The Linux Mint team has released a beta version of its upcoming 22.3 edition, marking the next long-term support release until 2029. This beta includes enhanced troubleshooting tools, desktop improvements, and new icon standards. Users can now test these updates to help identify potential issues.
Linux Mint 22.3, the forthcoming long-term support release backed until 2029, has entered beta testing with a host of updates aimed at improving user experience and system management. The release upgrades the System Reports tool into a comprehensive System Information app, featuring dedicated pages for system details, reports, crash logs, USB devices, GPU, PCI, and BIOS information. This change is designed to simplify issue tracing for developers and users alike.
A new System Administration tool joins the lineup, offering a straightforward boot menu configuration page that makes editing boot options more accessible. In response to GNOME's Adwaita icon set no longer supporting non-GNOME applications, the team introduced the XApp Symbolic Icons (XSI) set. This provides standardized icons for applications, and all XApp, Cinnamon, and Linux Mint projects have migrated to it.
The Cinnamon desktop environment advances to version 6.6, with full Wayland compatibility for keyboard layouts and a redesigned Cinnamon Menu featuring modern layouts and customizable options. The Nemo file manager receives upgrades including better thumbnail support, a template manager, and improved search accuracy. Additionally, the window list now displays notification badges to alert users to missed items.
These enhancements highlight Linux Mint's ongoing evolution as a user-friendly distribution. According to the latest Steam Hardware Survey, Linux Mint holds a 9.32% share among Linux gamers on the platform, underscoring its popularity in the gaming community. The beta is available for testing, with full release notes detailing further changes.
