Ubuntu 26.10 arrives with local speech-to-text dictation
Canonical released Ubuntu 26.10, codenamed Stonking Stingray, on October 15, 2026. The update brings GNOME 51, a Linux 7.3-based kernel and access to Myna, an early speech-to-text tool that transcribes audio on the user’s computer.
Ubuntu 26.10 is an interim release supported for nine months, through July 2027. Canonical outlines the changes in its release announcement.
Myna turns speech into text locally
With Myna, a user can select a text field, press a configured key and dictate into the active application. Speech recognition runs on the device. Once the required model has been downloaded, transcription does not need an internet connection, and audio is not uploaded to a transcription service.
There is an important limitation: Myna is a technology preview and is not preinstalled. Users must install and configure it separately using Canonical’s instructions. The preview currently targets GNOME on Wayland, and language support varies with the recognition engine and model.
Myna provides dictation rather than voice control or a full voice assistant. It is also available as a preview on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and 26.04 LTS, so people interested only in trying dictation do not have to move to 26.10.
What changes on the desktop
GNOME 51 brings display, accessibility and responsiveness improvements. Ubuntu’s release notes highlight brightness settings that persist across restarts, smoother animations under load and an option to disable a laptop touchpad when a mouse is connected.
App Center now presents details for Snap and Debian packages in a more consistent view. It also has a dedicated Drivers page for reviewing available graphics drivers, including NVIDIA options. The choices shown depend on the computer’s hardware and enabled software sources.
Kernel and security changes
Ubuntu 26.10 ships with a kernel identified as Linux 7.3, adding support for newer hardware. Canonical notes that the kernel in the initial installation images is based on the 7.3-rc6 release candidate because the final upstream 7.3 release is scheduled for later.
The release also completes Ubuntu’s move to Rust-based default core utilities, including cp, mv and rm. Support for TPM-backed full-disk encryption has expanded to some machines without a hardware root of trust, provided a PIN or passphrase is set for the key.
Should Ubuntu 26.04 LTS users upgrade?
Ubuntu 26.10 offers newer desktop software and hardware support, but its security updates end in July 2027. Users who install it will need to plan another release upgrade within that shorter support window. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS receives standard security maintenance until 2031.
There is also a current upgrade restriction: systems using TPM-backed full-disk encryption cannot upgrade from Ubuntu 26.04 LTS to 26.10 at launch. Canonical says it expects to enable that path during the 26.10 support period.