Ubuntu Unity 26.10 release notes

Key points

Ubuntu Unity 26.10 "Stonking Stingray" is out. It is the team's second release while Rudra and Maik are absent, and it focuses on maintenance, packaging updates, adapting to the general changes in Ubuntu 26.10 and preparing for Lomiri by default on the installation media.

Unity 7.7

• The release keeps Unity 7.7, which has had maintenance work. The main goal was fixing issues and bugs to keep Unity 7 going while a successor is developed.
• That includes long-standing bugs and replacing unmaintained packages with supported alternatives.

Notable changes

• Lomiri Calculator, Lomiri Files and Lomiri Terminal are included by default.
• A policy violation in the nux library is fixed.
• The packaging of unity-settings-daemon is updated.
• New wallpapers.
• The team has started forming organisational structures that match other flavours, to make cooperation with other Ubuntu teams easier.

Planned for the next release (April 2027)

• A switch to Ayatana indicators, which Lomiri also uses.
• Notifications that have buttons will no longer open separate windows.
• Package conflicts between Unity and Lomiri resolved, so Lomiri can be installed alongside Unity.
• Global menu in GTK3/Libadwaita apps with hamburger menus, so more apps work with the command menu.
• Fewer problems with file search in the dash.
• No more double confirmation dialog when logging out or shutting down.

Known issues (mostly the same as in 26.04)

• After login the cursor sometimes does not appear, though it still highlights things as it moves. Restart LightDM from a virtual console (Ctrl+Alt+F1, then log in) or from a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T).
• The shutdown/logout menu stops working after cancelling. Shut down from a virtual console instead.
• The cursor sometimes moves but does not click anything. This is a Compiz issue; restarting Compiz fixes it, but windows from all workspaces may move to the first workspace.
• During an OEM installation the wallpaper can cover the Calamares installer window; Alt+Tab brings the installer back.
• light-locker seems to crash on login, with no apparent side effects.
• Two confirmation dialogs appear when shutting down; they can be turned off with the gsettings key below.
• The Lomiri terminal app sometimes crashes when closing.

sudo systemctl restart lightdm
sudo poweroff
killall -1 compiz
gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.session suppress-logout-restart-shutdown true

Summary by DistroNews, based on the original post.