Six months of extensive work from Canonical engineers, Ubuntu developers, and contributors have culminated in the release of Ubuntu 25.10, dubbed Questing Quokka. This short-term release will receive updates until July 2026, with the ability to upgrade to the next Long-Term Support (LTS) version, Ubuntu 26.04, starting in April.
Ubuntu 25.10 boasts significant enhancements and new features. Notably, the installer now offers TPM-backed disk encryption for devices equipped with a TPM 2 module, simplifying the generation and management of recovery keys.
The release comes with GNOME 49, which introduces features such as media controls on the Lock Screen, UI animations, improvements in file management, and more precise fractional scaling for high-resolution displays. It is important to note that GNOME 49 has discontinued support for X11 sessions, resulting in the removal of Xorg from the default installation. However, X11 applications continue to function under Wayland.
Two new applications debut with this release: the Ptyxis terminal, which is GPU-accelerated and supports multiple profiles, and the Loupe image viewer, designed for modern multi-touch usage.
Enhancements to existing features include a less intrusive Software Updater, which now delivers update notifications via desktop alerts rather than pop-ups. There are also a variety of new icons and improved visual elements in the Yaru theme.
On the fundamental side, Ubuntu 25.10 utilizes the latest Linux kernel 6.17 along with Mesa 25.2.x graphics drivers. This update facilitates support for Intel’s new ‘Lunar Lake’ chipsets, which are expected to be available soon.
Key highlights of Ubuntu 25.10 include:
- Updated Linux kernel 6.17 offering a range of improvements
- Availability of newer GPU drivers, including Nvidia
- Enhanced TPM-backed disk encryption and recovery key management
- Upgraded GNOME 49 with HDR and UX improvements
- Fresh visual updates with new icons and interfaces
- Introduction of Ptyxis terminal and Loupe image viewer
- A/B booting for Raspberry Pi, reducing boot issues from updates
For those interested in trying out or upgrading to Ubuntu 25.10, it can be downloaded for 64-bit Intel/AMD devices from the official release server. Ensure you use a USB stick of at least 8GB, as the desktop ISO size is approximately 5.3GB.
The recommended system requirements for Ubuntu 25.10 are:
- A dual-core processor of at least 2 GHz
- 4 GB of RAM
- 25 GB of available hard drive space
ARM64 devices can also download an appropriate ISO, while Raspberry Pi users can access a pre-installed desktop image for use on compatible models.
For existing users of Ubuntu 25.04, the upgrade to 25.10 will prompt automatically on release day. If the alert doesn’t appear immediately, patience may be required.
Overall, this release represents substantial enhancements to an already popular and widely-used desktop Linux distribution, and it raises anticipation for Ubuntu 26.04 ‘Resolute Raccoon’, slated for release next year.