The Linux Mint project has unveiled Linux Mint 22.3, carrying the codename “Zena”, the latest point release in the popular Mint 22 series. This new version continues Mint’s reputation for delivering a comfortable, user-friendly desktop experience while remaining stable and reliable. As a Long Term Support (LTS) release, Linux Mint 22.3 will receive updates and security patches through April 2029.

Built on a Solid Ubuntu Base

Zena is built on top of Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS (“Noble Numbat”), bringing Mint’s traditional desktop approach together with Ubuntu’s well-tested foundation and extensive software repositories. It ships with the Linux kernel 6.14 and benefits from the Ubuntu Hardware Enablement stack, which improves support for newer hardware such as recent AMD and Intel chips.

What’s New in Linux Mint 22.3 “Zena”

Rather than revolutionize the distro, the Mint team focused on thoughtful refinements and quality-of-life improvements that make everyday usage smoother and more intuitive.

One of the most noticeable visual changes is the revamped Mint Menu in the Cinnamon edition. It now includes a sidebar showing your avatar, favorite applications, and commonly used locations, along with customizable search bar placement and icon styles for a cleaner look.

Linux Mint 22.3 ships with Cinnamon 6.6 on the flagship edition, which delivers a range of subtle improvements:

• Better handling of keyboard layouts and input methods, especially under Wayland

• Improved support for traditional XKB and IBus input methods

• A more graceful on-screen keyboard

• Refined behavior and visuals throughout the desktop environment

These changes aim to polish the experience without introducing disruptive UI changes.

To help users understand their hardware quickly and troubleshoot issues without entering the command line, Zena introduces two new utilities:

• System Information - consolidates details about your machine’s hardware, including USB devices, the GPU, BIOS, and PCI devices

• System Administration - provides an easy interface for configuring low-level system settings, starting with the ability to adjust the boot menu

The Nemo file manager, a core part of the Linux Mint desktop, gained handy workflow enhancements:

• You can now pause and resume file operations

• Improved search capabilities and thumbnail generation make browsing files faster and more reliable

Other bundled apps also saw updates:

• Warpinator now supports IPv6 and can send text messages

• Timeshift allows pausing and resuming snapshots

• Captain handles installing multiple packages via apt:// links

• The Update Manager tray icon now shows when a reboot is advisable after updates

A new Night Light toggle is also available for blue-light filtering, and various desktop refinement touches have been applied to notifications and window manager behavior.

Wayland and Input Handling

Linux Mint 22.3 continues to improve its Wayland compatibility, particularly around keyboard and input methods. While X11 remains the default session for most users, Cinnamon under Wayland offers better support than before, especially for non-English layouts and modern input pipelines.

Installing and Upgrading

New users can download Mint 22.3 “Zena” ISO images directly from the Linux Mint website, available for Cinnamon, Xfce, and MATE desktop environments.

Existing users of Linux Mint 22.2 “Zara” or earlier in the 22.x series can upgrade to Zena through the built-in Update Manager by following the “Upgrade to Linux Mint 22.3 ‘Zena’” option once they’ve installed all available updates.

Long-Term Support Means Stability

As with previous point releases in the Mint 22 series, “Zena” delivers a stable and predictable desktop that doesn’t change dramatically with each update. Its long support cycle makes it a solid choice for both home users and production desktops that need years of security updates without frequent disruptive changes.

Conclusion

Linux Mint 22.3 “Zena” isn’t about flashy new tech, it’s about refining the desktop experience, improving everyday tools, and ensuring that Mint remains approachable, familiar, and dependable. Whether you’re setting up a new machine or updating an existing install, Zena gives you a polished, long-lived Linux environment you can rely on.