Ubuntu 25.10: Top New Features

Ubuntu 25.10, released on October 9, 2025 (supported until July 2026 for 9 months), is the final interim release before the next long term version of Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. This release prioritizes modernization through Rust-based components for improved security and new hardware support and desktop refinements.

Let’s dig a little deeper on the feature set of this release.

Ubuntu 25.10: New Features

Linux Kernel 6.17

Ubuntu 25.10 features the latest upstream Linux kernel 6.17, offering unconditional SMP support, significant performance optimizations, new SoC and platform enablement, and major updates to Intel and AMD graphics drivers for better hardware compatibility.

Other Linux kernel 6.17 key highlights includes improvements to the EXT4 file system, including efficient zero-writing on NVMe and SCSI SSDs without I/O operations and better scalability for block allocation. Hardware support is expanded with new graphics drivers for Intel Panther Lake laptops, AMD hybrid GPU power management, and compatibility with ARM’s Branch Record Buffer Extension (BRBE) and AMD Hardware Feedback Interface (HFI).

GNOME 49

This release also introduces GNOME 49 desktop environment which brings improved performance, accessibility upgrades, and new core apps. It re-enables X11 support in GDM for compatibility with non-Wayland desktops.

In Ubuntu 25.10 the X11 session is removed, and the default GNOME desktop exclusively runs on Wayland.

You may want to check out my deep dive about GNOME 49 feature set to learn more.

Default applications and stack

There are few key default application changes came out of this release. Few of them part of GNOME apps.

First up, Ptyxis – a modern Rust-based terminal emulator with container integration (e.g., Podman, Distrobox), GTK4 interface, theme support, and a reduced default font size (11pt) for better UI fit overall with Ubuntu.

Next, is Loupe – a GPU-accelerated image viewer with extensive format support, touch/gesture controls, metadata display, and sandboxed decoding for security.

In addition, the usual key apps get their latest versions as of the release date.

• Firefox 143
• LibreOffice 25.8
• GIMP 3.1.2
• Apt 3.1.6
• Python 3.13.7
• GCC 15
• Java 25 (OpenJDK)
• Pipewire 1.4.7

In settings, the Startup Applications option moved to Settings > Applications for toggle-based autostart (no GUI for custom scripts).

Rust-based security enhancements and key items

The sudo is replaced by Rust-based “sudo-rs” to enhance security. It aims to eliminate memory safety vulnerabilities like buffer overflows.

Dracut replaces initramfs-tools for a more modern and modular approach to generating the initial RAM file system.

Chrony also replaces NTP as the default Network Time Protocol client.

Network Time Security (NTS) is now enabled by default for more secure time synchronization.

Ubuntu 25.10 also introduces Rust Coreutils – uutils’ Rust rewrite of essential GNU utilities for improved security and reliability.

Theme and look n’ feel

The default Ubuntu’s Yaru theme gets new icons to make it look sleek with consistent radii. Also, the software update notification is now less intrusive.

In addition, a bunch of nice wallpaper preloaded with the usual “Questing Quokka” mascot to give your desktop a professional look.

Download

You can download the desktop ISO and other architecture versions from the below page.

If you are running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, there is an upgrade path which you need to enable from the Upgrades app by turning on the “non-LTS” updates option.

If you are looking for the flavours, you can get this here: