Linux 7.3 is likely to be selected as the 2026 long-term support (LTS) kernel, according to stable and LTS maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman. The usual approach is to choose the last major kernel version released during the calendar year, which could have pointed to Linux 7.4.
Linux 7.4 is currently scheduled for a final release on December 20, 2026. Kroah-Hartman said he had expected the release to slip into January if the development cycle had used a three-week release-candidate period. He is therefore planning for the 7.3.y series to become the next LTS, unless an unforeseen issue changes that plan.
Kroah-Hartman also cautioned against making Linux 7.4 the LTS release if developers are trying to push additional changes into it. He said that similar situations had caused problems in the past.
Choosing Linux 7.3 would mean that some features planned for 7.4 are unlikely to be included in the 2026 LTS kernel. Those changes include AMDGPU HDMI 2.1 enabled by default, further support for AMD Ryzen Zen 6 and Intel Nova Lake laptops, and performance optimizations.
Sources: Phoronix.