Linux Mint 22.3 'Zena' launches with Cinnamon 6.6, overhauled menu, and smarter scaling

Linux Mint 22.3 "Zena" is now available, based on [Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS] and shipping with the Cinnamon 6.6 desktop. Cinnamon 6.6 updates the Mint Menu with a customizable full height sidebar for user avatars, bookmarks, and favorites, while keeping the three column layout. The search bar moves to the bottom, category icons switch to smaller symbolic versions, session action buttons are included, and default shortcuts are adjusted to avoid duplicating apps already pinned to the panel.

Cinnamon also adds more menu configuration options, including changing the search bar position, icon styling, and whether app descriptions or file search are shown. Fractional scaling now lets you choose scale up or scale down, which is most useful on multi monitor setups that mix HiDPI and standard displays, with scale down prioritizing sharpness and scale up prioritizing performance.

Nemo, the file manager, gets search improvements, regex support for filename searches, and pause and resume for file operations, while the release also adds symbolic XApp icons, a Thunderbolt configuration module, Night Light updates, a new System Information tool with deeper hardware details, and a System Administration tool for easier GRUB settings. Linux Mint 22.3 is available as of January 13, 2026, and the Mint 22 series is supported through 2029.