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Raspberry Pi OS September 2026 update adds dock support and Linux kernel 6.18.50 LTS
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The September 2026 update for Raspberry Pi OS introduces a new dock for Wayland environments, a revamped Control Centre, and a monolithic file manager build.
The update signals a shift toward Labwc by removing Wayfire compositor support from several Control Centre panels. It also changes default system behavior regarding external drive mounting.
Written by elseif from the cluster below · every claim links back to a sourceThe three things worth knowing
The update integrates Linux kernel 6.18.50 LTS for Raspberry Pi 2712 and ARMv8 configurations.
A new monolithic pcmanfm-pi version 1.6 combines PCManFM and libfm into one application.
Wayland environments now feature dock support via wf-panel-pi 1.31 and new icon-based plugins.
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What the cluster adds up to.
The update focuses on the desktop experience by introducing dock support in wf-panel-pi. This includes new plugins for application launching and task listing, alongside support for 96x96-pixel icons for large displays. Control Centre has been reorganized into dedicated panels for Docks, Widgets, Notifications, and Shortcuts.
System administration changes include a new screenshot utility and a shift in file management. PCManFM no longer mounts external drives automatically by default, though this can be toggled via the ejecter panel plugin. The underlying plugin architecture for wf-panel-pi was reworked to remove the need for XML metadata files for default values.
The transition to Labwc is further solidified by the removal of Wayfire compositor support in the Screens, Mouse, and Keyboard panels. Both Labwc and wlroots have been updated to the 0.20 series. To apply these changes, Raspberry Pi recommends using sudo apt full-upgrade to ensure dependency changes are handled correctly.
Written by elseif from the cluster below · checked for specifics the sources never containedTHE CLUSTER