Gnome 49, the latest iteration of the popular desktop environment, brings a visual refresh to core applications and officially sunsets X11 session support, transitioning users to Wayland by default. The update introduces redesigned interfaces for apps like Files (Nautilus) and settings, alongside usability enhancements across the board.
The move to Wayland aims to improve performance, security, and modern hardware support. While X11 has been a mainstay of Linux desktops for decades, it’s increasingly showing its age. Gnome 49’s default to Wayland impacts all users upgrading to the new version, though options for reverting to X11 may exist depending on the distribution. Smaller changes include media controls added to the lock screen and a more accessible operating aids menu. Users can also now initiate system shutdown or restart directly from the lock screen after enabling the feature via the command gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.screensaver restart-enabled true. Those eager to preview Gnome 49 can explore Gnome OS, though it’s not generally recommended for production environments.
