Cinnamon, the desktop that Linux Mint built after GNOME 3 went its own way, is one of the most polished traditional-layout desktops available for Linux — and it runs beautifully on Ubuntu 24.04 if you know how to set it up without hitting the login loop that has plagued dual-desktop installations for years. This guide covers a clean Cinnamon install on Ubuntu, diagnosing and fixing the login loop, curating extensions from the Cinnamon Spices repository, and theming the desktop to look distinctly yours. We have maintained Cinnamon on Ubuntu across multiple release cycles since the Cinnamon 1.x days, and the advice here reflects hard-won debugging sessions as much as happy configuration.
Installing Cinnamon on Ubuntu 24.04
The simplest method:
sudo apt install cinnamon-desktop-environment
This metapackage installs Cinnamon, the Nemo file manager, Cinnamon Screensaver, and the system settings app. It does not replace your existing GNOME installation — both desktops coexist, and you choose at the login screen.
Alternatively, if you want the full Ubuntu Cinnamon flavour experience:
sudo apt install ubuntucinnamon-desktop
This adds the Ubuntu Cinnamon branding, default wallpapers, and additional curated packages.
After installation, log out. Click the gear icon (or session selector) on the login screen and choose “Cinnamon.” Log in.
The Login Loop: Why It Happens and How to Fix It
The most common issue after installing Cinnamon alongside GNOME is the login loop: you enter your password, the screen flashes, and you are dumped back to the login screen. This happens because of conflicting display manager configurations or a missing/corrupted .Xauthority file.
Fix 1: Reset .Xauthority
Switch to a TTY (Ctrl+Alt+F3), log in with your username, and:
rm ~/.Xauthority
Then switch back to the graphical login (Ctrl+Alt+F1 or F7) and try again. This fixes the majority of cases.
Fix 2: Check .xsession-errors
If the loop persists, check the log:
cat ~/.xsession-errors
Look for lines mentioning dbus, cinnamon-session, or muffin. Common culprits:
- D-Bus failure: Install
dbus-x11if missing:sudo apt install dbus-x11 - Muffin crash: Cinnamon’s window manager sometimes crashes on first login with certain GPU drivers. Try logging into “Cinnamon (Software Rendering)” instead — this uses LLVMpipe and bypasses GPU issues.
Fix 3: Fix Display Manager Configuration
If you switched from GDM to LightDM (or vice versa) during installation:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3
Select your preferred display manager and reboot. Mixing display managers with multiple desktop environments is the single most common source of login loops.
Fix 4: Nvidia Driver Conflict
If you are using Nvidia proprietary drivers and the loop only happens under Cinnamon (GNOME works fine), the issue is usually Muffin’s compositor conflicting with the Nvidia driver’s vsync. Try:
export MUFFIN_NO_VSYNC=1
cinnamon --replace &
If this works, make it permanent by adding the export to ~/.profile.
Configuring Cinnamon for Productivity
Cinnamon’s System Settings app is one of the best-organised settings UIs in the Linux desktop world. Key areas to configure:
Panel Layout
The default is a single bottom panel — Windows-like and familiar. You can:
- Move it to the top (right-click panel → Modify Panel → Move Panel)
- Add a second panel (right-click → Add a New Panel)
- Adjust panel height and icon size via Panel Settings
Hot Corners
Settings → Hot Corners. We recommend:
- Top-left: Show all workspaces (Expo view)
- Top-right: Show all windows on current workspace (Scale view)
These provide quick spatial navigation without keyboard shortcuts.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Settings → Keyboard → Shortcuts. Essential customisations:
Super+E→ Open Nemo (file manager)Super+T→ Open terminalCtrl+Alt+D→ Show desktopSuper+Arrow keys→ Window tiling (already configured by default)
Extensions: The Good Ones
Cinnamon extensions (called Spices) are managed through Settings → Extensions, or downloaded from the Cinnamon Spices website. Unlike GNOME extensions, Cinnamon’s extension API is relatively stable across versions.
Recommended Extensions
- CinnVIIStarkMenu: A Windows 7-style full-height start menu. More discoverable than the default menu for users with many installed applications.
- Transparent panels: Makes the panel translucent when no window is maximised. Subtle but visually appealing.
- Workspace grid: Arranges workspaces in a grid (2×2) rather than a single row. Better spatial memory for workspace switching.
Installing Extensions
From the Settings app: Extensions → Download → search and install. Or manually:
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/cinnamon/extensions
cd ~/.local/share/cinnamon/extensions
# Extract downloaded extension zip here
Restart Cinnamon to activate: press Alt+F2, type r, press Enter.
Theming Cinnamon
Cinnamon’s theming system is split into four components: Window borders (Muffin/Metacity), Desktop (Cinnamon shell), Controls (GTK), and Icons. Each can be set independently in Settings → Themes.
Installing Themes
Download themes from Settings → Themes → Add/Remove, or manually install from Cinnamon Spices:
mkdir -p ~/.themes ~/.icons
# Extract theme to ~/.themes/ThemeName/
# Extract icon theme to ~/.icons/IconThemeName/
Recommended Theme Combinations
| Style | Desktop | Controls | Icons | Borders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern dark | Mint-Y-Dark | Mint-Y-Dark | Papirus-Dark | Mint-Y-Dark |
| Flat light | Arc | Arc | Numix-Circle | Arc |
| Nord | Nordic-darker | Nordic-darker | Zafiro-icons | Nordic-darker |
Install Papirus icons:
sudo apt install papirus-icon-theme
Nemo File Manager Tips
Nemo is arguably the best traditional file manager on Linux. Features worth enabling:
- Dual pane: F3 to toggle
- Embedded terminal: View → Show Terminal (F4)
- Custom actions: Edit → Plugins → Nemo Actions. You can add right-click menu items for custom scripts.
- Column view: View → List to get a column-sortable view, or install nemo-column-view for Miller columns.
Cinnamon on Wayland?
As of 2026, Cinnamon does not have a Wayland session. The Muffin compositor is Xorg-only. Linux Mint developers have stated that Wayland support is in progress, but there is no firm timeline. If Wayland is important to you (for fractional scaling, better multi-monitor, or Nvidia direct scan-out), GNOME or KDE Plasma are better choices today.
Related Reading
- KDE Plasma HiDPI and Multi-Monitor — if you need Wayland with a traditional layout
- Xfce on Ubuntu 24.04 — lighter alternative with a similar layout philosophy
- Restart X / Reset Desktop Session — recovery steps when your desktop session breaks
