How To Install Spicetify on Linux Mint 22

If you use Spotify on Linux Mint 22, you already know the default client is a locked-down, visually static experience with zero customization options. Spicetify is the open-source CLI tool that fixes that, letting you install themes, block ads, hide podcasts, and manage extensions through a built-in Marketplace. This guide walks you through exactly how to install Spicetify on Linux Mint 22, from removing the incompatible Snap version of Spotify all the way to applying your first theme. Every command in this guide has been verified against Linux Mint 22 (Cinnamon, XFCE, and MATE editions).

What Is Spicetify and Why Should You Care?

Spicetify is a multiplatform, open-source command-line tool that hooks into Spotify’s desktop client to enable theming, extensions, and custom apps. It is hosted on GitHub under the MIT License, actively maintained, and used by hundreds of thousands of Linux, macOS, and Windows users worldwide.

Here is what Spicetify unlocks on Linux Mint 22:

• Custom visual themes with full color scheme control
• Extensions like ad blocking, auto-skip explicit songs, hiding podcasts, and playlist comparison
• Spicetify Marketplace, a built-in browser inside Spotify to install and manage all of the above
• Client-side only changes, meaning your Spotify account data is never touched

The key thing to understand before you start: Spicetify only works with the APT/deb version of Spotify. It does not support Snap or Flatpak installs on Linux Mint 22. The entire setup process takes under 10 minutes for most users.

Prerequisites

Before you begin the Spicetify on Linux Mint 22 setup, confirm you have the following in place:

• OS: Linux Mint 22 (Cinnamon, XFCE, or MATE edition)
• Internet connection: Required to download packages and the Spicetify install script
• curl: Must be installed (sudo apt install curl)
• Spotify account: Free or Premium both work
• Sudo privileges: Needed for permission commands, but not for the Spicetify install itself
• Basic terminal comfort: All steps use simple, copy-paste-ready commands

One hard requirement worth repeating: if you installed Spotify from the Snap Store or Flatpak, you must remove it and switch to the APT version. Step 1 covers this in full.

Step 1: Check For and Remove the Snap Version of Spotify

This is where most Linux Mint 22 users run into trouble. Snap packages run inside a sandbox, and Spicetify cannot write to that sandbox. If you try to run Spicetify on top of Snap Spotify, you will hit the error /usr/share/spotify/ is not a valid path message and the tool will do nothing.

Check if Snap Spotify Is Installed

Run this command in your terminal:

snap list | grep spotify

If you see no output, you are clean and can skip ahead to Step 2. If the output shows a line containing spotify, you need to remove it before continuing.

Remove Snap Spotify

sudo snap remove spotify

This only removes the local app. Your Spotify account, playlists, and saved music are stored server-side and are not affected at all.

A note for Linux Mint 22 users specifically: Linux Mint ships with a nosnap.pref policy file that disables Snap by default. Most users on a fresh Mint 22 install will get no output from the snap list command and can skip this step entirely. Still worth checking before you proceed.

Step 2: Install the APT Version of Spotify

This is the only Spotify installation that Spicetify fully supports on Debian-based distributions like Linux Mint 22. Follow these commands in order.

Install curl

sudo apt install curl

If curl is already installed, this command confirms it and exits cleanly.

Add the Spotify GPG Key

This authenticates the Spotify repository so APT trusts it:

curl -sS https://download.spotify.com/debian/pubkey_6224F9941A8AA6D1.gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor --yes -o /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/spotify.gpg

Add the Spotify APT Repository

echo "deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list

This adds Spotify’s repository to your system so future apt upgrade runs will also update Spotify automatically.

Install Spotify

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install spotify-client

Log Into Spotify Before Continuing

After installation finishes, open Spotify and log into your account. Do not skip this step. Spicetify reads a file called prefs that Spotify only creates after a successful login. If you run the Spicetify installer without logging in first, you will see this error:

error Could not detect "prefs" file location.
error Cannot detect Spotify "prefs" file location. Please manually set "prefs_path" in config-xpui.ini

Log in, let Spotify load your library, then leave the app running in the background before moving to Step 3.

Step 3: Grant Write Permissions to Spotify Directories

Spicetify modifies files inside /usr/share/spotify/ to inject its themes and extension hooks. By default, that directory is owned by root and is not writable by regular users. Without these permission changes, Spicetify will fail silently or throw a permission denied error.

Run both commands, one at a time:

sudo chmod a+wr /usr/share/spotify

sudo chmod a+wr /usr/share/spotify/Apps -R

What each command does:

• a+wr grants read and write access to all users (owner, group, and others)
• -R applies that permission recursively to every file inside the Apps subdirectory

These permissions survive reboots. You only need to re-run them if you reinstall Spotify or if a major Spotify update replaces the folder with new, root-owned files.

Step 4: Run the Official Spicetify Install Script

With Spotify running and permissions set, you are ready to install Spicetify. Run the official one-line install script directly from the Spicetify GitHub repository:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spicetify/cli/main/install.sh | sh

What Happens During the Script

The script takes about 15 to 30 seconds and performs these actions automatically:

1. Downloads the latest Spicetify CLI binary for Linux
2. Places it in ~/.spicetify/
3. Adds a PATH export line to your shell profile (~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc)
4. Detects your Spotify installation path at /usr/share/spotify/
5. Prompts you to install Spicetify Marketplace

When prompted about Marketplace, press Enter to confirm. Marketplace is the whole point of this setup for most users.

