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elementary OS RSS Feed DistroWatch.com: elementary OS

elementary OS


Last Update: 2026-02-28 00:43 UTC


elementary-8.0.2 (more screenshots in our gallery)  
elementary OS is an Ubuntu-based desktop distribution. Some of its more interesting features include a custom desktop environment called Pantheon and many custom apps including Photos, Music, Videos, Calendar, Terminal, Files, and more. It also comes with some familiar apps like the Epiphany web browser and a fork of Geary mail.

Popularity (hits per day): 12 months: 21 (483), 6 months: 25 (371), 3 months: 29 (328), 4 weeks: 32 (323), 1 week: 45 (327)

Average visitor rating: 5.2/10 from 183 review(s).


elementary Summary
Distribution elementary OS
Home Page https://elementary.io/
Mailing Lists --
User Forums --
Alternative User Forums Mastodon • Discord •
Documentation https://elementary.io/docs/learning-the-basics
Screenshots DistroWatch Gallery
Screencasts
Download Mirrors https://elementary.io/ • DistroWatch Torrent Archive
Bug Tracker https://bugs.launchpad.net/elementary
Related Websites GitHub
Reviews 8.x: Diolinux (Portuguese) • FOSS Force • Linux Journal • DistroWatch • FOSS Force
7.x: MichlFranken (German) • DistroWatch • MichlFranken (German)
6.x: DistroWatch • Heise (German)
5.x: DistroWatch • CMS Critic • Linux Journal • DistroWatch • Heise (German)
0.4: Dedoimedo • DistroWatch • The Tao of Mac • Dedoimedo
0.3: DistroWatch • Linux.com
0.2: Pro-Linux (German) • derStandard (German) • BinaryTides • Wordpress • LWN • Linux Za Sve (Croatian) • WEB UP8 • LinuxBSDos • Wordpress
0.1: Dedoimedo • LWN • Blogspot • Tech Drive-in • MuyComputer (Spanish) • OMG! Ubuntu!
Where To Donate, Buy or Try https://store.elementary.io/ • The Linux Shop

Recent Related News and Releases
  Releases announcements with download links and checksums:
 • 2025-12-22: Distribution Release: elementary OS 8.1
 • 2025-03-19: Distribution Release: elementary OS 8.0.1
 • 2024-11-26: Distribution Release: elementary OS 8.0
 • 2023-10-03: Distribution Release: elementary OS 7.1
 • 2023-01-31: Distribution Release: elementary OS 7.0
 • 2021-12-20: Distribution Release: elementary OS 6.1
 • 2021-08-10: Distribution Release: elementary OS 6.0
 • 2021-06-16: Development Release: elementary OS 6.0 Beta 2
 • 2021-05-01: Development Release: elementary OS 6.0 Beta
 • 2020-05-02: Distribution Release: elementary OS 5.1.4
 • 2020-02-07: Distribution Release: elementary OS 5.1.2
 • 2019-12-03: Distribution Release: elementary OS 5.1
 • More elementary releases...

  Headlines:
 • 2025-02-26 elementary seeks new ideas
 • 2024-02-07 elementary OS 8 to split system and application updates
 • 2023-11-07 elementary OS outlines plans for version 8
 • 2023-07-07 elementary OS introduces new warnings in software centre to protect privacy
 • 2023-04-06 elementary OS improves sideloading experience
 • 2023-03-06 elementary OS offers new file manager and network widget improvements
 • 2022-12-02 elementary OS team fixes delta updates
 • 2022-11-04 elementary provides Flatpak, GNOME updates
 • 2022-10-06 elementary OS fixes Gala regressions, introduces software centre features
 • 2022-09-07 elementary OS explores responsive designs
 • More elementary headlines...

