In a significant update for the Linux community, stable maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman, alongside Sasha Levin, has announced an extension of the Long Term Support (LTS) periods for several key Linux kernel releases. This decision comes as a response to user and industry demands for more extended support, reversing a 2023 policy that reduced LTS support windows from the traditional six years to two years due to contributor fatigue.
The kernels affected by this change include Linux 6.6, whose support has been extended to December 2027, and Linux 6.12 and 6.18, both extended to the end of 2028. These extensions provide a more stable and reliable environment for platforms that depend heavily on long-supported kernel versions, such as server distributions, embedded appliances, and Android devices, where regular security updates are crucial without the disruption of frequent feature changes.
Older LTS versions, such as Linux 5.10 and 5.15, will retain their original end-of-life (EOL) targets, concluding their support by December 2026. Users of these versions should consider migration plans if extended stability is required.
The extended support schedule will have minimal impact on desktop users employing mainstream distributions like Ubuntu or Fedora, which manage kernel updates independently. However, for embedded systems and hardware vendors, these extensions offer a more secure and stable long-term operational foundation.
In summary, this extension reaffirms the critical role of LTS kernels in various technology domains, ensuring they receive vital updates and support for extended periods.

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Stable maintainers Greg Kroah-Hartman and Sasha Levin have announced extended Long Term Support (LTS) periods for several Linux kernel releases. Linux 6.6 is now supported until December 2027, while Linux 6.12 and 6.18 are extended through end of 2028. This reverses a 2023 policy that had cut LTS windows from six years to two years due to contributor fatigue. Older kernels like 5.10 and 5.15 retain their original EOL dates of December 2026. The change primarily benefits server distributions, embedded appliances, and Android devices that rely on stable, long-supported kernels for security updates without disruptive feature churn.

Extended Support for Linux LTS Kernels: What You Need to Know