The Proton VPN Linux app officially supports Mint 20+.
1. Download our repository setup package
This package contains the repository configuration and keys that are required to install the Proton VPN app.
Download the Proton VPN DEB package
2. Install the Proton VPN repository
Double-click the downloaded DEB file. Your default package manager will now install our repository.
Please don’t try to check the GPG signature of this release package (dpkg-sig –verify). Our internal release process is split into several part and the release package is signed with a GPG key, and the repo is signed with another GPG key. So the keys don’t match.
If you want to check the repo package integrity, you can check its checksum with the following command:
echo "c409c819eed60985273e94e575fd5dfd8dd34baef3764fc7356b0f23e25a372c protonvpn-stable-release_1.0.3_all.deb" | sha256sum --check -
3. Update the apt-get package list
The following command updates the list of available packages and their versions. Doing this allows you to install the Proton VPN App. Open Terminal and enter:
sudo apt-get update
4. Install the Proton VPN Linux app
sudo apt-get install protonvpn
The Proton VPN Linux app is now installed and can be run from your application launcher menu.
Linux system tray icon (optional)
If you wish, you can install the Linux app system tray icon. This shows your connection status and allows you to easily Quick Connect or Disconnect without opening the main Proton VPN window.
To install the system tray icon, open Terminal and run:
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1
If asked to select your default displays manager, you can find out what it is by running:
grep '/usr/s\?bin' /etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service
Once everything is installed, restart your PC and sign in using your Proton Account login details. If you do not have a Proton VPN account, now is the time to sign up for a Free Proton VPN plan for Linux.
The Proton VPN Linux app is now ready to secure your internet browsing and allow you to access the internet without censorship blocks.
Learn how to use the Proton VPN Linux app
Notes
1. How to uninstall the official app
Run:
sudo apt-get autoremove protonvpn
Remove any leftover files:
rm -rf ~/.cache/protonvpn
And
rm -rf ~/.config/protonvpn
2. How to disable Kill Switch if you have uninstalled the app
If the app is still installed, you can disable the kill switch from within the app. If you have uninstalled the app with the kill switch still enabled, then this won’t be possible and you may not be able to access the internet. To fix this:
a) Identify the name of the Proton VPN connection. To do this, run:
nmcli connection show --active
You will now see a list of active connections.
b) Look for any connections with names that start pvpn- This usually includes pvpn-killswitch and pvpn-ipv6leak-protection, and may include pvpn-routed-killswitch. Delete all these connections using the following command:
nmcli connection delete [connection name]
For example:
nmcli connection delete pvpn-killswitch
c) Once you’ve done this, run the following command again to make sure that all Proton VPN connections have been deleted:
nmcli connection show --active
If any remain, delete them as described above.
3. Required dependencies
You will need one (not both, which can cause problems) of the following dependencies installed on your Mint system for the Proton VPN app to work:
- KWallet
- Gnome-keyring
Most versions of Mint come pre-installed with one of these dependencies, anyway, so it’s unlikely you’ll need to do anything else. Our app also requires:
- systemd
4. Help us fix bugs with the early release version of this app
You can access new features before they are released publicly by downloading and testing the early access version of the app. By doing so, you can help us find bugs and fix them before we officially release a new version of the app.
Most people should use the stable release version of our app. We only recommend the early access app if you:
- Are an experienced Linux user
- Do not have serious concerns about your threat model
- Are happy to help us test our beta software
To install the early access version of the Proton VPN Linux app:
a) Uninstall the release version of the app (if it is installed). If you later want to replace the early access version of our app with the release version, you will need to uninstall it first.
b) Download the following package instead of the one linked to in step 1.
Download the early access version of the Proton VPN DEB package
To check the integrity of the package, use the following command:
echo "caba770e3544a4f33b7d5718dedd8bc1d06cfcd2b2f8c4f33b5a42d15a78e74a protonvpn-beta-release_1.0.3_all.deb" | sha256sum --check -
Everything is otherwise the same as described above.
