Unraid 7.2 has officially arrived, introducing one of the most significant updates to this commercial Linux-based, self-hosted NAS platform in recent years. The changes are many.
The redesigned WebGUI is now fully responsive, adapting seamlessly to any screen size and providing a smooth management experience across desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. Navigation is cleaner, visual hierarchy is improved, and performance is more consistent.
Among the most anticipated features is ZFS RAIDZ expansion, allowing users to grow their single-vdev RAIDZ1, RAIDZ2, or RAIDZ3 pools one drive at a time. Moreover, expanding storage is now a straightforward process: simply stop the array, add a slot, select a compatible drive, and then restart, effectively eliminating the need to rebuild arrays from scratch.
Filesystem compatibility has also broadened. In addition to XFS, Btrfs, and ZFS, Unraid now supports ext2, ext3, ext4, NTFS, and exFAT out of the box. Users can import data from external or legacy drives directly into the array, or format new ones in Ext4 or NTFS without additional configuration.
A built-in, open-source API is another major addition. Integrated directly into the OS, it gives developers and advanced users programmatic access to system data and management functions for building automations, dashboards, and third-party integrations. The API supports external authentication (OIDC) for secure access and underpins new features such as the Notifications panel.
Under the hood, Unraid 7.2 runs on Linux kernel 6.12 and includes updated packages such as Samba 4.23.2, OpenSSL, Mesa, and kernel-firmware.
Additionally, smaller refinements include mirrored defaults for two-device ZFS pools, exportable exclusive shares via NFS, and enhanced SMB configuration handling. VM management has been refined with improved Windows 11 defaults, clearer VDisk path warnings, and fixes for multilingual support.
Lastly, to ensure stability with the new responsive interface, certain older plugins—like Theme Engine, Dark Theme, Dynamix Date Time, and Flash Remount—will be automatically removed during the upgrade. Users are advised to update all remaining plugins, especially Unraid Connect and the Nvidia Driver, before proceeding.
For more information, see the announcement or refer to the release notes. Before upgrading, ensure you consult the official documentation.
