The guide walks you through installing Microsoft’s Skype client on Linux Mint 21 or 20 using three common methods, APT via a Debian package, Snap with classic confinement, and Flatpak from Flathub. It explains how to download the .deb file directly from Microsoft, then install it with dpkg while letting apt resolve any missing dependencies such as libappindicator‑gtk3, and notes the alternate ia32 package for older hardware. If you prefer a quicker route, the Snap method simply runs `sudo snap install skype --classic`, granting Skype broad access to contacts and notifications without compromising security, though it can be heavier on disk space. The Flatpak option adds Flathub as a remote source, installs the sandboxed app with `flatpak install flathub com.skype.Client`, and includes a troubleshooting table that covers common issues like missing libraries or disabled notifications, ending with a sanity check to launch Skype from the menu or terminal.

Install Skype on Linux Mint 21 or 20

If you’re tired of clunky WebRTC apps and want the full desktop experience from Microsoft’s own client, installing Skype on Linux Mint is surprisingly painless—once you know which route to take. Below I’ll walk through the most common methods (APT, Snap, Flatpak) so you can pick what feels least “mysterious.”

1. The Straight‑Up Debian Package Method

The .deb file from Microsoft is a one‑step install that keeps all updates in sync with Ubuntu’s repositories—exactly how Mint likes to keep its systems tidy.

# Grab the latest .deb
wget https://repo.skype.com/latest/skypeforlinux-arch.deb

# Install it, letting apt pull any missing dependencies
sudo dpkg -i skypeforlinux-arch.deb || sudo apt-get install -f

What happens under the hood?

dpkg -i puts the package on disk but won’t resolve missing libraries. The apt‑get install -f command tells APT to fetch and install any required runtime components (like libappindicator-gtk3). I’ve seen this happen after a fresh Mint install where those libs were absent, causing Skype to crash right away.

Got a 32‑bit machine?

Skip the arch.deb; download the ia32.deb instead.

2. Snap – “Just Add It”

If you already have snaps, this is the quickest route. Mint 20 and later come with snapd pre‑installed.

sudo snap install skype --classic

Skype needs broad access to your system (to read contacts, send notifications). Classic confinement grants that without compromising security more than necessary.

Heads up:

Snaps can be a bit heavy on disk space and may launch slower the first time.

3. Flatpak – For the Purist

Flatpak bundles every dependency with the app, so you’re guaranteed a consistent environment regardless of your distro version.

# Add Flathub if you haven’t already (the default source for Skype)
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

# Install Skype
flatpak install flathub com.skype.Client

If your Mint machine has an older kernel that struggles with the native .deb, Flatpak can sidestep those quirks by running in its own sandbox.

4. Troubleshooting Common Pitfalls

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fix
Skype freezes on launch	Missing libappindicator-gtk3 or similar UI libs	Run sudo apt-get install libappindicator-gtk3 (or the equivalent for your desktop environment)
“Could not connect to org.freedesktop.Notifications”	Desktop notifications disabled in settings	Enable notifications from System Settings => Notifications
“Failed to load shared library: libdbusmenu-qt5.so.0”	Incomplete .deb install or broken dependencies	Re‑run sudo apt-get install -f after removing any broken package with sudo dpkg --remove skypeforlinux

5. Quick sanity check

Once you’ve installed via your chosen method, launch Skype from the application menu or by typing skype (or flatpak run com.skype.Client) in a terminal. The first startup will prompt you to sign in; after that, it behaves just like the Windows version—no extra fuss.

That’s all there is to it: pick your package manager, hit enter, and you’re ready to video‑chat without the browser jank.