Hello Elementary OS 8 !

Indie distro enthusiasts, get ready to experience a game-changer! elementary OS 8.0 is here, and it’s redefining what a modern Linux desktop can do. Built on the rock-solid Ubuntu 24.04 LTS base and powered by the cutting-edge Linux 6.8 kernel, this release packs a punch with a host of exciting updates. Here’s what makes elementary OS 8 a must-try:

• New Dock for Enhanced Multitasking
  Streamline your workflow with a sleek, intuitive dock designed to boost productivity.
• Secure Wayland Session
  Experience next-level security with a newly introduced Wayland session, built for safety and modern performance.
• Refined Pantheon Desktop
  Enjoy a more polished, user-friendly environment with improvements to the beloved Pantheon desktop.
• Core App Enhancements
  Built-in apps get smarter and more efficient, offering a seamless out-of-the-box experience.
• Inclusive Design Philosophy
  Empowerment through inclusivity, ensuring the OS is accessible and delightful for all users.
• Rock-Solid Base
  Built on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with the Linux 6.8 kernel, delivering stability and top-tier hardware support.

Each of these features works together to create a powerful, refined, and inclusive Linux experience. Ready to give it a spin? Let’s dive deeper into what makes this release special.

Exciting Updates in elementary OS 8

Since elementary OS 7 debuted last January, the distro has seen significant evolution through a series of updates. Now, elementary OS 8 brings even more changes, starting with a subtle yet impactful tweak: pressing the Super key now opens the Applications menu by default, instead of the shortcuts cheat-sheet.

This adjustment, long requested by users, aligns elementary OS with the default behavior of other desktops and operating systems. Danielle Foré of elementary explains, “This brings us more in line with the defaults from other desktops and operating systems and will hopefully be more comfortable for folks who rely on these shortcuts to get around.”

For those who prefer the original functionality, it’s easy to restore through System Settings → Keyboard.

New Dock

The new desktop Dock in elementary OS 8.0 boasts improved multitasking features (and a slightly new look).

Now, when you click a dock icon with multiple windows open, it triggers a window spread, allowing you to quickly select the specific window you want without having to activate the Pantheon desktop’s dedicated multi-tasking view first.

New Quick Settings Menu

A new Quick Settings menu simplifies access to common actions (like enabling dark mode), session management (logging out, shutting down, etc), and accessibility controls (like enabling the screen reader, and offering a slider to adjust text size).

Such toggle-based control panels are increasingly common in modern desktops, with macOS, Windows, and GNOME Shell all offering versions. It’s interesting that elementary focuses on accessibility in its approach, rather than hardware-based options.

Because, as is, if you disable ‘accessibility’ options from the Settings → Dock & Panel pane the Quick Settings menu does look rather empty…

Blurred elements

Visually, elementary OS retains its signature style but embraces modern trends by showing a blurred version of your desktop wallpaper on the login and lock screens, and on its macOS Mission Control-style multitasking view.

Settings

In elementary OS 8 the Settings is said to have undergone a variety of improvements, ranging from screen adaptive conditioning to redesigned panels offering more options.

Among the, the Applications panel boasts an all-new design to accommodate a slew of Flatpak app permissions and portal access; while the Power section now shows battery charging levels for internal devices (like battery) and connected devices (like mice and keyboards).

And with driver management is now located in the System panel it gains a major makeover that the elementary devs say make it easier to select the right drivers for devices that offer multiple driver options, such as NVIDIA GPUs.

Other changes

Related to settings, elementary OS 8 moves system updates (i.e., underlying DEB based updates from the Ubuntu repos) out of AppCenter and into a tab in the System panel in the Settings app.

Flathub is now enabled out of the box in AppCenter alongside elementary’s own Flatpak repo (which supports paid applications). Some apps are available on both, so use the dropdown menu on the app listing page to choose your preferred source.

Other changes in elementary OS 8:

• Improved navigation in the first-run wizard
• Assorted accessibility improvements
• New cursors with a splash of colour
• Videos app redesigned
• New Fonts app
• Wayland-based Secure Session available
• Pipewire is now the default sound server

For more details see the official release announcement which offers more detail behind some of the changes on show and how they “empowering.

Download elementary OS 8

To download elementary OS 8 from the elementary project website you need to enter a ‘pay what you want’ amount. Just want to download elementary OS for free, enter ‘0’ as a custom amount.

It is not possible to upgrade to elementary 8.0 from 7.x as “elementary OS does not currently offer an automated way to upgrade between major versions”, but an upgrade guide on the elementary wiki covers how to preserve your files when doing a fresh install.

Don’t want to upgrade at all? elementary OS 7.1 is supported for the duration of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS cycle, meaning you will continue to get critical security updates through to 2027.

 

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