The Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS hardware enablement stack (HWE) has finally hit the updates repo, bringing Linux kernel 6.17 and Mesa 25.2.7 to users on the current long-term support release.
All users on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS can install this newer kernel version and updated GPU driver set as a regular software update. The stack will also be baked into the Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS ISO when released on February 12, 2026.
I covered the HWE update (and the reason why they exist) back in January, when the key pieces began to arrive in the proposed repository. For those who missed it, here’s the gist:
Linux 6.17 kernel brings better power management for newer Intel CPUs, SmartMux support for AMD hybrid laptops, initial RDNA 4 support, various Framework laptop improvements and improved stability for Wi-Fi 7.
Mesa 25.2.7 brings production-ready NVK (open-source NVIDIA Vulkan driver), Rusticl replacing Clover for OpenCL, full Vulkan 1.4 compliance on Intel and AMD, and a variety of game-specific fixes for titles like No Man’s Sky and Borderlands 4.
Wayland Protocols 1.45 is included in this HWE update. It offers new staging protocols for transparency effects and a pointer warp API. Some software can make use of these now, and more will use them in time – important since 24.04 is a long-term support release.
Installing the 24.04.4 HWE
If you run Ubuntu 24.04 LTS you can install the update now through the Software Updater, or apt if you prefer updating from your terminal. The version string will change to ‘24.04.4’ if you install the base-files package update.
If you run Linux Mint 22.x you can install this HWE through the Update Manger, and it may be available to users of other Linux distributions based on 24.04, depending.
One thing to note: Linux kernel 6.17 reached end of life (EOL) upstream in December 2025, as non-LTS kernels get 3 months of support. But Canonical’s dedicated kernel engineering team continue to support it, and will provide fixes and security updates until December 2026.
One more HWE update will follow in August 2026, bringing the Linux 6.20/7.0 kernel and Mesa stack from Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. That stack will be supported for the duration of Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, even if you’re running it on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
It all fits together nicely, huh?