Canonical has officially released Ubuntu 26.10, codenamed Stonking Stingray. This interim release will receive support for nine months, ending in July 2027. The update marks the completion of the migration to Rust-based core tools, with all default command-line utilities now running on uutils implementations.
The system features the GNOME 51 desktop environment, which introduces improved multi-monitor snapping, automatic screen rotation, and enhanced touchpad management. Support for the outdated WEP wireless encryption standard has been removed from the network configuration settings.
Ubuntu 26.10 is powered by the Linux 7.3 kernel, based on the 7.3-rc6 build, and includes the Mesa 26.2 graphics stack. The release adds initial hardware support for Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and X2 Elite laptops, alongside the first desktop images for the RISC-V platform.
The App Center now provides a unified view for Snap and DEB packages and includes a dedicated driver management page for NVIDIA hardware. Additionally, the system introduces Myna, an experimental local speech-to-text tool, and expands security features with OpenSSL 4 and post-quantum cryptography advancements.
Enterprise integration has been updated to support Microsoft Entra ID authentication for desktop, terminal, and SSH sessions. While Ubuntu 26.10 is available for download, Canonical continues to recommend the Ubuntu 26.04 LTS version for users prioritizing long-term stability.
