Ubuntu\u2019s next release, 25.10 “Questing Quokka,” will mark a major shift in the Linux desktop landscape by removing the Xorg-based GNOME session entirely. Starting with this update, the default “Ubuntu” session in GDM will run exclusively on Wayland, aligning with both upstream GNOME\u2019s roadmap and Ubuntu\u2019s long-term vision for a more secure and modern desktop experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GNOME itself is preparing to drop Xorg support entirely in version 49. By making the switch now, Ubuntu aims to give users and developers a full interim release cycle (before 26.04 LTS) to adapt, reducing fragmentation and smoothing the transition ahead of the next long-term support version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For most users, the transition will be seamless. XWayland ensures that legacy X11 applications continue to work without modification, running transparently under Wayland. However, the “Ubuntu on Xorg”<\/em> option will no longer appear in GDM, meaning GNOME Shell and Mutter sessions will be Wayland-only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, some specialized workflows\u2014such as certain remote desktop setups or niche configurations\u2014may still depend on Xorg. In those cases, users can switch to a different desktop environment (like Xfce, which still supports X11) or run Xorg sessions outside GNOME. Importantly, Xorg itself isn’t disappearing from Ubuntu\u2014only GNOME’s direct support for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, what does this mean for X11 going forward? Let\u2019s be honest\u2014this is likely the end of the road for X11. With Ubuntu now joining other major Linux distributions in dropping X11 for Wayland, the aging display server has almost no mainstream users left. And without users, there\u2019s little reason for further development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Truthfully, X11 has been on life support for years, receiving only minimal maintenance patches to keep basic functionality running. But it\u2019s not just Linux distributions that are moving on\u2014both GNOME and KDE, the biggest desktop environments, have made it clear that future versions will rely entirely on Wayland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At this point, Linux Mint, with its Cinnamon desktop, is pretty much the last of the major holdouts still using X11. But even that looks temporary. The Mint team has already started laying the groundwork to support Wayland. So, while X11 isn’t vanishing overnight, its days are clearly numbered. The shift to Wayland isn’t just happening\u2014it’s practically complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n