Raspberry Pi has released a new version of Raspberry Pi Desktop for PCs and Macs. Simon Long announced it on 6 October 2026 in a post on the Raspberry Pi news site. The previous version, based on Debian 11 'Bullseye', dates from July 2022, according to Borncity. Long writes that after the Buster and Bullseye updates the team "didn't have time to release any newer versions." The new image is built on Debian 13 'Trixie', runs live from a USB stick or installs to an internal drive, and is a free .iso download from the Raspberry Pi website.
The release is more than a rebuild. It is 64-bit (amd64) only, it is brought up to date with recent changes to the Raspberry Pi desktop, and it includes a Raspberry Pi Connect client, so an x86 machine can be reached the same way as a Pi. Apple Silicon Macs are not supported, and there is no upgrade path from earlier installs.
What is in the image?
According to Raspberry Pi's announcement, the image includes:
- Base: Debian 13 'Trixie'
- Architecture: 64-bit (amd64) only
- Desktop: the current Raspberry Pi desktop, including the Control Centre and the new dock
- Remote access: a Raspberry Pi Connect client
- Install options: live .iso with an optional persistence mode, plus the Calamares installer
Answering readers in the comments under the post, Long says the new panel, wf-panel-pi, "is designed to run under Wayland instead of X."
Why is there no 32-bit version?
Earlier PC releases covered 32-bit hardware. This one does not, and Raspberry Pi says the reason is upstream: "Debian itself has stopped supporting 32-bit for PC architectures." LWN.net, which quoted that line, described the image as "a long-awaited release of Raspberry Pi OS."
Which machines will it run on?
Raspberry Pi says "most PCs made in the last 15 years or so will quite happily run the 64-bit version of Debian", and that most Intel-based Macs will run it too. Apple Silicon Macs are not supported, because "Debian support for Apple Silicon is still experimental".
How does Raspberry Pi Connect work on a PC?
With the Connect client included, PCs and Macs running the image can be accessed through the same remote-access service used for Raspberry Pi boards. There is one difference from a Pi. A Raspberry Pi identifies itself to the service with a unique hardware ID; on a PC, you enter a name to identify the device instead.
One commenter on LWN summed up the differences from stock Debian as a custom LXDE theme and Raspberry Pi Connect, which they described as a cloud-based replacement for SSH and VNC.
How is it installed?
The process in Raspberry Pi's post is to flash the .iso to a USB stick, boot from it and choose "run with persistence". That gives a live system that saves changes to the stick between boots, and a menu option resets persistence to a clean image. To make it the machine's main operating system, run the Calamares installer, from the desktop shortcut or from System Tools in the main menu, and install to the internal drive.
Can an existing install be upgraded?
No. In the comments under the announcement, Long writes: "You won't be able to upgrade from an older version – this has to be a complete replacement." For keeping the new install current, he recommends running full-upgrade rather than upgrade after apt update, so that new dependencies are installed.
Where does this fit in Raspberry Pi's lineup?
Raspberry Pi Desktop for PC and Mac is the x86 counterpart of Raspberry Pi OS: the Pi desktop environment on ordinary computers instead of Raspberry Pi hardware. Until 6 October 2026, the latest x86 release was the July 2022 Bullseye version, which predates the Control Centre and the new dock. In the LWN discussion, one commenter argued the release is aimed at schools and institutions, giving students the same desktop on school PCs as on a Pi at home; another pointed out that software that talks to the 40-pin header will fail on non-Pi hardware.
What It Means for Makers
- Matching desktops. A lab, classroom or workshop that mixes Pis with PCs can run the same Trixie-based desktop and Control Centre on both. Code that drives the GPIO header still needs real Pi hardware.
- One remote-access tool. x86 machines can sit in Raspberry Pi Connect next to Pi boards. Expect to name each PC by hand.
- Check the hardware first. The image needs a 64-bit x86 CPU. 32-bit-only machines and Apple Silicon Macs are excluded.
- Try it live first. Persistence mode lets you test a machine from USB and keep your settings without installing anything. Use Calamares only once you have decided to replace the internal drive's operating system.
- Plan a clean install. Moving from the 2022 release means replacing it, not upgrading in place.
- Where to get it. The free .iso is linked from Raspberry Pi's announcement.
