The wait is overโmore than six months after its previous 17.1 release, Zorin OS 17.2 has officially launched, packed with enhancements that promise to make your desktop experience smoother, faster, and more secure.
This latest release brings a host of new features and under-the-hood improvements designed to offer a more personal and comfortable computing experience. So, let’s take a look at them.
What’s New in Zorin OS 17.2
One of the standout features of Zorin OS 17.2 is the upgraded Zorin Appearance app, which now offers even more ways to personalize your desktop.
- Additional Theming Options: You can now change your cursor theme by popular demand. Simply open the “Themes” section in Zorin Appearance, click on the “Other” tab, and select your preferred cursor style from the “Cursor” drop-down menu.
- Third-Party Theme Installation Guide: The devs made it easier for users to install additional themes by adding a link to the new Third-Party Theme Installation Guide within Zorin Appearance. Thanks to an exclusive patch in Zorin OS 17, this guide also provides instructions for applying custom styling to native libadwaita apps.
Moreover, managing how your app windows behave is now more intuitive. The new “Windows” section in Zorin Appearance offers a neatly organized interface for adjusting window placement, title bar actions, and focus settings between open windows.
For those who prefer a more traditional look, the “Interface” section now includes an option to disable Overlay Scrollbars. This allows scrollbars to remain visible at full width instead of appearing dynamically while scrolling.
On the client software side, Zorin OS 17.2 comes pre-installed with LibreOffice 24.8, the newest version of the award-winning office suite. This update brings:
- Improved Compatibility: Even better compatibility with Microsoft Office and 365 documents.
- Enhanced Features: A more powerful “Quick Find” sidebar, a new presentation Notes pane, and additional spreadsheet functions like XLOOKUP, XMATCH, and more.
Furthermore, many other pre-installed apps have been updated to their latest versions, ensuring a feature-rich experience right out of the box. Plus, with built-in support for Flatpak, AppImage, and Snap packages, you can easily access the latest versions of your favorite apps for years to come.
Under the hood, although Zorin OS 17.2 is based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, it is powered by the same Linux kernel version, 6.8, as the 24.04 LTS “Noble Numbat” release, bringing:
- Updated Drivers: Improved support for a wider range of hardware, including Intel Core Ultra processors, AMD Zen 5 CPUs, NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards, Logitech peripherals, and various gamepads like the Nintendo Switch Online and Google Stadia controllers.
- Enhanced Security: The latest security patches are pre-installed, providing peace of mind knowing you’re using the most secure version of Zorin OS yet.
- Long-Term Support: The Zorin OS 17 series will receive software updates and security patches until June 2027.
Lastly, the answer is quite simple if you’re wondering how to upgrade to the latest version. For Zorin OS 17 users, upgrading to 17.2 is straightforward: install the latest updates via the Software Updater. Those on Zorin 16 can follow our in-place upgrade guide, preserving their files and data.
For fresh installs, grab the installation ISO image from the project website download section. The release announcement provides detailed information about all changes.
