news
Linux Mint 22.3 HWE ISOs Now Available for Download with Linux Kernel 6.17
Earlier this month, the Linux Mint project announced that they have decided to adopt a longer development cycle for future Linux Mint releases, starting with the upcoming Linux Mint 23 release, planned for Christmas 2026. Due to this, they decided to address compatibility issues by releasing updated HWE ISO images.
Therefore, if you’re having issues with the Linux 6.14 kernel shipped in the latest Linux Mint 22.3 release, you can now download the Linux Mint 22.3 HWE ISOs, which are powered by the Linux 6.17 HWE (Hardware Enablement) kernel from the latest Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS (Noble Numbat) release.
OMG Ubuntu:
-
Linux Mint's new HWE ISOs improve hardware support - OMG! Ubuntu
So, a solution has been found.
A new set of ISO images dubbed HWE (Hardware Enablement have been published to “address compatibility issues with brand new hardware”, says Linux Mint project lead Clement Lefebvre.
The new Linux 22.3 HWE image contains the Linux 6.17 kernel. The team will, from this point on, publish new HWE ISOs each time a new HWE kernel arrives in the distro itself.
XDA:
-
Linux Mint is skipping new releases for 7 months, but its HWE ISOs will make sure your new hardware works
A little while ago, the Linux Mint dev team announced that it wanted to take longer dev cycles between OS updates, which means we won't be seeing a new version of the operating system release until at least Christmas 2026. While it's always good for dev teams to go at a steady and sustainable pace, it is sad to think that Linux Mint will basically be feature-locked until 2027 is almost here.
However, that doesn't mean people will be stuck with an old Linux kernel until then. The Linux Mint dev team has announced a plan to release Hardware Enablement (HWE) ISOs, meaning people will still get support for their new hardware despite the feature freeze.
Official site:
-
Monthly News – April 2026 – The Linux Mint Blog
Thank you for your support and your donations! Many thanks to everyone involved in helping Linux Mint.
GoL:
-
Linux Mint begin shipping HWE (Hardware Enablement) ISOs for better hardware support | GamingOnLinux
With the Linux Mint team now taking extra time between releases, they're providing new HWE (Hardware Enablement) ISO downloads with newer Linux kernels.
It's FOSS:
-
What Are Linux Mint HWE ISOs and Do You Actually Need One?
Earlier this year, the Linux Mint project announced a significant shift in how it shipped releases, hinting at a longer cycle.
Project lead Clement Lefebvre had pointed out that the existing pattern of a new release every six months, on top of maintaining LMDE, was leaving the team spending more time on testing and release management than on actual development.
By March 2026, a decision had been made, with Linux Mint 23 now targeted for a Christmas 2026 release, making it the longest gap between major releases the project has seen.
The next release will be based on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, will drop the long-used Ubiquity installer in favor of the live installer from LMDE, and ship with a functional Wayland session.