You can add Budgie to Linux Mint from the APT package sources without adding the retired Ubuntu Budgie personal package archive. Update the package index, install budgie-desktop, then choose Budgie at the login screen while keeping Cinnamon available as your fallback session.
Check the package before you change your session
Budgie is a complete desktop session rather than a Cinnamon theme, so install it on a supported Linux Mint release with enough free storage and a working network connection.
For a virtual machine test, take a snapshot before changing desktop components and start with this Linux Mint virtual machine setup if you need a disposable place to compare sessions.
Install Budgie from APT
Refresh the package index first. This makes APT use the package lists configured for your Linux Mint installation.
sudo apt update
Install the Budgie desktop package next. The Ubuntu package catalog lists budgie-desktop as the desktop package and includes the components required for the Budgie session.
sudo apt install budgie-desktop
Before confirming, read APT’s package summary, especially when your system uses third-party repositories or a non-default display manager.
Choose Budgie at the login screen
Log out after the installation completes. On the login screen, open the session menu near your account name, choose Budgie, then sign in normally.
Session menus differ across Linux Mint editions and display-manager configurations. If Budgie is not listed, return to your existing session, run the update command again, and check that the installation completed without APT errors.
What changes when you use Budgie
Budgie changes the panel, application menu, notifications, settings tools, and window-management experience for that login session while your home directory and files stay in place.
You can switch back to Cinnamon from the session menu, while Sway on Linux shows how a keyboard-first window manager differs from a full desktop environment and the COSMIC desktop overview covers another modern desktop direction.
Keep package sources and login settings manageable
When the package is available through your configured sources, avoid adding a repository because it can complicate upgrades and produce trust errors explained in this secure repository update error guide.
Customize a LightDM greeter with this LightDM greeter guide only after both Cinnamon and Budgie sessions appear and work.
Remove Budgie later
Log into Cinnamon or another working session before removing the Budgie desktop package so APT can show what else it proposes to remove.
sudo apt remove budgie-desktop
Review the removal list before confirming with the help of this Linux package management guide, which explains APT’s update, install, remove, and autoremove prompts.
Verify the switch before you commit to it
- Log into Budgie and confirm that the panel, settings, and applications open.
- Log out and confirm that Cinnamon remains available in the session menu.
- Install updates only after both sessions start normally.
Keep Budgie only when its panel and session workflow suit how you work, then switch back to Cinnamon once to confirm that your fallback session works.
Can you install Budgie on Linux Mint without adding a PPA?
Yes. Update APT and install the budgie-desktop package from the sources configured for your Linux Mint release. Do not add a repository just for Budgie when the package is already available.
Does installing Budgie remove Cinnamon from Linux Mint?
No. Budgie adds another desktop session. You can select Cinnamon or Budgie from the session menu on the login screen.
How do you remove Budgie from Linux Mint?
Log into Cinnamon or another working session, then run sudo apt remove budgie-desktop and review the packages APT proposes to remove before confirming.