When you download Linux Mint, it's crucial to verify the ISO file's integrity using SHA256 checksum verification. This ensures your download is authentic and hasn't been corrupted.
This guide will show you how to verify your Linux Mint ISO on Windows, macOS, and Linux using built-in command-line tools.
Step 1: Download Required Files
What You Need:
- 1.Linux Mint ISO file - The actual installation file
- 2.sha256sum.txt file - Contains the official checksums
💡 Tip: Both files are available on the official Linux Mint download page. Make sure to download them from linuxmint.com only.
Windows Verification
Download Linux Mint ISO
Download the Linux Mint ISO file and the corresponding SHA256SUMS file from the official website.
Open Command Prompt
Press Win+R, type 'cmd', and press Enter to open Command Prompt.
Navigate to Download Folder
Use the cd command to navigate to your Downloads folder.
Calculate SHA256 Hash
Use the certutil command to calculate the SHA256 hash of your ISO file.
Compare with Official Hash
Compare the output with the hash from the SHA256SUMS file.
macOS Verification
Download Files
Download the Linux Mint ISO and SHA256SUMS file to your Downloads folder.
Open Terminal
Press Cmd+Space, type 'Terminal', and press Enter.
Navigate to Downloads
Change to the Downloads directory.
Calculate SHA256
Use the shasum command to generate the checksum.
Verify Against Official Hash
Compare the output with the official checksum.
Linux Verification
Download ISO and Checksums
Download both the ISO file and the SHA256SUMS file.
Open Terminal
Open your terminal application (Ctrl+Alt+T in most distributions).
Navigate to Download Directory
Change to the directory containing your downloads.
Verify with sha256sum
Use sha256sum to verify the file automatically.
Manual Verification (Alternative)
Alternatively, calculate hash manually and compare.
Understanding the Results
✅ Verification Successful
What it means: The checksums match perfectly.
Next step: Your ISO is safe to use for installation.
Example output:
❌ Verification Failed
What it means: The checksums don't match.
Action required: Do NOT use this ISO file.
Next steps:
- Delete the ISO file
- Re-download from official source
- Verify again
Troubleshooting Common Issues
🔧 Command Not Found
If you get a "command not found" error, make sure you're using the correct command for your operating system.
- Windows: Use
certutil - macOS: Use
shasum - Linux: Use
sha256sum
📁 File Not Found
Make sure you're in the correct directory and the file names match exactly (including case sensitivity on Linux/Mac).
🔍 Hash Mismatch
If checksums don't match, the file may be corrupted or from an untrusted source. Always:
- Download only from linuxmint.com
- Use a stable internet connection
- Try downloading again
- Check your antivirus isn't modifying files
Additional Security Tips
🛡️ Best Practices for Secure Downloads
✅ Do:
- • Always verify checksums
- • Download from official sources only
- • Use HTTPS connections
- • Keep your antivirus updated
- • Verify GPG signatures when available
❌ Don't:
- • Skip verification steps
- • Download from unofficial mirrors
- • Use torrents from unknown sources
- • Ignore checksum mismatches
- • Share unverified ISO files
✅ Verification Complete!
Once your Linux Mint ISO is verified, you're ready for the next step.