Built on Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS, elementary OS 8.1 has been released just in time for Christmas, and is now available for download, marking the first point update in the 8.x series.

The biggest change is that the Wayland-based Secure Session is now the default, but users can still switch back to the Classic session if needed. Secure Session also brings better authentication dialogs that stop other windows from stealing focus, so there’s less risk of typing passwords in the wrong place.

Multitasking and window management have been refined through continued work on the Dock. Visual indicators for multiple windows have returned, background apps are now visible and manageable, and workspaces can be created, rearranged, and switched directly from the Dock.