The openSUSE Project is excited to announce the release of openSUSE Leap 16. This new version marks an important evolution for the community distribution with fresh features, enhanced lifecycle support, and improved upgrade paths.

openSUSE Leap 16 featured image

What’s new in Leap 16

  • 24 months of maintenance & security updates — users get two years of support at no cost.
  • A new installer named Agama replaces the older YaST-based installer for a modern setup experience.
  • Parallel downloads in Zypper speed up software installation and updates.
  • The minimal CPU requirement is now x86-64-v2, generally meaning CPUs from around 2008 and newer.
  • 32-bit (ia32) support is disabled by default, but users can re-enable it if needed (for example, to support Steam and its 32-bit libraries).
  • Built from the same source as SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), users can migrate between Leap 16 and SLES.
  • The distribution now includes SELinux as the default Linux Security Module, while AppArmor remains available as an option.

Migration and upgrade

If you’re on Leap 15, there’s a new openSUSE migration tool to simplify upgrading to Leap 16.

You can also choose to migrate to Tumbleweed, Slowroll, or SLES based on your preference.

Lifecycle & future outlook

openSUSE plans to continue annual minor releases under Leap 16 until 2031 (up to Leap 16.6). A successor is expected in 2032.

The immutable server variant, Leap Micro, follows the same support schedule.

Leap 16 is a strong foundation for users, developers, and enterprises alike. With longer support, modern tooling, and smoother upgrade paths, it’s well-poised for the coming years.

Read the full official announcement on the openSUSE blog.