SparkyLinux 8.4 is out — the fourth quarterly update to the Sparky 8 “Seven Sisters” stable series, based on Debian 13 “Trixie”. The headline change is the return of 32-bit installation images, reversing a decision made when Debian dropped 32-bit ISO support roughly a year ago.

SparkyLinux 8.4 desktop screenshot showing the Xfce desktop environment with the Seven Sisters release branding

What’s New in SparkyLinux 8.4

The most significant change is the restoration of 32-bit (i686-pae) Live/Install images. After Debian discontinued its own 32-bit ISO builds, Sparky followed suit — but user demand from those still running older hardware prompted a reversal. The 32-bit editions ship as ultra-lightweight Openbox (MinimalGUI) and CLI (MinimalCLI) images for users who want to configure their system from the ground up. Note that 32-bit images do not include the Calamares graphical installer; installation uses the text-mode command sudo sparky-installer.

All packages are refreshed from the stable Debian and Sparky repositories as of August 9, 2026. The full component rundown:

  • Linux kernel (64-bit): 6.12.101-LTS (with 7.1.8, 6.18.43-LTS, and 6.12.102-LTS available in Sparky repos)
  • Linux kernel (ARM64): 6.18.39-rpi
  • Linux kernel (32-bit): 6.12.102-LTS
  • KDE Plasma: 6.3.6
  • Xfce: 4.20
  • LXQt: 2.1.0
  • MATE: 1.26.0
  • Openbox: 3.6.1
  • LibreOffice: 25.2.3 (26.2.4.2 available via Debian Backports)
  • Firefox: 140.13.0esr (153.0.3 available in Sparky repo for amd64 and arm64)
  • Thunderbird: 140.13.0esr

The 64-bit (BIOS/UEFI + Secure Boot) edition comes in six flavours: Xfce, LXQt, MATE, KDE Plasma, MinimalGUI (Openbox), and MinimalCLI. ARM64 builds offer Openbox and CLI editions. UEFI installation on any architecture is recommended with an active internet connection.

Why It Matters

SparkyLinux has been a go-to choice for reviving older hardware since its debut in 2012. The project’s philosophy — give aging machines a second life — makes the return of 32-bit images a meaningful commitment to users who haven’t been able to make the jump to 64-bit hardware. For context, this follows the initial Sparky 8 “Seven Sisters” release last August and the Sparky 8.1 quarterly update in November 2025.

If you already have Sparky 8 installed, no reinstall is needed — a standard system update is all it takes.

Download SparkyLinux 8.4

Fresh ISO images for all editions are available on the SparkyLinux stable download page. The live session credentials are live:live for PC editions and pi:sparky for ARM.

For the full release notes, see the official Sparky 8.4 announcement.