The “Error” at the End Is Normal

After the script finishes, you will see a message that reads:

error You haven't backed up. Run "spicetify backup apply".

This is not an actual error. The script completed successfully. The message is simply a reminder that you have not yet applied Spicetify to Spotify. Do not try to run spicetify backup apply in the current terminal session because the spicetify command is not yet recognized. That is what Step 5 fixes.

Step 5: Restart the Terminal and Apply Spicetify

The install script added Spicetify to your PATH, but that change only takes effect in a new terminal session. Close your current terminal window completely, then open a fresh one.

Verify the Installation

spicetify --version

You should see output like 2.x.x. That confirms the binary is accessible and the PATH is configured correctly.

Apply Spicetify to Spotify

spicetify backup apply

This command does two things in sequence: it creates a backup of the original, unmodified Spotify client files, then patches those files with Spicetify’s hooks. Spotify will restart automatically when the process completes.

After Spotify relaunches, look at the left sidebar. If you see a Marketplace icon, the entire setup worked correctly.

Fix PATH Manually (If Needed)

If spicetify: command not found still appears after restarting the terminal, add the path manually:

export PATH="$HOME/.spicetify:$PATH"

Then make it permanent by adding that same line to the end of ~/.bashrc:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.spicetify:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Step 6: Configure Spicetify on Linux Mint 22 with Marketplace

Marketplace is now accessible directly from within Spotify. You do not need the terminal for day-to-day use after the initial setup. This section walks through how to configure Spicetify on Linux Mint 22 using Marketplace effectively.

Install Marketplace Manually (If You Skipped It)

If you declined the Marketplace prompt during the install script, add it now:

spicetify config custom_apps marketplace
spicetify apply

Using Marketplace Inside Spotify

Open Spotify and click the Marketplace icon in the left sidebar. You will see two main tabs:

• Extensions: Functional add-ons that change Spotify’s behavior
• Themes: Visual overhauls for the entire interface

Hover over any item to reveal the Install button. After installing, Spotify shows a reload prompt. Click it and your change takes effect immediately.

Recommended Starter Extensions for Linux Mint 22

These are high-star, actively maintained extensions worth trying first:

• adblock: Removes audio ads and banner ads from the free tier
• autoSkipExplicit: Automatically skips songs tagged as explicit
• hidePodcasts: Removes all podcast content from your home feed
• playlistIntersection: Compares two playlists and shows shared tracks

Important: Only one theme can be active at a time. Installing a new theme automatically deactivates the previous one. Start with one extension, reload, and confirm it works before adding more.

Troubleshooting Common Errors on Linux Mint 22

This section covers the five most frequently reported issues from the Spicetify community specifically related to Linux Mint setups.

Error 1: /usr/share/spotify/ is not a valid path

Cause: Spotify was installed via Snap or Flatpak.

Fix:

1. Remove Snap Spotify: sudo snap remove spotify
2. Install the APT version (follow Step 2 above)
3. Re-run the Spicetify install script

Error 2: Could not detect “prefs” file location

Cause: Spotify was never launched and logged into before running the installer.

Fix: Open Spotify, log in with your account credentials, wait for your library to load, then re-run:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spicetify/cli/main/install.sh | sh

Error 3: spicetify: command not found After Install

Cause: The current terminal session predates the PATH update made by the install script.

Fix: Close and reopen the terminal. If the problem persists, manually add Spicetify to PATH:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.spicetify:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc

Error 4: Marketplace Icon Not Showing in Sidebar

Cause: The Marketplace install step was skipped or failed during script execution.

Fix:

spicetify config custom_apps marketplace
spicetify apply

Restart Spotify after running these commands.

Error 5: permission denied on login.spa or Other Files

Cause: A Spotify update replaced directory files with new root-owned copies.

Fix: Re-run the permission commands from Step 3:

sudo chmod a+wr /usr/share/spotify
sudo chmod a+wr /usr/share/spotify/Apps -R

Then re-apply Spicetify:

spicetify backup apply

How To Update Spicetify on Linux Mint 22

Spotify updates frequently, and each update overwrites the files Spicetify patched. When Spotify auto-updates and your customizations disappear, this is the fix:

spicetify update
spicetify backup apply

If spicetify update fails or produces errors, the Spicetify binary itself may also need upgrading:

spicetify upgrade
spicetify backup apply

Best practice: after every Spotify update, run spicetify backup apply before assuming anything is broken.

How To Uninstall Spicetify from Linux Mint 22

If you want a clean removal, follow these three steps in order.

Step 1: Restore Spotify to its unmodified state:

spicetify restore

Step 2: Delete Spicetify’s binary and config directories:

rm -rf ~/.spicetify
rm -rf ~/.config/spicetify

Step 3: Remove the PATH export line from your shell profile. Open ~/.bashrc in a text editor and delete the line that references .spicetify. Save the file, then run source ~/.bashrc.

Uninstalling Spicetify does not affect your Spotify account, playlists, or any data on Spotify’s servers. It only removes local modifications.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Spicetify. Thanks for using this tutorial to install the latest version of Spicetify on Linux Mint 22. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official Spicetify website.