Sparky Linux 7.8, the eighth point release of the Orion Belt stable series, is now available for download. This quarterly update brings in the latest security patches, performance improvements, and updated packages from both Sparky and Debian 12 “Bookworm”.

Sparky 7.8 featured image

🔧 What’s New in Sparky 7.8?

Here’s a quick overview of the notable changes and updates:

  • System base updated with all packages from Debian and Sparky stable repos as of July 14, 2025
  • Linux kernel (PC): 6.1.140-LTS
    (Optional kernels available: 6.15.6, 6.12.38-LTS, 6.6.98-LTS in Sparky repos)
  • LibreOffice: 7.4.7
    (You can also access version 25.2.3 from Debian backports)
  • Desktop environments:
    • KDE Plasma 5.27.5
    • LXQt 1.2.0
    • MATE 1.26
    • Xfce 4.18
    • Openbox 3.6.1
  • Firefox ESR: 128.12.0esr
    (v140.0.4 available in Sparky repos)
  • Thunderbird ESR: 128.12.0esr
  • GIMP is now preinstalled in the live media
  • Fixed: Library conflicts caused by older Debian Multimedia packages have been resolved
    (Tip: Uninstall libavutil57 v10:5.1.3 and its dependencies, then reinstall version 7:5.1.6 if needed.)

⚠️ ARM images are not updated in this release — ARM users should continue using version 7.7.

💻 Available Editions

Sparky 7.8 “Orion Belt” is available for various platforms:

For amd64 (BIOS/UEFI + Secure Boot):

  • Xfce
  • LXQt
  • MATE
  • KDE Plasma
  • MinimalGUI (Openbox)
  • MinimalCLI (text mode)

For i686 (non-PAE BIOS/UEFI - Legacy):

  • MinimalGUI (Openbox)
  • MinimalCLI (text mode)

ARM Editions (7.7 only):

  • ARMHF & ARM64: Openbox & CLI

🔐 Default Login Credentials

  • PC (Live): live:live
  • ARM: pi:sparky

🔄 Already Using Sparky 7?

No need to reinstall! Just keep your system up to date using your package manager.

📥 Download Now

Get the latest Sparky 7.8 ISO images from the official Sparky Linux Download Page

For further information on Sparky 7.8, see the official release announcement.