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What’s new in Ubuntu MATE 22.04?
The release combines updates to the MATE desktop, theming, included apps, and system integration. The Ubuntu MATE 22.04 release announcement reports that more than 500 bugs were addressed; that is the project’s figure, not an independent audit.
MATE Desktop 1.26.1 and usability changes
Ubuntu MATE 22.04 includes MATE Desktop 1.26.1. The project says this update addresses bugs found after MATE 1.26.0 and highlights performance and memory-leak work in the 1.26 series. It also reports fixes to Plank and Brisk Menu, plus improvements to the screen reader used during installation for visually impaired users.
MATE Tweak’s layout switching and restoration were improved. The Netbook layout is no longer installed by default because the mate-netbook package was removed; the release notes point instead to other panel layouts for making efficient use of screen resolution. Support for Compton was dropped and picom support added. MATE Tweak offers Xrender, GLX, and Hybrid compositor choices, though results depend on hardware and compatibility.
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MATE HUD gained support for the newer rofi theme engine and two MATE-specific themes that adapt to the selected GTK theme. Changes to Marco/Metacity theme and shadow rendering were intended to keep window appearance consistent across window types and compositors.
Yaru themes and appearance settings
The release expands Yaru integration for MATE, including theme variants such as the project’s “chelsea cucumber” version. Legacy Ambiant/Radiant and stock MATE themes are no longer installed by default. The project says an automatic settings migration moves upgrading users to an appropriate Yaru MATE theme.
Yaru changes include dark and light panel options and panel icons. Updates to the Appearance Control Center allow theme settings to affect Plank and Pluma, as well as GNOME 42 app color preferences.
New default applications and installation choices
GNOME Clocks, Maps, and Weather joined the default application set. The Software Boutique was updated for 22.04, and Ubuntu MATE Welcome’s browser ballot added Firefox ESR in .deb format. A minimal-install option is available for users who want what the release notes describe as the essential Ubuntu MATE Desktop and Firefox browser.
The release announcement lists support for PPA, Snap, AppImage, and Flatpak by default, including the preinstalled packages flatpak, snapd, xdg-desktop-portal-gtk, and libfuse2. Flathub is not enabled by default, so users who want it must add the remote themselves. The project also notes snap desktop integration and theme support.
Indicators, Bluetooth, and power management
The project lists Ayatana Indicators 22.2.0 and says the Messages Indicator was restored to the default installation, alongside improved backward compatibility and fewer duplicated libraries. Blueman 2.2.4 is included for Bluetooth-device management alongside BlueZ 5.64. Power-management components gained support for battery-powered gaming controllers and joysticks.
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Active Directory enrollment during installation was already supported by Ubuntu MATE from version 20.10; it was not introduced in 22.04. The project’s 2022 announcement also listed MATE Desktop 1.26.1, Linux 5.15, Firefox 99.0, Celluloid 0.20, Evolution 3.44, and LibreOffice 7.3.2.1. These are original-release versions, not a statement of current application versions.
How big is the Ubuntu MATE 22.04 ISO?
The Ubuntu MATE project reported that its installation image grew to 4.1 GB during development and was reduced to 2.7 GB, which it described as 41% smaller. These are project-reported figures from the release announcement, not independent measurements of download sizes for every mirror or image format.
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The project attributed the reduction to removing proprietary NVIDIA drivers from the install-media local apt pool, moving fully to Yaru with icon deduplication and upstream theme integration, and removing three snaps from the default installation. It said NVIDIA users could select third-party software and drivers during installation to download and install a suitable driver.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to download and install Ubuntu MATE 22.04
Ubuntu’s 22.04 release page provides Ubuntu and flavor image links, including ISO and flashable images. Ubuntu MATE’s download page provides its own image and installation information. Use the page’s instructions for the image type and hardware you intend to install; the cited documentation does not specify a required USB drive capacity or speed.
Can you upgrade from Ubuntu MATE 20.04 to 22.04?
The release-era Ubuntu MATE instructions cover upgrades from 20.04 LTS and 21.10 after installing available updates. They require network access to an official or local mirror; the project says there is no offline upgrade option. Because these directions were published for the 2022 release, check current Ubuntu MATE documentation before relying on them for an upgrade today.
- Install available updates. Update the existing Ubuntu MATE installation before starting the release upgrade.
- Set release notifications for your starting version. For Ubuntu MATE 20.04 LTS, choose notifications for long-term-support releases. For 21.10, choose notifications for any new version.
- Start Update Manager. The release announcement gives
update-manager -c -das the command, then directs users to follow the prompts. It also describes a release-upgrader GTK fallback if needed. - Keep the computer connected. The upgrade process needs network access to an official or local mirror.
For the exact release-era steps and fallback, consult the Ubuntu MATE announcement.
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How long is Ubuntu MATE 22.04 supported?
Do not assume Ubuntu MATE receives the same five-year period as Ubuntu Desktop. The Ubuntu 22.04 community release notes say Ubuntu Desktop, Server, Cloud, and Core receive five years of maintenance updates through April 2027, while remaining flavors receive three years. They also note that additional security support is available with ESM. The wording distinguishes Ubuntu products from other flavors and does not specifically confirm a different Ubuntu MATE support period.
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