Kubuntu 25.10 will exclusively support a Wayland session by default, similar to the changes made in the regular version of Ubuntu. This update, set for release on October 9, 2025, signifies a notable shift away from the traditional X11 desktop session.
The move to a Wayland-only environment isn’t unexpected, as GNOME developers are actively phasing out Xorg/X11 support. KDE developers are also making similar plans, aiming to enhance system performance, security, and feature set without the constraints of maintaining legacy Xorg code. As KDE Plasma transitions towards a future version 7, the current KDE Plasma 6.4 already begins to separate Wayland and X11 features.
Rik Mills, a Kubuntu developer, elaborated on the decision to drop support for X11, indicating that while users will still be able to install an X11 session if desired, the primary installation will reflect a commitment to Wayland. This indicates a more aggressive move to streamline support and encourage further adoption of Wayland across the community.
While the latest builds of Kubuntu no longer package Xorg by default, existing users upgrading from 25.04 will not face uninstallation of the Xorg session. If users prefer to retain X11, they can install the required packages via the software repositories.
The aim of moving to a Wayland-only approach is to push developers and third-party applications toward adapting this modern display server, which promises improvements in security and performance over the older X11 framework. Other flavors of Ubuntu, like Xubuntu and Ubuntu Budgie, are expected to maintain X11 support for the time being.
Kubuntu 25.10 is expected to be supported until July 2026, marking a definitive step towards a more modern computing environment.