Ubuntu 24.10: Best New Features

A latest release of Ubuntu 24.10 “Oracular Oriole” is here. We take a look at the best new features.

Ubuntu 24.10 codenamed “Oracular Oriole” released on October 10, 2024. This is the first release following Ubuntu 24.04 LTS; hence it is packed with some exciting features across the desktop and server space.

This version is a short-term release, that means it will be supported until 9 months (July 2025). If you are running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS currently, I would not recommend upgrading now. Unless you require something which this version has to offer.

Let’s dive in.

Ubuntu 24.10: New Features

At the core, Ubuntu 24.10 is powered by Linux Kernel 6.11 which brings the latest hardware support including CPU, GPU and associated modules.

Installer

A few releases back, Ubuntu officially launched its Flutter-based installer, which also features in this release without many visual updates. Most of it remains the same and gives you a smooth desktop installation experience. Key under-the-hood updates include, the desktop installer now supports local file path for desktop images, more hardware support for fingerprint scanners and improve power profile for AMD devices.

GNOME 47

Ubuntu 24.10 brings the latest version of the GNOME 47 desktop environment with its own additional tweaks. GNOME 47 features some massive updates to the core desktop such as improving video playback using hardware encoding, low-power encoding for screen recorders and improved rendering.

Ubuntu 24.10 also adopted the GNOME’s native accent colour settings from this release, replacing its own implementation.

Files, the file manager gets enhanced with revamped sidebar, offering a more intuitive and customizable experience for you. Key locations like Network, Home, Recent, Starred, and Trash have been moved to the top for quicker access, while bookmarks are now conveniently located in the middle section.

GNOME 47 introduces a modern Libadwaita style for the New Folder Creation dialog, featuring a sleek and updated design. This new look is set to be rolled out across other dialogs in future GNOME releases, ensuring a more consistent user interface.

These dialogs also open with a smooth animation effect, enhancing the overall experience. The new style is also applied to the File Deletion confirmation, Power Off, and Authentication dialogs. Notably, the cancel button has been removed, and you can now cancel the dialog using the window’s close button. Additionally, the create button has been repositioned below, making it more prominent and easier to access.

Other key highlights of GNOME 47 which is also available in Ubuntu 24.10 includes:

• Audio output configuration option in the Sound settings for more flexibility.
• “Active Windows on Hover” feature under Accessibility > Pointing and Clicking to highlight active windows when the mouse hovers over them.
• Revamped New User Add dialog, more visually appealing but may require more clicks.
• GNOME Software focuses on libadwaita controls, performance upgrades, and fixes.

You can read our detailed feature overview of GNOME 47 here.

Look and feel, sound

Twenty years ago, Ubuntu made its debut with version 4.10, “Warty Warthog.” To commemorate this milestone, this release brings a special anniversary logo, original startup sound and the “Warty” brown accent colour. All these will make you a little nostalgic about Ubuntu if you are using more than a decade.

In addition, a few sets of nice wallpapers compliment your default desktop look. The default left dock now shows you a progress bar for applications and the context menu now arrives with a application label & details option.

Finally, if you are using Nvidia hardware, Ubuntu 24.10 now defaults to Wayland session. However, you can always choose to select Xorg session from the login screen.

Applications and App Center

The App Center has received some exciting updates that make managing your apps even smoother. On the Manage page, you’ll notice several improvements designed to enhance your experience:

• You can now see the status of installs in progress, making it easier to track ongoing downloads.
• Self-update handling has been refined to ensure your apps stay up to date without any extra hassle.
• If you’re running snaps, there’s now clearer messaging to keep you informed.
• Need to uninstall a snap? You can now do that directly from the Manage page with just a few clicks.
• Scrolling has also been improved for touch screens, making navigation more intuitive if you’re using a tablet or touch-enabled device.
• Additionally, third-party .deb installation is now supported, giving you even more flexibility when managing your software.

This release also brings a fresh wave of improvements to both applications and subsystems, ensuring a smoother and more efficient experience.

• Firefox 26: The newest version of this popular browser brings better performance and enhanced features to improve your browsing experience.
• LibreOffice 24.8: Enjoy enhanced productivity with the latest version of this office suite, featuring new tools and refinements. Learn more about LibreOffice 24.8.
• Thunderbird 128 “Supernova”: This updated email client offers more robust features, making it easier to manage your inbox.
• BlueZ 5.77: Improved Bluetooth support, offering better connectivity and performance for your devices.
• Cairo 1.18.2: An updated version of this 2D graphics library, ensuring smoother rendering across applications.
• Noto Color Emoji Font 2.047: Now with Unicode 16 support, you get access to the latest emojis, keeping your digital conversations fun and expressive.
• NetworkManager 1.48: Better network management and stability for your connections, making sure you’re always connected seamlessly.
• Pipewire 1.2.4: Enhancements to this multimedia framework improve audio and video handling for a better media experience.
• Poppler 24.08: An updated PDF rendering library for faster and more reliable document viewing.
• xdg-desktop-portal 1.18: This update brings better integration for sandboxed apps, improving functionality and security across the system.

However, Flatpak is not installed by default. Thunderbird and Firefox are Snap apps. You can always remove Snap and install Flatpak with some additional steps.

Finally, a new security center app brings you more controls over the installed Snap apps and additional settings. The app is currently at a basic state, and Canonical has plans for future feature additions.

Ubuntu Server

Ubuntu 24.10 server edition is updated with the latest version of core packages. Here’s a brief list of the same:

• Apache 2.4.62
• Clamav 1.3.1
• Django 4.2.15
• Docker 26.1.3
• HAProxy 2.9.9
• libvirt 10.6.0
• Ngnix 1.26.0
• OpenLDAP 2.6.8
• PHP 8.3.0
• PostgreSQL 16.4
• QEMU 9.0.2
• Samba 4.20.4
• Python 3.12.7

Download Ubuntu

You can download the desktop ISO and other architecture versions from the below page.

If you are running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, there is an upgrade path which you need to enable from the Upgrades app by turning on the “non-LTS” updates option.

If you are looking for the flavours, you can get this here:

Wrapping up

With Ubuntu 24.10, you’ll notice a big leap in performance, security, and overall usability. The enhanced Wayland support and updated core apps make everything feel smoother and more responsive. Plus, with a refreshed interface with a touch of “old days” look and better hardware compatibility, it’s designed to keep up with your needs.

Via release notes.

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