The OpenWrt project has announced the release of OpenWrt 25.12, a free and open-source Linux-based operating system primarily used for embedded devices, most notably residential gateways and routers, as the first stable version in the new 25.12 series.
The main highlight is the switch from the opkg package manager to APK (Alpine Package Keeper). Since the OpenWrt opkg fork is no longer maintained, the project has adopted APK as the default package manager. While most package names remain the same, command-line syntax has changed. The project provides an official opkg-to-apk cheat sheet to assist users with the transition.
Regarding the upgrade process, the Attended Sysupgrade system is now integrated by default in the LuCI web interface, and the owut command-line utility is included for devices with larger flash storage. These tools automatically rebuild firmware images with all installed packages, enabling users to upgrade while preserving configurations and software.
Wi-Fi management scripts have been rewritten in ucode, replacing previous shell scripts. Developers report that ucode delivers faster execution, greater reliability, and better integration with OpenWrt subsystems such as ubus and UCI.
This release also introduces persistent shell command history stored in a RAM-backed filesystem, allowing users to retain command history between sessions without unnecessary flash writes. Users can enable persistent storage manually, but the project cautions that this may increase flash wear over time.
Another novelty in OpenWrt 25.12 is that it now includes the video feed by default, providing access to Qt5-based user interface applications directly from the package repositories.
Hardware support has been expanded, with the Realtek target now supporting additional switch SoCs, including 10-gigabit models. The qualcommax target adds support for the ipq50xx and ipq60xx series. New targets include Siflower SF21A6826/SF21H8898 SoCs, Microchip LAN969x switches, and Allwinner F1C100/F1C200s platforms via the new sunxi arm926ejs subtarget.
Core components have also been updated. The release includes Linux kernel 6.12, GCC 14.3, glibc 2.41, musl 1.2.5, and binutils 2.44. Networking and system packages have been refreshed, too, including dnsmasq 2.91, Dropbear 2025.89, and BusyBox 1.37. Wireless components use cfg80211 and mac80211 from kernel 6.18, and hostapd is based on a master snapshot from August 2025.
Keep in mind that with this release, the OpenWrt project has also announced that OpenWrt 24.10 will reach end-of-life in September 2026. After that date, it will no longer receive security updates. Users are encouraged to upgrade to the 25.12 series before support ends.
OpenWrt 25.12 firmware images are available through the project’s Firmware Selector or directly from the OpenWrt download servers. Upgrading from OpenWrt 24.10 is supported in most cases using the sysupgrade utility. The project recommends creating a configuration backup before upgrading.
For detailed information about all changes, refer to the release announcement.
