Elementary OS 7 is Now Available

Elementary today announced the immediate availability of Elementary OS 7, the next major release of its user-friendly Linux distribution.

“Today we’re proud to announce that OS 7, codenamed Horus, is available to download now and shipping soon on several high-quality computers,” Elementary CEO Danielle Foré writes in the announcement post. “With OS 7, we’ve focused on helping you get the apps you need, empowering you with new features and settings, and evolving our developer platform.”

Some of the key new features and changes include:

AppCenter improvements. AppCenter is the Elementary app store and it’s been improved with offline app and system updates, screenshot carousels, and better performance. It also supports sideloading through alternative sources like Flathub.

Web apps improvements. Elementary OS 7 includes GNOME Web 43, which supports creating web apps that can show up in the applications menu, background processes, app-specific settings (including privacy), and more.

Setup improvements. The Elementary OS installer offers various improvements, including “Before you install” warnings, improved hardware support, and Internet connection assistance. You can also configure automatic updates, Dark mode settings, and other features during initial setup.

Mail improvements. The Mail app sports a flat new look with a unified inbox that supports Microsoft 365 accounts.

Multimedia improvements. The Music app has been rewritten from scratch with a more focused design, improved support for metadata, and support for system-wide media controls.  And the Videos app now appears in the sound indicator alongside other media players.

Settings improvements. The Settings app has improved accessibility, power management, security, and localization features, among other changes.

Developer experience. Elementary OS 7 includes Gtk 4, with its focus on responsive app design. Several built-in apps and desktop components were ported to Gtk 4, including Calculator, Music, Onboarding, Sideload, and Shortcuts, and several more will be ported soon. Elementary’s app framework, called Granite, has been updated to support Gtk 4, too, and the Code editor features improved Dark mode support, UI improvements, and other changes.

Elementary OS 7 has been in development for one year. And it follows the August 2021 release of Elementary OS 6, the December 2021 release of Elementary OS 6.1, and the April 2022 exit of co-founder Cassidy James Blaede, which led to worries about the future of the company and its Linux distribution.

You can download Elementary OS 7 from the Elementary website.