AerynOS 2026.05 ships Linux 7.0, dual kernels, new desktop updates
AerynOS 2026.05 arrives as the latest ISO snapshot of the independent Linux distribution formerly known as Serpent OS, moving the system to the Linux 7.0 kernel series for improved performance and hardware support. The release also adds two kernel options: linux-stable, which closely follows upstream stable releases, and linux-gaming, which includes patches for handheld gaming devices and other performance optimizations.
GNOME remains the default desktop environment and has been updated to version 50.1, while the KDE Plasma edition now ships with Plasma 6.6.4, KDE Frameworks 6.25, and KDE Gear 26.04. Several system components have also been updated, including COSMIC 1.0.11, Mesa 26.0.6, PipeWire 1.6.4, and QEMU 11.0.
Package management also sees improvements through the moss search tool, which now supports provider syntax, smarter result grouping, clearer output highlighting, and faster state removals. AerynOS 2026.05 also introduces a new logo and wallpapers, along with updates to Firefox 150.0.1, Thunderbird 150.0, Wine 11.7, and several developer tools. Despite the updates, AerynOS remains alpha software and is not recommended for production environments.
