How to Upgrade Mesa Drivers on Linux Mint

Mesa provides the open-source graphics drivers that power OpenGL, Vulkan, and other graphics APIs on Linux systems. For Linux Mint users with Intel, AMD, or other GPUs that rely on open-source drivers, upgrading Mesa can improve gaming performance, fix rendering bugs, and enable support for newer hardware features. The Kisak-Mesa PPAs offer newer Mesa versions than what ships with Linux Mint’s default repositories, giving you access to the latest driver improvements without waiting for the next major release.

This guide walks through upgrading Mesa drivers on Linux Mint 22 and 21 using the Kisak-Mesa PPAs. By the end, you will have upgraded drivers with verification steps to confirm success, plus instructions for reverting to default drivers if needed.

Choose Your Mesa PPA

The Kisak-Mesa project maintains two PPAs with different update philosophies. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right option for your Linux Mint version and stability preferences.

PPA	Linux Mint Support	Update Frequency	Best For
kisak/kisak-mesa (fresh)	Mint 22 only (noble)	Latest point releases	Users who want the newest Mesa features and fixes
kisak/turtle (stable)	Mint 21 and 22 (jammy, noble)	Slower, stability-focused	Users who prioritize stability or run Mint 21

For Linux Mint 22 users, the kisak-mesa fresh PPA is recommended because it provides the latest Mesa point releases while remaining more stable than bleeding-edge alternatives. Linux Mint 21 users must use the kisak/turtle stable PPA, as the fresh PPA discontinued Jammy (Ubuntu 22.04) support.

Since Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, these PPAs use Ubuntu codenames rather than Mint codenames. The following table shows the mapping between Mint versions and their Ubuntu bases:

Linux Mint Version	Mint Codenames	Ubuntu Base	Ubuntu Codename
Linux Mint 22.x	Wilma, Xia, Zara, Zena	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	noble
Linux Mint 21.x	Vanessa, Vera, Victoria, Virginia	Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	jammy

This guide covers Linux Mint 22 and 21 installations. The kisak-mesa fresh PPA supports only Mint 22 (noble), while the turtle stable PPA supports both Mint 21 and 22. Commands are the same across supported versions unless noted otherwise.

Install Prerequisites

Before checking your current Mesa version or adding a PPA, install the required packages. The mesa-utils package provides the glxinfo command for verifying your Mesa driver version, while ppa-purge allows you to cleanly revert to default drivers if needed.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mesa-utils ppa-purge -y

The apt update refreshes your package index, ensuring you install the current versions. Most Linux Mint desktop installations include mesa-utils by default, but installing it explicitly ensures the glxinfo command is available for the verification steps that follow.

Check Your Current Mesa Version

Before upgrading, note your current Mesa version so you can verify the upgrade succeeded and have a reference point for troubleshooting. Run the following command to display your OpenGL and Mesa driver information:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

This command filters the OpenGL version string from the full glxinfo output. You should see output similar to:

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 24.0.9-0ubuntu0.1

The version number after “Mesa” indicates your current driver version. Record this value before proceeding, as you will compare it against the upgraded version to confirm the PPA packages installed correctly.

Update Your System

Before adding external PPAs, update your existing packages to prevent dependency conflicts. Mesa upgrades pull in multiple related packages including libdrm and LLVM components, so starting from a fully updated system reduces the chance of package version mismatches.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

If this upgrade includes kernel updates, reboot before continuing. Some Mesa features depend on kernel driver versions, and running a newer Mesa with an older kernel can cause unexpected behavior.

Method 1: Install Kisak-Mesa Fresh PPA (Linux Mint 22 Only)

The kisak-mesa fresh PPA provides the latest Mesa point releases for Linux Mint 22. This method gives you access to new features and bug fixes shortly after upstream Mesa releases them.

Add the Fresh PPA

First, add the PPA repository to your system. The -y flag automatically confirms the addition without prompting:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa -y

This command adds the PPA to your APT sources and imports the signing key. You can view the kisak-mesa fresh PPA on Launchpad to check the current Mesa version and confirm your Linux Mint version is supported.

Upgrade Mesa Packages

After adding the PPA, update your package cache to include the new Mesa packages, then upgrade your system to install the newer driver versions:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

APT will show a list of packages to upgrade, including Mesa-related libraries like libgl1-mesa-dri, libglx-mesa0, and related LLVM components. The upgrade may take several minutes depending on your internet connection and the number of packages.

Verify the Upgrade

Once the upgrade completes, verify that the new Mesa version installed correctly:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

The Mesa version number should now be higher than your original version. For example:

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 25.3.2~kisak1~n

The kisak suffix indicates the package came from the Kisak-Mesa PPA rather than Linux Mint’s default repositories. If the version number increased and includes this suffix, the upgrade succeeded.

