The long-awaited Linux Mint 22 has exited beta testing and is now available as a stable release. You can install it today, though upgrade instructions for Mint 21.3 users have yet to be published.
Linux Mint 22 is a long-term support release that will receive security updates until 2029. It’s based on Ubuntu 24.04 and utilizes the Linux kernel version 6.8 for improved compatibility with modern hardware, apps, and packages (kernel updates will come every 6 months, interestingly). Plus, themes are now upgraded to GTK4, which provides GPU acceleration and other graphical performance improvements.
This release makes several changes to Linux Mint’s under-the-hood behavior and default processes. Audio is now handled by PipeWire, for example, and Mint’s broken Online Accounts synchronization feature has been fixed. Unfortunately, several GNOME applications have been downgraded to GTK3 for theme compatibility purposes—if you want GNOME applications with full GTK4 goodness, Ubuntu or Fedora are still your best options.
While most of the changes in this release are “invisible,” users will notice some surface-level improvements. Linux Mint 22 provides expanded support for high-DPI screens during the boot sequence, it adds beginner-friendly language to the Software Manager, it disables guest sessions by default, and it greatly enhances the Workspace Switcher with new quick actions. Linux Mint 22 also eats up less space than previous releases, as unused language packs are no longer retained after installation.
For additional info and troubleshooting, check the full Linux Mint 22 release notes. Bear in mind that GTK4 theming may introduce compatibility issues with some apps.
You can find installation instructions for Linux Mint 22 at the Linux Mint website. Upgrade instructions for Mint 21.3 users will be published in the coming days. If you’re already running the Mint 22 beta, you should use the Update Manager to get up to speed with this stable release. Note that Linux Mint 23 will not enter development until 2026.
Source: Linux Mint Blog
