo flatpak update

If flathub is missing entirely, add it back and then rerun the update:

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

Downgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint

If the stable PPA introduces a regression in your workflow, remove the PPA and downgrade the Flatpak package set back to the Mint archive. Keep this rollback scoped to Flatpak packages so you do not disturb unrelated desktop components.

The targeted rollback is easier to review than a broad PPA purge because it names the Flatpak package set explicitly. Review the APT transaction before confirming, especially on systems that have other third-party package sources enabled.

Remove the Flatpak Stable PPA

Remove the PPA first so APT stops preferring the newer Flatpak packages before you downgrade them:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove -y ppa:flatpak/stable
sudo apt update

Verify that no active Flatpak stable PPA source remains:

grep -RlsE 'ppa\.launchpadcontent\.net/flatpak/stable|ppa\.launchpad\.net/flatpak/stable' /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d 2>/dev/null || echo "NO_PPA_SOURCE"

NO_PPA_SOURCE

Downgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint 22.x

Mint 22.x is based on Ubuntu 24.04, so target the noble-updates pocket during the rollback:

sudo apt install --allow-downgrades flatpak/noble-updates libflatpak0/noble-updates gir1.2-flatpak-1.0/noble-updates bubblewrap/noble-updates

Downgrade Flatpak on Linux Mint 21.x

Mint 21.x is based on Ubuntu 22.04, so target the jammy-updates pocket instead:

sudo apt install --allow-downgrades flatpak/jammy-updates libflatpak0/jammy-updates gir1.2-flatpak-1.0/jammy-updates bubblewrap/jammy-updates

The --allow-downgrades flag tells APT to accept the older archive version again. These noble-updates and jammy-updates targets are the Ubuntu archive pockets underneath Linux Mint and tell APT exactly where the downgraded Flatpak package set should come from.

Verify the Flatpak Rollback

Confirm that Flatpak is back on the Mint archive version after the rollback:

flatpak --version

On Mint 22.x, relevant output is:

Flatpak 1.14.6

On Mint 21.x, the same rollback returns Flatpak 1.12.7 from the archive.

Conclusion

Flatpak apps and runtimes are updated through Flathub, while the optional PPA path upgrades the APT-owned Flatpak tool package with a rollback route to the Mint archive. Keep sudo flatpak update for routine app maintenance; use the PPA only when the tool package itself needs the newer branch. For more desktop examples, you can install Chromium Browser on Linux Mint or install Steam on Linux Mint.