Method 2: Install Kisak-Mesa Stable PPA (Linux Mint 21 and 22)

Alternatively, the kisak/turtle stable PPA provides slower-moving Mesa updates with a focus on stability. This PPA supports both Linux Mint 21 and 22, making it the only option for Mint 21 users who want upgraded Mesa drivers and a good choice for Mint 22 users who prioritize stability over new features.

The stable PPA receives updates after the fresh PPA, giving more time for regressions to be identified and fixed. However, the PPA maintainer does not actively support bug reports for this PPA. If you encounter issues, use ppa-purge to revert and test with the fresh PPA (if your Mint version supports it) before reporting upstream.

Add the Stable PPA

Add the turtle stable PPA to your system:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kisak/turtle -y

You can verify the available packages and supported releases on the kisak-mesa stable PPA Launchpad page.

Upgrade Mesa Packages

Update the package cache and install the upgraded Mesa packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Verify the Upgrade

Confirm the new Mesa version installed:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

The stable PPA version will typically be one minor release behind the fresh PPA, but still newer than Linux Mint’s default packages. For example:

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 25.2.8~kisak1~j

The ~j suffix indicates the Jammy (Ubuntu 22.04) build for Mint 21, while ~n indicates the Noble (Ubuntu 24.04) build for Mint 22.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during the upgrade process or after installing Mesa from the PPA, check these common problems and their solutions.

glxinfo Command Not Found

If the glxinfo command returns an error, the mesa-utils package is not installed:

glxinfo: command not found

Install the mesa-utils package to resolve this:

sudo apt install mesa-utils -y

PPA Not Available for Your Linux Mint Version

If you see an error when adding the PPA, your Linux Mint version may not be supported:

Cannot add PPA: 'ppa:~kisak/ubuntu/kisak-mesa'.
ERROR: 'jammy' distribution not found for this PPA

This error occurs because the kisak-mesa fresh PPA discontinued support for Ubuntu 22.04 (Jammy), which is the base for Linux Mint 21. If you are running Mint 21, use the kisak/turtle stable PPA instead, which continues to support Jammy.

Graphics Issues After Upgrade

If you experience screen corruption, crashes, or rendering problems after upgrading Mesa, revert to Linux Mint’s default packages using ppa-purge. The command requires specifying the Ubuntu codename that matches your Mint version.

For Linux Mint 22 (Ubuntu 24.04 noble):

sudo ppa-purge -d noble ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa

On Linux Mint 21 (Ubuntu 22.04 jammy):

sudo ppa-purge -d jammy ppa:kisak/turtle

The -d flag specifies the Ubuntu codename because ppa-purge cannot automatically detect it on Linux Mint. Replace the PPA name with whichever PPA you installed.

Kernel Compatibility Issues

Newer Mesa drivers sometimes require features from newer kernels. If you experience unexplained crashes or missing functionality, ensure your kernel is up to date:

uname -r
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

If kernel updates are available, install them and reboot before testing again. On older Linux Mint LTS releases, the gap between Mesa and kernel versions increases over time, which can cause edge-case compatibility issues.

Remove Kisak-Mesa PPA

If you need to remove the Kisak-Mesa PPA and restore Linux Mint’s default Mesa drivers, use the ppa-purge utility. This cleanly removes the PPA and downgrades your Mesa packages to the versions provided by Linux Mint’s official repositories.

Remove the Fresh PPA (Mint 22)

To remove the kisak-mesa fresh PPA and revert packages on Linux Mint 22:

sudo ppa-purge -d noble ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa

Remove the Stable PPA

To remove the kisak/turtle stable PPA and revert packages, use the appropriate command for your Mint version:

Linux Mint 22 (noble):

sudo ppa-purge -d noble ppa:kisak/turtle

On Linux Mint 21 (jammy):

sudo ppa-purge -d jammy ppa:kisak/turtle

Verify Restoration

After ppa-purge completes, verify that your Mesa version returned to Linux Mint’s default:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

The version string should no longer include the kisak suffix, indicating you are running Linux Mint’s packaged Mesa drivers:

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 24.0.9-0ubuntu0.1

The Kisak-Mesa PPA maintainer strongly recommends removing the PPA before upgrading to a newer Linux Mint release. Running ppa-purge before a distribution upgrade prevents package conflicts and ensures a clean transition.

Conclusion

Upgrading Mesa drivers through the Kisak-Mesa PPAs gives Linux Mint users access to newer graphics driver versions without waiting for the next Mint release. The fresh PPA serves Mint 22 users who want the latest features, while the stable turtle PPA provides a conservative upgrade path for both Mint 21 and 22 systems. With ppa-purge available as a safety net, you can test newer drivers with confidence and revert quickly if compatibility issues arise.

For related graphics and system maintenance topics, see our guides on installing Steam on Linux Mint for gaming with updated Mesa drivers, installing NVIDIA drivers on Linux Mint for proprietary GPU support, removing a PPA from Ubuntu for alternative cleanup methods that also work on Mint, and upgrading Mesa drivers on Ubuntu if you also manage Ubuntu systems.