VirtualBox is free and cross-platform to run multiple operating systems on a single machine. It is compatible with various operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux distributions. With advanced features and functionality, VirtualBox allows you to install Windows operating on Linux Distributions and vice versa. In short, VirtualBox is a general-purpose virtualizer exploring different operating systems.

The main objective of this technical write-up is to provide you with a detailed guide to installing VirtualBox on Linuxmint 21.1.

How to Install VirtualBox on Linuxmint 21.1?

The following procedure will install the complete package of VirtualBox Virtual Machine on your Linuxmint 21.1.

Step 1: Update Linuxmint Repository

Updating and upgrading the system repository is a common practice among Linux users. Thus, to update and upgrade the Linuxmint from your terminal with a single command, run the below-mentioned command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

It can be seen above that the four packages need to be upgraded.

Step 2: Upgrade the Specific System Packages

Linux allows you to upgrade the specific packages only using the following pattern:

sudo apt install --only-upgrade grub-common grub-pc grub-pc-bin grub2-common

The above output result shows that the specific Liuxmint packages have been upgraded successfully. Now, your system is ready to install new packages to avoid any hassle.

Step 3: Install VirtualBox Virtual Machine

Once you have updated your system with the latest packages, now run the following command to install the VirtualBox.

Here, we have also used the “virtualbox-ext-pack” command which will provide the additional features and functionality of VirtualBox on Linuxmint 21.1:

sudo apt install virtualbox virtualbox-ext-pack -y

During the installation process, a dialogue box will display on your screen asking you to accept the License. To proceed next, press the Ok button as encircled with a red bounding box:

To acknowledge the terms and conditions of the VirtualBox License, proceed by clicking the “Yes” button:

The VirtualBox has been installed successfully, as shown in the above snapshot.

Step 4: Launch VirtualBox via Terminal

You don’t need to search the VirtualBox in the Linuxmint Application to open. You can simply run the below-attached command to launch the VirtualBox using Linuxmint terminal:

virtualbox

Enjoy the VirtualBox by adding the existing machine or you can create a new virtual machine by clicking the New button.

How to Uninstall VirtualBox on Linuxmint 21.1?

You can uninstall the VirtualBox from Linuxmint 21.1 anytime. The following purge command is here for your reference to remove the VirtualBox package along with its configuration files:

sudo apt purge virtualbox -y

It can be observed from the above output message that the VirtualBox package has been completely uninstalled from your system.

Conclusion

VirtualBox can be installed on Linuxmint 21.1. It is used for a variety of purposes such as testing software, and experiencing different operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Solaris, etc. The command “apt install virtualbox virtualbox-ext-pack” will install the VirtualBox virtualizer on your Linuxmint 21.1. You can also uninstall the VirtualBox using “apt purge virtualbox” from the terminal.