Table Notes and Explanations

(Please refer to the table below.)
  • Select view:
  • To compare the software in this project to the software available in other distributions, please see our Compare Packages page.
  • Notes: In case where multiple versions of a package are shipped with a distribution, only the default version appears in the table. For indication about the GNOME version, please check the "nautilus" and "gnome-shell" packages. The Apache web server is listed as "httpd" and the Linux kernel is listed as "linux". The KDE desktop is represented by the "plasma-desktop" package and the Xfce desktop by the "xfdesktop" package.
  • Colour scheme: green text = latest stable version, red text = development or beta version. The function determining beta versions is not 100% reliable due to a wide variety of versioning schemes.
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Feature 8.1.1
circe
7.1
horus
6.1
jolnir
6.0
odin
5.1.7
hera
5.0
juno
0.4.1
loki
0.3.2
freya
0.2
luna
0.1
jupiter
Feature
Release Date 2026-02-27 2023-10-03 2021-12-20 2021-08-10 2020-08-14 2018-10-16 2017-05-17 2015-12-09 2013-08-11 2011-04-01 Release Date
End Of Life                     End Of Life
Price (US$) Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Price (US$)
Image Size (MB) 3100-3200 2600-2700 2200-2300 2200-2300 1400-1500 1400-1500 1000-1100       Image Size (MB)
Free Download ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO Free Download
Installation elementary Installer elementary Installer elementary Installer elementary Installer Ubiquity Ubiquity Ubiquity Ubiquity Ubiquity Ubiquity Installation
Default Desktop Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon Pantheon GNOME Default Desktop
Default Browser Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Epiphany Default Browser
Package Format deb, flatpak deb, flatpak deb, flatpak deb, flatpak deb, flatpak deb deb deb deb deb Package Format
Package Management apt apt apt apt apt apt apt apt apt apt Package Management
Release Model Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Fixed Release Model
Office Suite -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- GOffice Office Suite
Processor Architecture x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 i386, x86_64 i386, x86_64 i386 Processor Architecture
Init Software systemd systemd systemd systemd systemd systemd systemd Upstart Upstart Upstart Init Software
Journaled File Systems Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Btrfs, ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS ext4, JFS, ReiserFS, XFS Journaled File Systems
Multilingual Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes         Multilingual
Full Package List 8.1.1 7.1 6.1 6.0 5.1.7 5.0 0.4.1 0.3.2 0.2 0.1 Full Package List
Package 8.1.1
circe
7.1
horus
6.1
jolnir
6.0
odin
5.1.7
hera
5.0
juno
0.4.1
loki
0.3.2
freya
0.2
luna
0.1
jupiter
Package
alsa-lib (1.2.16.1) 1.2.11 1.2.6 1.2.2 1.2.2 1.1.3 1.1.3 1.1.0 1.0.27.2 1.0.25 1.0.23 alsa-lib (1.2.16.1)
amdgpu (25.0.0) 23.0.0 22.0.0 19.1.0 19.1.0 19.1.0 18.0.1 -- -- -- 8.780 amdgpu (25.0.0)
apparmor (5.0.2) 4.0.1 3.0.4 2.13.3 2.13.3 2.12 2.12 2.10.95 2.8.95 2.7.102 -- apparmor (5.0.2)
apt (3.3.3) 2.8.3 2.4.10 2.0.6 2.0.6 1.6.12 1.6.3 1.2.20 1.0.1 0.8.16 0.8.3 apt (3.3.3)
bash (5.3) 5.2.21 5.1 5.0 5.0 4.4.18 4.4.18 4.3 4.3 4.2 4.1 bash (5.3)
bind (9.20.29) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- bind (9.20.29)
chromium (154.0.8037.57) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- chromium (154.0.8037.57)
cinnamon (6.6.9) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- cinnamon (6.6.9)
cups (2.4.19) 2.4.7 2.4.1 2.3.1 2.3.1 2.2.7 2.2.7 2.1.3 1.7.2 1.5.3 1.4.4 cups (2.4.19)
e2fsprogs (1.47.4) 1.47.0 1.46.5 1.45.5 1.45.5 1.44.1 1.44.1 1.42.13 1.42.9 1.42 1.41.12 e2fsprogs (1.47.4)
