The Arch-based Manjaro Linux has delighted its vast user base with a massive update, effectively transitioning from the current 24.0 โWynsdeyโ release to the new 24.1 โXaheaโ version. Here’s what’s new!
Manjaro 24.1 Highlights
System-Wide Updates
One of the most notable changes in “Xahea” is updating the system’s core components. Manjaro has transitioned to Kernel 6.10, offering improved performance and stability.
This update includes the latest firmware and toolchain enhancements, ensuring better hardware compatibility and overall performance. For users with older hardware, support is maintained through Kernels 6.6 LTS and 6.1 LTS.
In addition to the kernel updates, various essential software packages have been upgraded. The latest ZFS 2.2.6, Gamescope 3.15, QEMU 9.1, Systemd 256.6, and Mesa 24.2 are now included. Popular applications like LibreOffice and Firefox have also been updated to their newest releases, respectively 24.8.1 and 131.
Furthermore, updates to VirtualBox 7.1, MauiKit 4.0, Phosh 0.41, and other critical tools ensure that Manjaro remains a cutting-edge platform for both productivity and entertainment.
The development team has also updated Boost and Perl. Users are encouraged to report any packages that may have missed a rebuild to help maintain system integrity. Now, to the desktop updates, where Manjaro 24.1 “Xahea” brings substantial improvements to its GNOME, Plasma, and XFCE editions.
Refreshed Desktop Environments
The Plasma edition now features the latest Plasma 6.1.5 and KDE Gear 24.08 apps collection, introducing exciting improvements to the desktop. One of the most practical additions is the ability to initiate a remote desktop session directly from the System Settings app.
Customization enthusiasts will appreciate the overhauled Edit Mode. When activated, the desktop now smoothly zooms out, providing a better overview and making it easier to make changes.
Plasma 6.1 on Wayland has also made strides with session restoration. The system now remembers what you were doing in your last session, reopening windows that were open before logging off or shutting down.
Although this feature is still a work in progress, it significantly improves productivity by allowing users to return to their tasks quickly. While Manjaro defaults to X11, switching to Wayland is straightforward by selecting the desired session in the display manager.
The GNOME edition has been upgraded to GNOME 46, incorporating numerous fixes and refinements since its initial release in March 2024. One of the standout features is the new global search capability in the Nautilus file manager.
Moreover, it enables simultaneous searching across multiple locations, including those outside the home directory, which can be configured in the refined search settings.
Another enhancement is the improved remote desktop experience. GNOME 46 introduces a dedicated remote login option, allowing users to remotely connect to a GNOME system that isn’t already in use.
The Settings app has also been reorganized for easier navigation. A new “System” section groups preferences for Region & Language, Date & Time, Users, Remote Desktop, Secure Shell, and About. The “Apps” settings have been consolidated to include Default Apps and Removable Media settings, streamlining the configuration process.
Users of the XFCE edition will find the update to XFCE 4.18 brings several welcome enhancements. The Thunar file manager now includes a file highlighting feature, allowing users to set custom background and text colors for files.
This is an effective way to draw attention to specific files in directories filled with similar-looking items. Additionally, Thunar now supports recursive search, making finding files within nested directories easier.
The panel has received new preferences for greater customization. Panel length is now configured in pixels, giving more precise control over size. There’s also a new option to keep the panel above windows, allowing maximized application windows to fill the area behind the panel rather than adjusting to sit flush against it.
The Control Centre has been enhanced to group all desktop modules for system management into a single, easy-to-use window.
New options include disabling header bars in dialogs from the Appearance module, showing or hiding a ‘Delete’ option in file context menus from the Desktop settings, and selecting a default multi-monitor behavior before attaching an additional screen.
You can refer to the release announcement for detailed information about all changes.
Being a rolling release distro, keeping Manjaro up-to-date is enough to always be at the latest version. So, to switch to Xahea, just execute the well-known pacman -Syu command.
For those who want to perform a fresh install, the Manjaro 24.1 installation ISO images are available from the download section on the projectโs website.
