Ubuntu 23.10 'Mantic Minotaur' released with Linux Kernel 6.5, GNOME 45 and more

Canonical has unveiled Ubuntu 23.10, also known as “Mantic Minotaur”. This latest release is built on the Linux 6.5 kernel series and GNOME 45.

The new Ubuntu Desktop 23.10 introduces preview support for hardware-backed full-disk encryption. The encryption keys are stored in the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and are automatically recovered by boot software that has been authenticated. More comprehensive hardware support for this feature, along with additional encryption configuration and management options, will be introduced in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS next year.

Updates have also been made to the Ubuntu Desktop Installer. It now includes an experimental ZFS on Root installation option and has Minimal Installation as the default option. The newly designed Ubuntu Desktop App Center is another addition. This hub, which supports both snap and deb package formats, is designed to be fast, intuitive, and user-friendly. In partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Ubuntu 23.10 Desktop and Server will support the new Raspberry Pi 5.

The official Ubuntu flavors have also been updated with new desktop environments. These include KDE Plasma 5.27 LTS for Kubuntu and Ubuntu Studio, LXQt 1.3.0 for Lubuntu, Cinnamon 5.8 for Ubuntu Cinnamon, and Budgie 10.8 for Ubuntu Budgie.

🛑 Update: Shortly after the release, Canonical has identified hate speech from a malicious contributor in a specific set of translations of the Ubuntu Desktop installer UI, and has taken immediate action. As a result, the affected ISO images (Ubuntu Desktop 23.10, Ubuntu Budgie 23.10 and the Ubuntu Desktop daily images) have been removed, but should be available again soon. More information here.