The CachyOS team has just released new ISOs for March 2026 (build 260308), continuing their focus on performance-tuned Arch Linux with optimizations for modern CPUs and custom kernels.

This update stands out for its user-facing improvements: animated previews in the installer, easier Windows compatibility via Winboat, a modernized website, and substantial enhancements to the Handheld Edition aimed at devices like the Steam Deck and Lenovo Legion Go.

Installer Gets Visual and Smarter Upgrades

The Calamares-based installer now displays animated GIF or WebP previews for selected desktop environments, currently supported for Plasma, GNOME, Niri, and COSMIC. This gives new users a clear visual sense of each DE before committing.

Other notable installer changes include:

• JPEG XL support for smaller preview image files
• Desktop environment list reordered from beginner-friendly to advanced (e.g., window managers last)
• Cachy-Update enabled by default on GNOME and KDE installs
• Improved CPU microcode detection (installs only what’s needed)
• Clearer error messaging for undersized EFI partitions

Winboat Integration and Accessibility

The CachyOS-Welcome app now features a convenient button to install and activate Winboat—a Docker-based solution for running Windows applications seamlessly on Linux. Keyboard navigation has been added for better accessibility, and Ukrainian translation support is included.

Kernel, Tools, and Website Refresh

• The linux-cachyos kernel now uses proper tagged releases in a dedicated repository (replacing the old single-patch approach).
• chwd significantly shrinks initramfs size for NVIDIA discrete GPU setups.
• Mirror rating improved for users in China and Russia via cachyos-rate-mirrors.
• Wireless regulatory domain now auto-configures based on timezone in cachyos-settings.
• The official CachyOS website has undergone a full redesign for a more contemporary feel.

New community mirrors have been added in Russia (jura12 / cachy-arch.ru), Sweden (Zyner), and Canada (All Things Linux).

Handheld Edition Sees Big Improvements

The Handheld Edition—tailored for portable gaming—receives some of the most exciting changes:

• gamescope-session-plus replaced by gamescope-session-cachyos (a fork of Valve’s version) that enables firmware updates via fwupd on Steam Deck and Lenovo Legion Go.
• Login manager switched from SDDM to plasma-login-manager.
• Limine becomes the default bootloader with automatic snapshots (systemd-boot remains an option).
• Handheld and desktop Calamares codebases merged for consistency.
• ISO now defaults to Wayland over X11.
• Better generic handheld profiles and GPU support in chwd; fwupd enabled for Lenovo devices.

Key Fixes Across the Board

• bcachefs removed from filesystem options (now requires DKMS module).
• Encryption issues with certain LUKS2 setups resolved.
• “ly” display manager activation fixed.
• Sensitive data (IP, username, hostname, MAC) redacted in bug reports.

Upgrading for Existing Users

If you’re already running CachyOS, a standard system update is all that’s required—no manual intervention needed:

sudo pacman -Syu

For further information on CachyOS March 2026 release, see the official release announcement in the projects blog.