What’s New in elementary OS 8.1 | Wayland by Default, Better Dock & Polished Experience

Elementary OS 8.1 is here, and this update is all about refinement, stability, and polish rather than dramatic visual changes. In this video, we take a complete walkthrough of what’s new in elementary OS 8.1 and explain how these improvements affect daily use on real hardware.

This release makes the Secure Session based on Wayland the default, delivering smoother animations, better security, improved window behavior, and stronger support for modern displays. We explore how Wayland changes the desktop experience, what it means for performance, and why elementary OS now feels more responsive and consistent than before.

You’ll also see major improvements to the Dock and multitasking. Background apps are now clearly visible with explanations, workspaces can be managed directly from the Dock, and window animations help you instantly locate active applications. These small but thoughtful updates make multitasking easier and more intuitive.

Accessibility is a major focus in elementary OS 8.1. The operating system can now be installed and configured entirely using assistive technologies, with better screen reader support, improved contrast, clearer keyboard focus indicators, and refined Dark Mode behavior. This makes elementary OS one of the most accessible Linux desktops available today.

AppCenter has received meaningful upgrades as well. App ratings are clearer, updates show download sizes before installing, and progress is easier to follow. We also cover improvements to default apps like Files, Terminal, Code, and Music, along with system-wide visual refinements such as smoother notifications, cleaner icons, and improved Bluetooth settings.

Under the hood, elementary OS 8.1 runs on a newer Linux kernel and updated graphics stack, bringing better hardware compatibility, improved performance, fractional scaling enhancements, and support for modern ARM-based systems. These changes help elementary OS stay fast, efficient, and reliable in 2025 and beyond.

Whether you’re already using elementary OS 8 or considering switching from Windows or another Linux distribution, this video gives you a clear and practical overview of what elementary OS 8.1 offers and whether it’s worth upgrading.

Watch till the end for a calm, honest walkthrough of one of the most refined Linux desktop experiences available today. Receive SMS online on sms24.me

TubeReader video aggregator is a website that collects and organizes online videos from the YouTube source. Video aggregation is done for different purposes, and TubeReader take different approaches to achieve their purpose.

Our try to collect videos of high quality or interest for visitors to view; the collection may be made by editors or may be based on community votes.

Another method is to base the collection on those videos most viewed, either at the aggregator site or at various popular video hosting sites.

TubeReader site exists to allow users to collect their own sets of videos, for personal use as well as for browsing and viewing by others; TubeReader can develop online communities around video sharing.

Our site allow users to create a personalized video playlist, for personal use as well as for browsing and viewing by others.

@YouTubeReaderBot allows you to subscribe to Youtube channels.

By using @YouTubeReaderBot Bot you agree with YouTube Terms of Service.

Use the @YouTubeReaderBot telegram bot to be the first to be notified when new videos are released on your favorite channels.

Look for new videos or channels and share them with your friends.

You can start using our bot from this video, subscribe now to What’s New in elementary OS 8.1 | Wayland by Default, Better Dock & Polished Experience

What is YouTube?

YouTube is a free video sharing website that makes it easy to watch online videos. You can even create and upload your own videos to share with others. Originally created in 2005, YouTube is now one of the most popular sites on the Web, with visitors watching around 6 billion hours of video every month.