How to install Peppermint OS

Peppermint OS is an offshoot of Ubuntu Linux, with a heavy focus on a lightweight, useable desktop environment, and ease of use that Ubuntu does not deliver. If you’ve tried out Ubuntu and found it too difficult but still want to try out Linux, follow along with this tutorial as we demonstrate how to get started with Peppermint OS!

Note: though Peppermint OS generally works excellent on lightweight computers with limited system resources, we highly recommend using this OS on computers with at least 4 GB of RAM, or it will not be as responsive.

Download Peppermint OS

Peppermint OS has both 32-bit and 64-bit versions system that users can download. So, if you’re looking to get going with Peppermint OS, no matter what CPU architecture, they’ve got you covered.

To download Peppermint OS for use on your PC as your new operating system, start by heading over to the official Peppermint OS website. Then, once there, click the red 64-bit button to start a download. Alternatively, if you need 32-bit, click the 32-bit button.

Note: it is also possible to download either the 64-bit or 32-bit versions of Peppermint OS with your favorite Torrent client. To do it, go to the official website, click on either 32-bit or 64-bit, then select the “Torrent Download” button.

Are you using a Linux PC and have access to a terminal window? If so, you’ll be happy to know that it is possible to download the Peppermint OS ISO file directly to your system via the wget download command.

To use wget on Linux to get your Peppermint OS ISO, start by opening up a terminal window with Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, enter one of the commands below.

64-bit

wget https://peppermintos.com/iso/Peppermint-10-20190514-amd64.iso

32-bit

wget https://peppermintos.com/iso/Peppermint-10-20190514-i386.iso

Create Peppermint OS USB

Peppermint OS is distributed via an ISO file. This ISO file must be made into a bootable USB for your computer before attempting to install Peppermint OS. To create a bootable Peppermint OS USB, you must download an ISO imaging tool.

There are many different ISO imaging solutions for modern computer systems. However, out of all of the ones out there available, Etcher is the best for this use case. Why? Etcher works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and offers up the same user interface. So, no matter what OS you create your Peppermint bootable USB on, the instructions will be identical.

To get your hands on the Etcher ISO imaging tool for your computer, head over to the official website. Then, once on the website, click the download button to grab it for your PC.

Once Etcher is done downloading, go through the process of installing the application on your PC. When the installation process is complete, open up the program on your PC. Then, follow the step-by-step instructions below to create your very own Peppermint OS USB.

Note: this guide requires a USB stick of at least 2 GB in size!

Step 1: Look for the blue “Select image” button and click it with the mouse to bring up the file browser UI. From there, use the file browser UI to select the Peppermint OS ISO image you downloaded previously in the guide.

Step 2: Plug in your USB device into the USB port (3.0 ports work best), and click on the “select drive” button. After clicking “select drive” in Etcher, use the pop-up box to select your USB device.

Step 3: Find the “Flash!” button, and select it with the mouse to begin creating your Peppermint OS USB device. Be patient; the creation process tends to take a long time, especially if you have a slow USB port.

When the process is complete, your USB device will have the Peppermint OS ISO file flashed to it. From here, plug in the USB into the PC you plan to install Peppermint OS onto, and boot from USB.

Install Peppermint OS

Upon loading up Peppermint OS from USB, you will see a boot screen. On this boot screen, there are several different options. Look for “Install Peppermint OS.” Then, use the Down Arrow key to highlight the “Install Peppermint OS” option, and press Enter to confirm the selection.

Upon choosing the “Install Peppermint OS” option with the keyboard, the live environment will load and present the “Welcome” screen. Look for the “Continue” button at the bottom of the page and click on it to move to the next page.

On the next page, you must choose your keyboard layout. Using the UI, select your preferred keyboard layout. Then, click the “Continue” button on the bottom to move on.

Following the “keyboard layout” section, you’ll get to the “Updates and other software” page. On this page, choose your type of installation (Normal or Minimal). After that, select “Download updates while installing Peppermint” and “Install third-party software.” Then, click the “Continue” button to move to the next page.

After “Updates and other software” comes “Installation type.” here, you must choose how Peppermint OS will install. For best results, click the “Erase disk and install Peppermint” button. If Peppermint detects Windows, choose the “install alongside” option instead.

On the “Where are you?” Page, you must tell Peppermint OS what time zone you are in. To do this, select the location you live in on the world map. Then, click “Continue” to confirm the selection.

Once you’ve set your timezone, you will see the “Who are you?” Page. On this page, use the UI to create a username, name your PC, and to create a password. Be sure to select “log in automatically” if you’d like Peppermint to log in automatically.

When you’ve picked your username, Peppermint is all set to install. Sit back and allow the installer to set up your OS. When everything is done, reboot the computer.

After rebooting your PC, Peppermint OS is ready to go!