Ubuntu 25.10 is set to bring significant changes for Raspberry Pi users, notably by introducing a minimal installation footprint. This approach aligns the Raspberry Pi images with the typical builds used for Intel and AMD desktop systems. As a result, the required disk space for installation has been reduced by approximately 800MB, bringing the installation size from around 8.7GB to 7.9GB.
This shift comes after Dave Jones, Canonical’s engineer responsible for the Raspberry Pi versions of Ubuntu, implemented a new A/B booting system. Unlike traditional desktop installations, the Raspberry Pi uses a pre-installed image (IMG) that is directly flashed onto an SD card, rather than an installer that builds the system on a hard drive.
With this change, users will now encounter a clean image with fewer pre-installed applications, specifically:
- Thunderbird
- LibreOffice
- Calendar
- Rhythmbox
- Deja Dup (Backup tool)
- File Roller (Archive manager)
- Snapshot (Camera app)
- Remmina
- Shotwell
- Simple Scan
- Totem (Media player)
- Transmission
This decision is practical, as most users run Ubuntu on Raspberry Pi devices primarily for development or specific projects rather than as their main productivity workstation. The limited initial software selection reflects the common usage patterns of Raspberry Pi systems, making room for users to install only the software they need from repositories or the Snap Store.
Ultimately, this ‘low-fat’ approach aims to enhance user experience while also addressing construction challenges associated with image building, thereby providing greater flexibility during installation setup.