elementary OS 6 Released, Brings Improvements to the User Experience

elementary OS 6 "Odin" has just been released as a biggest release in the history of this distribution. Here's what is new.

Elementary OS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu that features the custom developed Pantheon desktop environment. Itโ€™s been designed with non-technical users in mind and is a great introduction to the world of Linux, but also caters to veteran Linux users.

Elementary OS is a 100% free to use with an optional “pay-what-you-want model”. Itโ€™s very similar to macOS in terms of UI and usability, and is used by millions of beauty lovers around the world.

What’s New in elementary OS 6

elementary OS 6 Odin

Today, the elementary OS team released version 6 codenamed “Odin” of its operating system, which comes with Kernel version 5.11. Without doubts, elementary OS 6 is one of the most anticipated Linux distributions of 2021. It brings several remarkable improvements to the user experience and the core system.

elementary OS 6 Dark Theme

Elementary OS 6 introduces a dark theme. Users can choose the dark theme either from the Welcome Screen or from the System Settings.

elementary OS 6 Dark Theme

It also offers 10 different accent colors, which will decide the major color component in the official theme. In addition to, you can choose an automatic accent from the wallpaper.

Light and Dark UI Theme

Flatpak Apps

In elementary OS 6 all AppCenter apps are now packaged and distributed as Flatpak. For those who are unfamiliar with Flatpak, it is a modern container format that keeps apps isolated away from each other and your sensitive data.

AppCenter

Also you can control the permissions granted for each app from the application view in the System Settings. These protections are in place for apps installed from AppCenter, but also apply to all apps installed via the built-in side load utility.

elemntary OS 6 Application Permissions

New Multi-touch Support in elementary OS 6

One of the most interesting new features in elemntary OS 6 for touchscreen and touchpad users is the new multi-touch support throughout.

A three-finger swipe up smoothly opens the multitasking view, exposing open apps and workspaces. A three-finger swipe left or right smoothly switches between dynamic workspaces making it even faster to jump between tasks.

In addition to the desktop multi-touch gestures many of the elementary OS native apps also support multi-touch actions.

Redesigned Notification System

Elementary OS 6 brings a redesign and under the hood rewrite with richer more capable notifications than ever. Notification bubbles now feature badge capability enabling apps to send richer information like a visual status indicators.

Notifications System

Apps can also now send actions along with notifications, which are displayed as buttons right within the notification bubble. It’s easier than ever to not only be informed by apps but to take quick actions without ever needing to open the app.

New Tasks App

The brand new Tasks app debuts in elementary OS 6 helping you tackle your To-Do list whether it’s stored on your device or synchronized with an online account.

elementary OS 6 Tasks App

Built-in Firmware Updater

The new release comes with built-in firmware updater powered by the Linux vendor firmware service. It supports devices by hardware manufacturers like Star Labs, Dell, Lenovo, HP, Intel, Logitech, Wacom, 8bitdo and more.

Online Accounts

This new release comes with support for adding Online Accounts from System Settings. Elementary OS 6 now support adding both mail and calendar accounts that support the IMAP and CalDav standards.

Online Accounts

Once added, data from these accounts will show up across the system in apps like Mail, Calendar, and Tasks as well as in the Date & Time panel indicator.

Keep in mind some account providers require you to explicitly enable IMAP and CalDav support in your account, and some may require you to use an app password. Refer to your online account providerโ€™s documentation for the exact details.

Other Improvements

Elementary OS 6 also brings refinements and improvements to most of the built-in applications including Web, Files, Music, Calendar, Videos, Camera, Code, Mail, Photos, and Terminal.

For detailed information about all changes, you can refer to the official announcement.

Download elementary OS 6

You can download elementary OS 6 from the elementary project website through a “pay-what-you-want”. If you donโ€™t want to pay anything you need to manually enter “0” in the custom amount box in order for a download link to appear.

Of course, we encourage you to make a small donation to this amazing Linux distribution, if it’s within your means.

Conclusion

Until now users were waiting for this release like anything. Overall, elementary OS 6 is a gorgeous distro replete with a lot of visual appeal.

Thank you to the many developers, both working at elementary OS in a full time capacity and who volunteer. This team has created a wonderful thing. Keep up the great work!

Have you used elementary OS before? Which other reasons would you add to this list? Feel free to share your experience with us in the comments section below.

Bobby Borisov

Bobby Borisov

Bobby, an editor-in-chief at Linuxiac, is a Linux professional with over 20 years of experience. With a strong focus on Linux and open-source software, he has worked as a Senior Linux System Administrator, Software Developer, and DevOps Engineer for small and large multinational companies.

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