Linux Mint 22.3 HWE ISOs Now Available for Download with Linux Kernel 7.0

posted by Marius Nestor on Aug 10, 2026,
updated Aug 15, 2026

In April 2026, 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, so that they can focus more on fixing bugs than shipping newer features.

Today, a new set of Linux Mint 22.3 HWE ISOs are available for dwnload for those having issues with the Linux 6.17 kernel shipped in the latest Linux Mint 22.3 HWE ISOs, which are powered by the Linux 7.0 HWE (Hardware Enablement) kernel from the upcoming Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS (Noble Numbat) release.

Read on

OMG Ubuntu:

• Linux Mint 22.3 HWE released with Linux kernel 7.0 - OMG! Ubuntu

  The distro made the first Linux Mint 22.3 HWE ISO available in March, with an installer that boots Linux 6.17 by default. That image remains available to download alongside the newest one, which boots Linux 7.0, and the original Linux Mint 22.3 (Zena) ISO that boots Linux 6.14.

  The Linux Mint HWE images provide the same core Linux Mint 22.3 experience, still based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, but it all sits on top of a refreshed hardware stack. Existing Mint users don’t need to reinstall their OS as the HWE kernels are provided as software updates.

  So, as I noted when reported on the last one, these are not new releases of Linux Mint per se, but the current stable version with a newer kernel baked in.

  Canonical began rolling out the final Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Hardware Enablement (HWE) kernel in July, backporting Linux 7.0 from Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. That, along with updated GPU drivers and firmware blobs, will be ‘baked’ in to the Ubuntu 24.04.5 ISO, due for release in September.

More Updates:

• Monthly News – July 2026 – The Linux Mint Blog

  Before we begin, let me thank all our donors and sponsors. Many thanks to all of you for the help you’re providing us!

  We’ve got new HWE ISOs this month and some really exciting news. As always, please be aware that the features and improvements mentioned in this blog are a work in progress and that this is a preview of what’s to come and what’s planned for the next release of Linux Mint.

• Linux Mint's new kernel cleanup feature makes it even more appealing for people escaping Windows

  XDA logo Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:

  If you ask the Linux community which FOSS operating system someone should use as a Windows alternative, they'd usually point to Linux Mint, and for good reason. One of our editors, João Carrasqueira, named it "still the safest bet for people who want Linux without surprises" in his Linux Mint review, and it was also my first taste of using an operating system not made by Microsoft.

  To make things even easier for newcomers, the team behind Linux Mint is adding a new feature that lets the OS manage your kernels for you. That way, they won't slowly devour your storage if you don't need them anymore

UbuntuHandbook:

• Linux Mint 22.3 Updated with 7.0 Kernel & New Kernel Management UI

  Linux Mint 22.3, the popular Ubuntu 24.04 based Linux Distribution, got a Hardware Enablement update by releasing new 7.0 Kernel HEW ISO images.

  The new update features Linux Kernel 7.0 provided by Ubuntu 24.04 (backported from Ubuntu 26.04), enabling new hardware support and better performance.

It's FOSS:

• Linux Mint Teases A Kernel Cleanup Trick That Fedora Figured Out Years Ago

  The two approaches end up solving a similar problem in different ways. Fedora's is a flat, always-on limit tied directly to the update transaction. Mint's new implementation, once it ships, would hand you more direct control instead.

  Kernel management wasn't the only thing in Mint's July post. The team also shipped new HWE ISOs for Linux Mint 22.3, this time built on Linux 7.0, and Fcitx5 support lands in Cinnamon, running the same way across Wayland and X11.

  For the full rundown, including the new environment variables page and the panel fixes, the original blog is a must-read.

Linux Magazine:

• Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Sol...

  Linux Mint is always moving forward – and usually doing so in just the right ways. Such is the case with a new tool the developers have teased that could do a great job handling kernel cleanup.

  You know, when you've upgraded your kernel and there are still older versions lying around?

  Well, the developers are considering the idea of creating a system similar to what Fedora already has. That system will group kernels by series and allow you to decide which series you want to keep and how many iterations of that series you want to retain. Once you've configured the tool, it works automatically to remove old kernels on a weekly basis.

  The one exception to this is when/if you install a custom kernel series. According to the Linux Mint blog, "When you track a known series, the tool installs its meta-packages and ensures you receive updates for that series. In the case of a custom series, the tool doesn’t know how to do that and warns you that it is your responsibility to do so."