Install OpenRGB on Linux Mint 20 LTS
If you’ve ever stared at a neon‑lit keyboard that refuses to change color after a kernel upgrade, this guide will show you how to get OpenRGB running on Linux Mint 20 LTS and finally wrest control of those LEDs away from the manufacturer’s bloatware.
Why bother with OpenRGB?
OpenRGB talks directly to the hardware, so you don’t need a Windows‑only companion app or a bloated vendor daemon. I’ve seen it bring back full RGB functionality on an ASUS ROG Strix keyboard that went mute after a driver update, and it works just as well on cheap Corsair fans.
Prerequisites
- A working internet connection
- Basic familiarity with the terminal (you’ll be typing a few commands)
- The git package installed – you can grab it with sudo apt install git if it isn’t already there
The required dependencies
OpenRGB needs a handful of libraries that aren’t pulled in automatically on Mint 20.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential cmake libusb-1.0-0-dev libhidapi-hidraw0 libhidapi-libusb0 libqt5gui5 libqt5core5a libqt5widgets5 qtbase5-dev
These packages give the compiler access to USB, HID, and Qt – the three things OpenRGB talks to.
Grab the source code
The official releases are built for newer Ubuntu bases, so on Mint 20 we’ll compile it ourselves.
git clone https://github.com/CalcProgrammer1/OpenRGB.git
cd OpenRGB
Cloning ensures you get the latest fixes; the master branch currently works fine with the 5.4 kernel shipped in Mint 20.
Build OpenRGB
Create a build folder, run CMake, then compile. The -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release flag tells CMake to optimise for speed rather than debugging output.
mkdir build && cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
make -j$(nproc)
If you see a complaint about missing Qt modules, double‑check the package list in step 1. The compile usually finishes in a couple of minutes on a typical laptop.
Install (optional)
You can run OpenRGB straight from the build directory, but installing makes it easier to launch from the menu or with openrgb.
sudo make install
This copies the binary to /usr/local/bin/openrgb and installs a desktop file, so you’ll find “OpenRGB” under Accessories.
5. Give it permission to talk to your hardware
By default only root can touch raw USB/HID devices. Rather than launching OpenRGB with sudo every time, create a udev rule that grants your user access.
Create the file /etc/udev/rules.d/99-openrgb.rules with these contents:
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="0b05", MODE="0666"
SUBSYSTEM=="hidraw", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0b05", MODE="0666"
Replace 0b05 with the vendor ID of your device (run lsusb to find it). After saving, reload udev:
sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger
Now you can start OpenRGB as a normal user and see all connected RGB devices.
Test it out
Launch the program:
openrgb
You should see a list of detected hardware on the left. Pick any device, choose a color or a lighting mode, and watch the LEDs respond instantly. If something doesn’t light up, double‑check the vendor ID in your udev rule and make sure the device isn’t hidden behind a proprietary daemon (sometimes you need to stop asus-wmi or similar services).
Keep it fresh
Because we built from source, pulling updates is easy:
cd ~/OpenRGB # wherever you cloned it
git pull
cd build
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install
Running this after a kernel bump usually solves any new compatibility hiccups.
That’s all there is to it. You now have OpenRGB humming along on Linux Mint 20 LTS, and your RGB gear should obey you again. Happy lighting!
