I noticed today in my all apps menu that the brave icon shows up twice, basically duplicates. Clicking on either one leads to the same profile so it's nothing major. I didn't notice this a few days ago. I also see users recently having the same issue in the linux mint forums. I have not tampered or messed with any brave installations. I have the default brave that came with 17.3. When I look in the software it shows the apt version. So no snap or flat pack here.
" Yes, Snap and Flatpak applications can sometimes create duplicate menu entries after updates , particularly when multiple package formats or versions are installed.
Flatpak : Duplicate entries often appear in the application menu if both the Flathub and system repositories contain the same application, or if multiple versions (e.g., different runtimes) are installed. This is common when using GNOME Software, which may display both the Flathub and local versions. The issue can persist even after reinstalling the app, as seen in reports from Ubuntu and Pop!_OS users. Running flatpak update and using tools like menulibre or alacarte to manage desktop files can help resolve it.
Snap : While less frequently reported, Snap apps can also show duplicates, especially if a user has both a Snap and a .deb version installed. The Snap Store (snap-store) can conflict with other software centers like GNOME Software, leading to redundant entries. Disabling or removing the snap-store can prevent this duplication.
In both cases, the root cause is typically multiple installations of the same app via different package managers (e.g., apt, Snap, Flatpak) or incomplete cleanup after an update . Using tools like synaptic , menulibre , or terminal commands (flatpak list , snap list ) helps identify and remove duplicates.
Yes, I think it was caused by the update. I just have updated the system and it included a Brave browser update. Before that, the start menu only showed one Brave Web Browser entry, but now I have two. It has nothing to do with flatpaks and snaps (there are no snaps and flatpaks on my system installed, only the preinstalled Zorin flatpak themes).
You can disable one entry. Right click on the Zorin menu icon > Edit menu > Internet
Then disable one of the two Brave browser entries. Look at the launcher properties if they both have the same command. If they are the same, you can disable one of them.