Ubuntu continues to be one of the most popular Linux distributions worldwide. It's used by everyone from complete beginners exploring Linux for the first time to system administrators managing enterprise servers.
The project follows a predictable release schedule with new versions every six months. Long-term support releases arrive every two years in April with the promise of maintenance. Interim releases bridge the gap by delivering cutting-edge features for those who want them.
Now, Ubuntu 25.10 "Questing Quokka" arrives as the second and final interim release before Ubuntu 26.04 LTS lands in April 2026. This release introduces substantial changes, and while we've already covered what to expect from Ubuntu 25.10 in detail, this article focuses on giving an overview of the final release.
⭐ Ubuntu 25.10: What's New?
Ubuntu 25.10 is code-named "Questing Quokka" after the small Australian marsupial known for its friendly appearance. The quokka represents the welcoming nature Ubuntu aims to maintain.
This release ships with Linux kernel 6.17, which brings extensive hardware support improvements across multiple platforms. Intel users gain full support for Core Ultra Xe3 integrated Arc graphics and Intel Arc Pro B50 and B60 "Battlemage" discrete GPUs.
Keep in mind that Ubuntu 25.10 is not an LTS release, and it will receive nine months of support, ending in July 2026. If you need long-term stability, stick with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
On the desktop environment front, this Ubuntu release ships with GNOME 49. The lock screen now includes media controls, letting you play, pause, or skip tracks without unlocking the system. Track info and thumbnails appear up there too.
Quick Settings adds per-monitor brightness sliders, allowing you to adjust each display independently if you're running multiple monitors, and the workspace switcher now shows up on all connected monitors as well.
The Settings app comes with a new donation button in the About panel, and there is a new donation reminder that pops up a couple of times each year. Shell animations run smoother, and legacy tray icons work better now too.
Another major change here is the replacement of sudo with sudo-rs, a Rust-based implementation. This eliminates memory safety vulnerabilities while improving the security of privilege escalation on Linux.
The switch brings better error handling with clearer error messages and an easier-to-maintain codebase (in the long term). Classic sudo remains available in the repositories for compatibility, but new installations default to sudo-rs.
Similarly, Ptyxis replaces GNOME Terminal as the default terminal emulator. Built with GTK4 and libAdwaita, it focuses on modern container workflows. It integrates well with Podman, Distrobox, and Toolbx and includes a built-in inspector for debugging terminal applications.
Loupe becomes the default image viewer, replacing Eye of GNOME. It offers GPU-accelerated rendering for smooth image viewing and sandboxes decoding to improve security when opening files from untrusted sources.
Moreover, the X11 session is completely gone. Ubuntu now runs GNOME exclusively on Wayland, with no option to switch back at login.
🛠️ Other Changes & Improvements
Before you go grab this release, here are some other notable changes:
- New wallpapers arrive from the community competition, covering categories like mascot, digital art, and photography.
- Dracut becomes the default initramfs generator, replacing initramfs-tools for better boot reliability.
- Firefox gets updated to version 143, while LibreOffice jumps to 25.8 with newer features.
- Audacity 3.7.1 and GIMP 3.1.2 round out the creative application updates.
- Apt 3.1.6 is included with Ubuntu now using the new dependency solver by default.
- BlueZ 5.83 improves Bluetooth connectivity, and PipeWire 1.4.7 enhances audio handling across the system.
Anyone interested in learning more should read the official release notes.
About Ubuntu Flavors
Ubuntu flavors share the same base system but offer different desktop environments. Each flavor brings its own experience while maintaining Ubuntu compatibility. All flavors benefit from kernel 6.17 and improved hardware support in this release.
Kubuntu 25.10 follows Ubuntu's lead by adopting Wayland as the default session. New installations boot into Wayland instead of X11, aligning with KDE upstream. As for Lubuntu 25.10, details were slim at the time of writing, but the team typically delivers solid updates focusing on lightweight performance.
You can go through the release notes for Xubuntu, Kubuntu, and Lubuntu to learn more about what's new.
Sourav Rudra
📥 Download Ubuntu 25.10
The official website hosts the various images for this release. Many CPU architectures are supported, including x86_64 (AMD64), ARM64, RISC-V, and others. You can also find Desktop and Server variants on the releases page.
Existing users on Ubuntu 25.04 can get this release via the Software Updater; the system should notify you when the upgrade becomes available. Just remember to back up any important data before proceeding.
You can also run the following commands in the terminal to get the upgrade:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo do-release-upgradeSuggested Read 📖
Sourav Rudra
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