Linux Mint 21.3 is now available to download — the first version to offer Wayland support in the Cinnamon desktop.
Following a successful bout of bug-busting in last month’s beta release, Mint devs have gone ahead and rubber-stamped a stable release. Thus, you can reasonably expect to not encounter any major issues when installing or using it.
This is 3rd major stable release in the Linux Mint 21.x series, following on from the Linux Mint 21.2 release back in the summer. Like those, it’s based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and continues to use the Linux 5.15 kernel by default, but newer kernels are available to install within the OS.
Let’s take a look at the changes.
Linux Mint 21.3: What’s New?
As Linux Mint releases go, Linux Mint 21.3 is a really interesting one.
And the main reason for that is the headline-grabbing addition of experimental Wayland support in the Cinnamon desktop.
In my testing, I found that Cinnamon’s support for Wayland is largely comprehensive. There aren’t any significant issues that hinder me from doing essential tasks such as surfing the web, listening to music, and using applets, even though it’s not perfect.
Nonetheless, Cinnamon’s Wayland support is still in its early stages and isn’t activated by default. According to the developers of Linux Mint, it won’t be satisfactory for all users until at least the 23.x series, which is anticipated to be released in 2026.
But don’t take my word for it. Try it out for yourself and see how it works. From the login screen session selector, pick the ‘Cinnamon on Wayland (Experimental)’ session and then log in as you usually would:
Caption: Cinnamon is now capable of running on Wayland, although, for the time being, it is only experimental.
Apart from the notable Wayland-wowza, the Cinnamon 6.1 desktop update in Linux Mint 21.3 includes various minor enhancements as well.
Some of these improvements are:
- A new category of Cinnamon Spices: ‘Actions’ for the Nemo file manager
- Reinstatement of the 75% scaling option
- Option to disable stylus buttons
- Choice of monitor for notifications display
- Desktop zoom action gesture
- Sound applet now supporting shift-middle click action
- Brand new wallpapers
And there’s plenty more…
Updated Apps
New Nemo actions, new wallpapers, new look Backup Tool
Many of Linux Mint’s homegrown apps also benefit from a bevvy of buffs and embellishments:
- Hypnotix supports custom channels, favouriting, yt-dlp update
- Warpinator can connect to devices manually via IP or QR code
- Sticky now supports dbus commands
- Bulky shows thumbnails, adds drag and drop support
- Pix will auto-rotate videos (if needed)
- Mint Backup app adopts header bar design
- Colour picker leverages Xapp XDG Desktop Portal
- Slick Greeter login box position is configurable
Additionally, the latest version of Mozilla Firefox is pre-installed (as a deb, not a Snap).
Naturally, there are lots of lower-level bug fixes, stability improvements, and performance tweaks in this update too. But those aside, what is listed above are the best new features in Linux Mint 21.3 in the sense they’re the ones you’re most likely to notice, use, and benefit from.
Download Linux Mint 21.3
Don’t use Linux Mint yet? You can download Linux Mint from the Linux Mint website, or jump directly to one of the official Linux Mint download mirrors. Linux Mint 21.3 is available in 3 flavours: the standard Cinnamon (covered in this post); Xfce; and MATE.
System requirements for the release haven’t changed, so to use it you need:
- 2GB RAM (4GB recommended)
- 20GB of disk space (100GB recommended)
- 1024×768 resolution (higher resolution better)
Already a Linux Mint user? You can upgrade to Linux Mint 21.3 from Linux Mint 21, 21.1, or 21.2 directly — however it can take a week or so for the update channel to actually open.
Once it does, the upgrade process is typically: open Update Manager, install the update presented, re-open, click the Edit menu, select the “Upgrade to Linux Mint 21.3 ‘Virginia’” option, away you go.
Running the Linux Mint 21.3 beta build released back in December? If so, you don’t need to download a new ISO to get the stable version. Simply check for updates, and install all that are presented. Once complete, that’s it!