The Raspberry Pi Desktop operating system has received its first major update in four years. The distribution is now built on Debian 13, marking a shift from the previous Debian 11 base. This update introduces a strictly 64-bit architecture, ending support for 32-bit systems as the developers align with Debian's current standards.
The system is designed for modern PCs and Intel-based Apple computers. However, it currently lacks support for Apple Silicon processors, as the developers cite the experimental nature of Debian support for M-series chips. The distribution features the LXDE graphical environment and includes a dock-style interface inspired by macOS.
Users can run the OS as a live environment directly from a USB drive, with options to either save changes or start with a clean session each time. Alternatively, it can be installed locally using the Calamares installer. The total size of the distribution is less than 3 GB.
The software is provided free of charge and includes the Raspberry Pi Connect service for remote desktop access via a web browser. It supports standard applications such as Firefox, Chromium, and VLC player. The project, which has been in development since 2016, is intended for use on standard consumer hardware.
