A new version of Linux Mint 20.3 Codenamed “Una” is now available for download. Which comes with a long list of improvements, as well as extended support until 2025. As per the official blog, the latest release, which is based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, comes in three options: MATE, Xfce, and Cinnamon which all have a Windows-like interface and GTK-based applications. And Downloads for all three supported desktop environments are available on the official Linux Mint website.
For those who don’t know, Linux Mint is a popular Ubuntu-based Linux distribution that aims to make the transition from a closed world of Windows to the open pasture of Linux much easier. And Mint 20.3 further polishes a nearly-perfect desktop experience and adds some new features as well.
Linux Mint 20.3 Una
Linux Mint 20.3 comes with Linux firmware 1.187.8 and the Linux kernel 5.4. As usual, three desktop environments are available Cinnamon (5.2), MATE (1.26), and Xfce (4.16). If you have a new computer with the latest hardware configuration opt for the excellent Cinnamon. MATE and Xfce are solid choices too, although they are more appropriate for computers with meager hardware.
Talking about the feature Linux Mint 20.3 ‘Una’ has Most of the changes are about refining the features added in the 19.0 and 19.1 releases. Well, the biggest addition is the new “Mint-Y” theme, which has brighter shades of gray, larger title bars/window controls, and rounded window corners.
Note: If you don’t like the new look, the old theme is still accessible by installing the ‘mint-themes-legacy’ package. The fastest way to get it is to type this command into the terminal:
sudo apt install mint-themes-legacy
Linux Mint 20.3 “Una” Cinnamon edition features the latest Cinnamon 5.2 desktop environment, which brings lots of enhancements and new features. And the Xfce and MATE editions ship with the latest Xfce 4.16 and MATE 1.26 desktop environments.
The Sticky Notes application now has a search function, and you may also notice a changed look as the title is now embedded within the note
With this release, Some applications also now use a dark theme by default, like Celluloid and the image viewer. The Cinnamon desktop has a few tweaks such as multiple account/source support in the calendar applet, new styling for the ‘Run’ dialog, and improvements to the Nemo file manager.
There’s also a new app called Thingy (Library), which is a XApp provides quick access to recent documents with saved reading progress, sort of like an e-reader application.
It collects your PDFs and other documents in one place and tracks your progress in reading them.
The Hypnotix IPTV player now looks better than ever, and there is a new search function added to find TV channels, movies and series easily.
Speaking about Speed and performance Linux Mint 20.3 boots quickly within 30 seconds, at least faster than Ubuntu 20.04.
The default file manager of the Cinnamon desktop environment “Nemo” is tweaked to deliver faster, more responsive navigation.
Improved Ability to turn Bluetooth on or off from the Bluetooth tray menu, as well as various performance improvements to help you save more battery life and reduce resource usage.
There are numerous other improvements have also been brought to different XApps, including Flatpak and printing support etc. You can read detailed information Cinnamon, Xfce, and MATE editions on Linux Mint blog.
How to upgrade to Linux Mint 20.3
If you are already running Linux Mint 19 (or 19.1) you can follow steps below to upgrade to version 20.3
- Before get started make a system snapshot so that If anything goes wrong, you can easily restore your operating system to its previous state.
- Well you can use Timeshift to make a system snapshot
- It’s simple and easy just Launch Timeshift from the application menu, follow the instructions on the screen to configure it and create a system snapshot.
Upgrade Linux mint 20.3
- In the Update Manager, click on the Refresh button to check for any new version of mint update and mint-upgrade-info.
- If there are updates for these packages, apply them.
- Launch the System Upgrade by clicking on “Edit->Upgrade to Linux Mint 20.3 Una”.
- And Follow the On-screen instructions to upgrade to Latest Linux mint 20.3
- Once the upgrade is finished, reboot your computer.
Note:
- If the upgrade is not available to you, check that you have the latest versions of mint update and mint-upgrade-info installed and restart the Update Manager.
- Also If the latest versions are not yet available in your mirrors, switch to the default repositories.
Here is a useful video Upgrading to Linux Mint 20.3 “Una”
Download Linux Mint 20.3
You can visit the Mint download page to grab the latest torrent file or ISO media for a fresh installation. Or you can click the link below to get the desired iso file.
| EDITION | ||
| Cinnamon | 64-bit | An edition featuring the Cinnamon desktop |
| MATE | 64-bit | An edition featuring the MATE desktop |
| Xfce | 64-bit | An edition featuring the Xfce desktop |
Note: The Mint team no longer provides 32-bit ISOs.
If you are using windows 10 and looking for an alternative operating system, Linux Mint is a great starting point. Make no mistake, however, even though it is a good option for beginners, many experts use it too.
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Source : Linux Mint Blog