Last February, Clem Lefebvre published a monthly note from Linux Mint In which they mentioned that they would probably reduce the release frequency. In short, the project believes they spend too much time thinking about new versions and want to spend more of that time developing things they consider more important. Given that their core remains the same (it's always Ubuntu LTS), I think it makes perfect sense. It might not look as good to the public, but in the end, it will be better for everyone.
La this month's noteThe report, which arrived later than expected, mentions three points: first, it has been confirmed that the frequency of releases will decrease from 2 to 1 release per year; second, the The release of the next version is planned for Christmas 2026Finally, Linux Mint will switch to using the same installer as LMDE, which is the live installer also used in Debian. While not explicitly stated, it's understood that there will no longer be a mid-year release.
Linux Mint 23 Alpha is already under development
Until now, Linux Mint was released around July-August and December-January. This was two to three months after each Ubuntu release. With the new schedule, releases will arrive at the end of the year. As we've explained, the base will be Ubuntu LTS, but the new features will be more numerous and improved, as they'll use the time saved to enhance their software. We should also mention that Linux Mint develops Cinnamon and also has several XApps, such as Warpinator and TimeShift.
They are currently focused on developing what they are calling Linux Mint 23 Alpha, a name that is not yet final. What is known is that it currently uses the Ubuntu 26.04 base and kernel. Linux 7.0Cinnamon 6.7-unstable, CJS 140, and the aforementioned live installer, which they brought from LMDE to replace Canonical's Ubiquity, support OEM, BIOS/UEFI, Secure Boot, and LVM/LUKS installations. Furthermore, they also plan to significantly improve Wayland support.
They will publish more information when the time comes. And we, as always, will report on it.