Linux Mint 22.1 'Xia' is out now with improved Wayland support

Linux Mint 22.1 "Xia" has now been released bringing with it many improvements to the desktop, along with enhancements to all the software that powers it.

This is a long-term support release with updates and security fixes until 2029. It features Linux kernel 6.8 and an Ubuntu 24.04 package base. New Mint releases until 2026 will continue using the same package base for easy and simple upgrades.

Pictured - Linux Mint 22.1

This includes Cinnamon 6.4 that has a new default theme along with much improved Wayland compatibility. There's a lot of individual changes for the Cinnamon desktop update like a native Night Light feature, cleaner alt+tab, simplified sound over-amplification settings and more.

Some other features at a glance:

• Modernization of APT dependencies. Aptkit replaces aptdaemon, while Captain unifies the features of GDebi and apturl into a single, easy-to-use utility.
• Power Modes management.
• Cleaner modern dialogs and on-screen display elements (confirmation boxes, password entering and more).
• Notifications can now appear above fullscreen windows (new setting).
• Nemo now has an option to disable auto-expanding of treeview columns during drag and drop.
• GWL (Global Window List) now includes an option to always show windows from other monitors.
• The Software Manager has been optimized for better speed, ensuring faster application browsing and installations.
• Wallpapers have been moved to themed sets, making them "easier to explore and more organized".

See more in the release post.