ffmpeg (9.0.2) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ffmpeg (9.0.2)
firefox (157.0) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 42.0 -- -- firefox (157.0)
flatpak (1.18.4) 1.14.6 1.12.7 1.12.2 1.10.2 1.6.3 -- -- -- -- -- flatpak (1.18.4)
freetype (2.14.3) 2.13.2 2.11.1 2.10.1 2.10.1 2.8.1 2.8.1 2.6.1 2.5.2 2.4.8 2.4.2 freetype (2.14.3)
gcc (16.2.0) -- -- -- -- -- 7.3.0 5.3.1 4.8.2 4.6.3 4.4.4 gcc (16.2.0)
gimp (3.2.6) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- gimp (3.2.6)
git (2.55.0) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- git (2.55.0)
glibc (2.44) 2.39 2.35 2.31 2.31 2.27 2.27 2.23 2.19 2.15 2.12.1 glibc (2.44)
gnome-shell (51.0) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- gnome-shell (51.0)
grub (2.16) 2.12 2.06 2.04 2.04 2.02 2.02 2.02beta2 2.02beta2 1.99 1.98 grub (2.16)
gtk (4.24.0) 4.14.5 4.6.9 3.24.20 3.24.20 3.22.30 3.22.30 3.18.9 3.14.15 3.4.2 2.22.0 gtk (4.24.0)
httpd (2.4.68) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- httpd (2.4.68)
hyprland (0.56.2) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- hyprland (0.56.2)
inkscape (1.4.4) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- inkscape (1.4.4)
kmod (34.2) 31 29 27 27 24 24 22 15 -- -- kmod (34.2)
krita (6.0.4) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- krita (6.0.4)
Package 8.1.1
circe
7.1
horus
6.1
jolnir
6.0
odin
5.1.7
hera
5.0
juno
0.4.1
loki
0.3.2
freya
0.2
luna
0.1
jupiter
Package
LibreOffice (26.8.0) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- LibreOffice (26.8.0)
libselinux (3.11) 3.5 3.3 3.0 3.0 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.2.2 2.1.0 2.0.94 libselinux (3.11)
linux (7.2.8) 6.17 6.2 5.11 5.11 5.4 4.15 4.8 3.19 3.2 2.6.35 linux (7.2.8)
mariadb (13.0.2) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mariadb (13.0.2)
mate-desktop (1.28.2) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- mate-desktop (1.28.2)
mesa (26.2.3) 25.2.8 23.0.4 21.0.3 21.0.3 20.0.8 18.0.5 12.0.6 10.5.9 9.0.3 7.9git mesa (26.2.3)
nautilus (51.0.1) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2.32.2 nautilus (51.0.1)
NVIDIA (615.71.09) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 260.19.06 NVIDIA (615.71.09)
openjdk (27) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- openjdk (27)
openssh (10.5p1) 9.6p1 8.9p1 8.2p1 8.2p1 7.6p1 7.6p1 7.2p2 6.6p1 5.9p1 5.5p1 openssh (10.5p1)
openssl (4.0.2) 3.0.13 3.0.2 1.1.1f 1.1.1f 1.1.1 1.1.0g 1.0.2g 1.0.1f 1.0.1 0.9.8o openssl (4.0.2)
perl (5.44.0) 5.38.2 5.34.0 5.30.0 5.30.0 5.26.1 5.26.1 5.22.1 5.18.2 5.14.2 5.10.1 perl (5.44.0)
php (8.5.11) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- php (8.5.11)
plasma-desktop (6.7.5) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- plasma-desktop (6.7.5)
postfix (3.11.7) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- postfix (3.11.7)
postgresql (18.6) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- postgresql (18.6)
Python (3.14.7) 3.12.3 3.10.6 3.8.2 3.8.2 3.6.7 3.6.7 2.7.11 2.7.5 2.7.3 2.6.6 Python (3.14.7)
qt (6.11.2) 5.15.13 5.15.3 5.12.8 5.12.8 5.9.5 5.9.5 5.5.1 -- -- -- qt (6.11.2)
samba (4.25.0) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 4.1.6 3.6.3 3.5.4 samba (4.25.0)
systemd (262) 255.4 249.11 245.4 245.4 237 237 229 -- -- -- systemd (262)
thunderbird (156.0.1) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- thunderbird (156.0.1)
vim (9.2) 9.1 8.2 8.1 8.1 8.0 8.0 7.4 7.4 7.3 -- vim (9.2)
vlc (3.0.24) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- vlc (3.0.24)
wayland (1.26.0) 1.22.0 1.20.0 1.18.0 1.18.0 1.16.0 1.14.0 1.9.0 1.6.0 -- -- wayland (1.26.0)
xfdesktop (4.20.2) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- xfdesktop (4.20.2)
xorg-server (21.1.24) 21.1.12 21.1.4 1.20.13 1.20.11 1.20.8 1.19.6 1.18.4 1.15.1 1.11.4 1.9.0 xorg-server (21.1.24)

