Linux Mint 22 is an attractive option for migrating away from Windows

The Linux Mint team has just released Linux Mint 22, a new major version of the free Linux distribution. With Windows 10’s end of support coming up quickly next year, at least some users may consider making the switch to Linux.

While there are other options, paying Microsoft for extended support or upgrading to Windows 11, these options are not available for all users or desirable.

Linux Mint 22 is a long-term service release. Means, it is supported until 2029. Unlike Microsoft, which made drastic changes to the system requirements of Windows 11 to lock out millions of devices from upgrading to the new version, Linux Mint will continue to work on older hardware, even after 2029.

Linux Mint 22 receives the full focus of the team until 2026. Work shifts to Linux Mint 23 then and version 22 of the Linux distribution will receive security updates only going forward. Updates from Linux Mint 22 to 23 will be provided.

Linux Mint 22: what is new

Here are the core changes in Linux Mint 22:

Based on the new Ubuntu 24.04 package base.
Kernel version is 6.8.
Software Manager loads faster and has improved multi-threading.
Unverified Flatpaks are disabled by default.
Preinstalled Matrix Web App for using chat networks.
Improved language support removes any language not selected by the user after installation to save disk space.
Several under-the-hood changes that update libraries or software.

Windows users who never came into contact with Linux before should not worry too much about Linux-specific terms such as Flatpaks or Gnome.

One of the best ways to test Linux is by running a Live USB version. This is offered by Linux Mint. It basically runs Linux in memory for you to try. You can run software, install apps, and see how you like it without making any changes to the installed operating system on the device.

Switching from Windows to Linux may look like a daunting task, but it has gotten a lot better in the past decade.

You can download Linux Mint 22 from the official project website. The Linux distribution comes in three flavors:

Cinnamon – pick if your system is fairly modern.
Xfce – lighter on resources, misses a few features.
Mate – the classic desktop environment.

Closing Words

It will be interesting to see what millions of Windows 10 users whose devices are not compatible with Windows 11 will do next year. Will 2025 be the year that Linux is entering mainstream?

What is your take on Linux Mint? If you run Windows 10 on devices, what is your plan for the operating system in 2025?

Summary