Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions, based on Debian and Ubuntu. Linux Mint 22 “Wilma” has now entered the beta testing stage, ahead of its final release later this year.
Linux Mint 22 will be a long-term support release, with an Ubuntu 24.04 base and updates until 2029. There are a lot of under-the-hood changes and updates, including Linux kernel 6.8, GTK4 themes, and improvements for high-DPI screens in the boot sequence. Pipewire is now used as the default sound server instead of PulseAudio. The Linux Mint project plans to continue using the same package base as version 22 until sometime in 2026.
There are some more visible changes, too. The Online Accounts feature from GNOME, which allows you to add Google, Microsoft, Nextcloud, or other web accounts for synchronization and easy access, has been reimplemented as a standalone application in Linux Mint. That means the feature is no longer broken on Cinnamon, Budge, and Unity desktops, and it works on MATE and Xfce desktops for the first time.
Linux Mint 22 includes updates (and downgrades) to the core system applications. The Software Manager now loads faster and better explains the difference between unverified Flatpaks and other types of packages. Several GNOME applications back to their GTK3 versions, including Celluloid, GNOME Calculator, Simple Scan, Baobab, System Monitor, GNOME Calendar, File Roller, and Zenity. Linux Mint is sticking to its goal that all applications should match the customizable system theme, and since those apps now use GTK4 with the libAdwaita library, the latest versions don’t follow the system theme.
It’s unclear how long the Linux Mint project will be able to stick to older versions of core system applications. If you want the latest and greatest that the GNOME desktop has to offer, even if you lose some customization, you should look at Ubuntu or Fedora instead.
There are some documented issues with the first beta release, including black or garbled screens in VirtualBox, and freezes during first bootup. If you run into issues, check the release notes for possible workarounds.
You can download Linux Mint 22 Beta from one of the mirrors at the source link below. You need at least 2GB RAM, 20GB of drive space, and a 1024×768 screen resolution.
Source: Linux Mint Blog
