GNOME 50 Desktop Environment Enters Public Beta Testing with More New Features (9to5linux.com)

submitted 2 days ago by cm0002@mander.xyz to c/linux@programming.dev

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The GNOME Project released today the beta version of the upcoming GNOME 50 desktop environment series with more new features and improvements across most of the GNOME apps and components.

GNOME 50 beta improves the detection of discrete GPUs in GNOME Shell, which also received support for handling external or locked keyboard layout sources in the indicator, better screen time tracking with idle inhibitors, and better tab focus behavior in the Quick Settings menu.

The beta release of GNOME 50 also updates the Mutter window and composite manager with HiDPI and monitor mode emulation for screencasts, initial stable implementations of VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and fractional scaling, improved frame scheduling, and support for remote desktops to set active keyboard layout.

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[-] scroll_responsibly@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 1 day ago

Are they gonna add the theme engine they promised, or are we stuck with libawaita.

[-] oyzmo@piefed.social 19 points 2 days ago

I think GNOME is the best! 🥳

[-] Scorned_Sparrow@piefed.social 3 points 1 day ago

Same. It's so charming.

[-] harmbugler@piefed.social 3 points 1 day ago

I'm most productive on GNOME, it stays out of the way and I can use my apps.

[-] iamlyth@beehaw.org 2 points 1 day ago

They’re the only group trying to push innovation in desktop productivity. OS X and Windows and other DEs are stuck in the old ways. No one is really trying to do anything except what’s familiar….

[-] jonathan@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago

Whether they did it or not, this reads like somebody pasted the changelog into an LLM.

this post was submitted on 14 Feb 2026

71 points (96.1% liked)

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