Arch Linux has kicked off 2026 with a powerful new ISO snapshot that brings significant improvements for both new installations and modern hardware support. The Arch Linux 2026.01.01 release is the first Arch Linux ISO snapshot powered by the latest and greatest Linux 6.18 LTS kernel series, marking an important milestone for this popular rolling-release distribution.
What Makes This Release Special?
As a Linux enthusiast with extensive experience covering distribution releases, I can confidently say that this January snapshot represents more than just a routine monthly update. The inclusion of Linux kernel 6.18 LTS brings long-term stability and cutting-edge hardware support that will benefit users for years to come.
Linux Kernel 6.18 LTS: The Foundation
Linux 6.18 has been officially marked as LTS (Long Term Support) with support until December 2027, providing at least two years of security updates and maintenance. This kernel version introduces several performance enhancements and hardware improvements that make it an excellent choice for the first ISO release of 2026.
Key improvements in Linux kernel 6.18 include:
Performance Enhancements: The kernel introduces performance boosts like 16x faster exFAT operations, which significantly benefits users working with external storage devices and cross-platform file sharing. The new “sheaves” feature improves memory allocation performance through a per-CPU cache mechanism that reduces system contention.
Enhanced Security: Security features include BPF program signing, which verifies the integrity of eBPF programs loaded into the kernel. This mechanism helps prevent malicious code injection, making the system more secure for containerized and cloud-native applications.
Broader Hardware Support: The kernel brings enhanced hardware support with updated and new drivers for many platforms across architectures, including improvements for GPUs, CPU power management, and storage controllers. This translates to better out-of-the-box compatibility with modern hardware, especially newer GPUs and ARM-based systems.
Virtualization Improvements: The kernel includes support for virtualizing control-flow enforcement technology (CET) on Intel systems, enhancing security and performance for virtual machine deployments.
Archinstall 3.0.15: A Better Installation Experience
The Arch Linux ISO snapshot for January 2026 also ships with the latest Archinstall 3.0.15 menu-based installer for a better installation experience. This version brings several welcome additions:
COSMIC Desktop Support: The COSMIC 1.0 desktop environment now has stable support in Archinstall, allowing users to easily install System76’s modern desktop environment without requiring advanced flags.
rEFInd Boot Manager: Support for the rEFInd boot manager has been added, expanding bootloader options beyond the traditional defaults. This gives users more flexibility in configuring their boot environment, particularly beneficial for multi-boot setups.
Printing Support: The installer now includes direct support for installing CUPS (Common UNIX Printing System), streamlining the setup process for users who need printing capabilities.
Smarter Configuration: Zram is now configured dynamically based on established best practices, with support for selecting the compression algorithm. This optimization helps improve system responsiveness, especially on systems with limited RAM.
Important Note for NVIDIA Users
If you’re running NVIDIA graphics hardware, there’s a critical change to be aware of. The nvidia package was replaced with nvidia-open, the nvidia-dkms package with nvidia-open-dkms, and the nvidia-lts package with nvidia-lts-open, due to the NVIDIA 590 graphics driver dropping support for Pascal (GTX 10xx) or older GPUs.
This means users with Pascal (GTX 10-series) or older NVIDIA GPUs should exercise caution when updating, as the new drivers no longer support these older architectures. If you’re using older NVIDIA hardware, you may need to use legacy driver packages or consider alternative solutions.
Who Should Download This ISO?
The Arch Linux 2026.01.01 ISO is specifically designed for new installations. If you’re already running Arch Linux, you don’t need to download this ISO—your system stays current through regular updates using the sudo pacman -Syu command.
This release is ideal for:
- Users installing Arch Linux on new hardware
- Those looking to deploy Arch Linux with the latest LTS kernel for long-term stability
- Anyone wanting to experiment with the COSMIC desktop environment
- Users setting up systems that require modern hardware support
- Design
