Manjaro Linux 26.1 releases with Linux Kernel 7.1

Manjaro Linux has released version 26.1, a significant update for the Arch Linux-based rolling distribution. The release focuses on modernizing desktop environments and updating the core system components.

Key desktop environment updates include GNOME 50 and KDE Plasma 6.7, which offer improved interfaces and integration. Xfce 4.20 remains available as a lightweight alternative. A major technical shift in this release is the transition to Linux Kernel 7.1 as the default version, providing better hardware management and energy efficiency. While Linux 6.18 and 6.12 LTS kernels are available for stability, the distribution has officially dropped support for the 5.x kernel series, meaning hardware from the mid-2010s may no longer be supported.