Tails 7.0, the privacy-focused Linux OS, arrives with Debian 13 and GNOME 48
Tails 7.0 has just arrived, offering a refreshed version of the privacy-focused operating system built on Debian 13 “Trixie” and GNOME 48 “Bengaluru.”
The OS is faster, core applications have been updated, and hardware support expanded, giving users who depend on Tails for anonymity additional tools and an overall nippier performance.
SEE ALSO: SparkyLinux 9 'Tiamat' arrives with updated kernel and software packages
Tails now uses zstd compression instead of xz for its USB and ISO images, cutting boot times by around 10 to 15 seconds on most systems.
The installation image is about 10 percent larger as a result, but few people will complain about sacrificing a little extra disk space in exchange for faster loading.
The developers warn that poor-quality USB sticks can still slow down performance, so make sure you choose a decent one.
Tails 7.0 applications
A wide set of applications has been updated or replaced. GNOME Terminal has given way to GNOME Console, and GNOME Image Viewer has been swapped for GNOME Loupe.
Key software packages such as Tor Browser 14.5.7, Tor client 0.4.8.17, Thunderbird 128.14.0esr, Electrum 4.5.8, KeePassXC 2.7.10, GIMP 3.0.4, Inkscape 1.4, and Audacity 3.7.3 are now included.
The default text editor and document scanner also receive major upgrades, bringing them in line with GNOME 48.
GNOME itself introduces a number of usability and accessibility improvements. Settings panels for sound, input, and accessibility have been redesigned for a cleaner experience.
New features include Overamplification and always-visible scrollbars. The Activities button has been swapped for a workspace indicator, while the screen reader now provides better table navigation and a sleep mode.
A new option to preserve battery health has also been added to power settings, reflecting the team's ongoing work to extend laptop usability.
Some tools have been removed from the default installation. Utilities such as unar, aircrack-ng, and the Power Statistics tool are no longer included. There are alternatives available in a lot of cases, and users can always install removed packages through the Additional Software feature.
Hardware support has been improved with the adoption of Linux kernel 6.12.43 and there’s greater compatibility with recent graphics cards, Wi-Fi adapters, and other hardware.
Memory requirements have risen slightly, with the OS now needing at least 3GB of RAM (which won't be a problem for most systems).
Tails 7.0, which is dedicated to Lunar, a long-time contributor to Tails, Tor, Debian, and the Reproducible Builds project, is available to download now.
Tails provides the following installation instructions for the OS:
- Install from Windows
- Install from macOS
- Install from Linux
- Install from Debian or Ubuntu using the command line and GnuPG
What do you think about Tails 7.0? Let us know in the comments.