Description

Linux Mint 22.2 LTS, codenamed Zara, arrived in September 2025 as the latest long‑term‑support release of the popular Ubuntu‑based distribution. It targets home users, educators, and small‑business professionals who value a polished, ready‑to‑use desktop experience. The edition ships exclusively for 64‑bit hardware and provides a smooth upgrade path from earlier Mint versions such as Linux Mint 22.2 MATE.

Mint 22.2 brings the Cinnamon desktop to version 6.0, delivering smoother animations, a revamped system tray, and improved multi‑monitor handling. The underlying Ubuntu 22.04 LTS base is upgraded to the Linux 6.5 kernel, offering better hardware support, especially for newer GPUs and Wi‑Fi adapters. A refreshed Mint‑Y theme introduces a modern, high‑contrast look while preserving low‑resource consumption. The Update Manager now includes automatic snapshot creation with Timeshift, simplifying rollback after major upgrades. Users upgrading from Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon will notice the performance boost. Additionally, the Software Manager (AppCenter) receives a faster search engine and curated flatpak integration, and the driver manager gains expanded auto‑install options for proprietary graphics drivers. HiDPI scaling has been refined for 4K monitors.

As an LTS release, Mint 22.2 will receive security and maintenance updates until April 2028.

Full release notes are available on the official Linux Mint website.