Reader Ratings
Reader supplied reviews for elementary OS

Average rating
5.2
from 183 review(s)



What are your thoughts on elementary OS?
Please include a few pros and a few cons, along with your overall impression of the operating system.
Our FAQ page has tips on writing a good mini-review.

Version:

Rating:    out of 10

Your review (minimum 250 words):




Past reviews - sort by:

Version: 7.1
Rating: 4
Date: 2026-09-07
Country: United States
Votes: 0


Good for beginners, but experienced users should look elsewhere.
​elementary OS 7 is a decent release, but it does not quite live up to the charm of the 2018 (OS 5 Hera) or 2020 builds. While I wanted to love the newer 7.x updates, the overall direction feels like a step back compared to earlier iterations.
​If you are a complete novice, elementary OS provides a clean, approachable entry point into Linux. However, if you have been on Linux distros for eight or nine years and need flexibility, depth, or variety, this will likely feel too restrictive.
Recommendations:
Debian (GNOME): Offers far superior stability and a solid, desktop-ready experience.
Linux Mint: The better option if you want ironclad daily stability, customization, and a smooth workflow.


Was this review helpful? Yes No
Version: 8.1.1
Rating: 3
Date: 2026-09-04
Country: United States
Votes: 0


I wanted to like Elementary OS, but some goofy design choices make it too awkward for me to use. For example, the lack of a minimize button is a weird choice. It lacks support for newer hardware. It has limited customization. Gestures and shortcuts are hidden, and the docs site is severely lacking. KDE apps look like sore thumbs on the screen. Upgrading from version 7 to 8 meant "reinstall the OS."

If you're looking for an easy-to-use, beginner-friendly Linux that is easy to upgrade, I'd recommend Omarchy over Elementary OS.


Was this review helpful? Yes No
Version: 8.1.1
Rating: 9
Date: 2026-08-29
Country: United States
Votes: 1


This is one of very few distros (Alpine and Gentoo are other notable ones) to comprehensively ban AI in its code on ethical and environmental grounds. This is also perhaps the premier distro for people needing assistive technologies. Version 8 in particular has been redesigned with the help of and focus on blind users. And (as has long been notied) elementaryOS is really beautiful.

Why the low ratings here on Distrowatch? I suspect that a number of tech bros find the emphasis on inclusivity a personal affront. (They are sad people.) On technical grounds, writing one's own desktop environment (Pantheon) is a monumental task. Getting programs and widgets designed to play better with Gnome or KDE (or whatever) to work well with Pantheon is not trivial and some tweaking may be needed. (Pop!_OS's COSMIC desktop also suffers from some of these growing pains.) But I have found all these issues readily fixable.

elementaryOS is free (just put $0 in the pay-what-you-want download dialog) but if you can spare a tenner (or more) it is appreciated, and helps support an ethical and accessible operating system for everyone.




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See all 183 reader reviews of elementary OS...



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