Manjaro Linux 26.1 Bian-May Preview 2 released

Manjaro Linux 170 Published 2026-05-22 07:18 by Philipp Esselbach

News

Manjaro Linux 26.1 Preview 2 updates its core desktop environments to GNOME 50, Plasma 6.6, and Xfce 4.20 while shifting the default kernel to version 7.0. The release finally fixes fractional screen scaling on high-density monitors and introduces hardware-accelerated remote desktop streaming that drastically cuts CPU usage during screen sharing. KDE users benefit from automatic day-night theming, new accessibility filters, text extraction in Spectacle, and a cleaner installer that separates disk partitioning from account creation. Xfce rounds out the preview with pixel-based panel resizing, custom file highlighting, and floating panels, though testers should expect minor package conflicts typical of early builds.

Manjaro Linux 26.1 Preview 2 Fixes Screen Scaling and Remote Desktop Lag for Daily Drivers

The second Bian-May preview for Manjaro Linux 26.1 finally addresses the display scaling and remote streaming headaches that have frustrated users on high density monitors. This build pushes GNOME fifty, Plasma sixty point six, and Xfce forty point two alongside a default kernel jump to version seventy. Readers will get straight details on how these desktop environments handle fractional scaling, accessibility filters, and installer workflow changes without the usual preview bloat.

GNOME 50 Brings Fractional Scaling and Hardware Accelerated Remote Desktop

The GNOME edition ships with the polished fifty series, which means fractional scaling actually behaves itself on modern displays. Users can select exact percentages like one hundred twenty five percent without fighting the compositor for hours. Parental controls received a serious overhaul that lets guardians set bedtime limits and auto lock screens when time runs out. The remote desktop feature finally leverages Vulkan and VA API hardware acceleration, which matters because streaming to another machine no longer drains the CPU or stutters on every frame. NVIDIA users will appreciate the explicit sync integration that stops those weird tearing issues from ruining video calls. IT crews frequently report screen tearing after a rushed GPU driver roll out, but the updated compositor handles those transitions without dropping frames.

Plasma 6.6 Adds Custom Themes and Accessibility Filters Without Breaking Settings

KDE fans get Plasma sixty point six with Frameworks sixty two point twenty five and Gear twenty six point zero four. The desktop now lets users save their current layout as a global theme that switches automatically between day and night modes. Accessibility got a practical boost with a new grayscale filter for colorblindness, bringing the total correction options to four. Spectacle can extract text from scanned images now, which saves time when writing alt text or grabbing quick data from screenshots. The installer also splits disk partitioning away from account setup, so users who want full control over their drive layout do not have to guess through a single massive wizard. Legacy configuration utilities that used to clutter the settings menu are completely pointless now since modern panels handle everything in one place anyway.

Xfce 4.20 and Kernel 7.0 Round Out the Manjaro Linux 26.1 Preview

The lightweight edition ships Xfce forty point two with Thunar file manager updates that actually matter. Users can now highlight specific files with custom background colors to spot them in crowded folders, and recursive search finally works without opening a terminal window. Panel configuration switched from percentages to pixel values, which stops the taskbar from jumping around when monitors change resolution. A new option keeps the panel floating above maximized windows instead of forcing apps to shrink behind it. The default kernel jumped to version seventy for fresh hardware support, while sixty one point eight and sixty one two LTS builds remain available for older machines that refuse to die.