Your Complete How-To for Installing or Upgrading to Fedora Asahi Remix 44 on Apple Silicon Macs

Introduction

Fedora Asahi Remix 44 is now available, bringing the full power of Fedora Linux 44 to your Apple Silicon Mac. Whether you're setting up a fresh system or upgrading from an earlier release, this guide walks you through the process step by step. Developed in close collaboration with the Fedora Asahi SIG and the Asahi Linux project, this remix includes KDE Plasma 6.6 as the flagship desktop, a GNOME 50 variant, a Server edition, and a Minimal image. New installations feature the Plasma Setup wizard and Plasma Login Manager (replacing Calamares and SDDM). Upgrades transition you to upstream Mesa and virglrenderer packages automatically. Follow along to get started.

What You Need

• An Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, or later) with at least 8 GB RAM and 50 GB free disk space
• A stable internet connection for downloading the installer and packages
• A USB drive (8 GB or larger) if performing a fresh install (or use the network installer)
• For upgrades: a current Fedora Asahi Remix 42 or 43 installation
• Basic familiarity with terminal commands (for DNF upgrade path)

Step-by-Step Guide

Fresh Installation (New Systems)

1. Step 1: Download the Fedora Asahi Remix 44 installer
   Visit the official Asahi Linux installation page and fetch the latest ISO or network installer image. Choose from KDE Plasma, GNOME, Server, or Minimal variants based on your needs.
2. Step 2: Prepare your bootable USB drive
   Use a tool like dd or Balena Etcher to write the ISO to your USB drive. For network installers, boot directly from the image without writing.
3. Step 3: Boot from the USB drive
   While holding the Option (⌥) key on your Mac, select the USB drive from the startup manager. If you're using a network installer, you'll need to enter one-key recovery mode first.
4. Step 4: Follow the Plasma Setup wizard
   Fedora Asahi Remix 44 introduces a Plasma-native setup process (replacing Calamares). Create your user account, configure the system language and time zone, and set up disk encryption if desired. This wizard is only for new installs.
5. Step 5: Complete installation and reboot
   Once the installer finishes, remove the USB drive and restart your Mac. You'll be greeted by the Plasma Login Manager (the new default greeter). Log in with the credentials you created.

Upgrading from Fedora Asahi Remix 42 or 43

1. Step 1: Back up your important data
   Although upgrades are generally safe, always create a backup of your home directory and system configuration before proceeding.
2. Step 2: Update your current system
   Open a terminal and run sudo dnf upgrade --refresh to ensure all existing packages are up to date. Reboot if the kernel was updated.
3. Step 3: Choose your upgrade method
   Upgrades via GNOME Software are not supported. Use either:
   • Plasma Discover (graphical): Open Discover, go to Updates, and follow the prompts to upgrade to version 44.
   • DNF System Upgrade (terminal): Run sudo dnf system-upgrade download --releasever=44 followed by sudo dnf system-upgrade reboot.
4. Step 4: Wait for the upgrade to complete
   The system will download all required packages and reboot into the upgrade process. Do not interrupt it. After completion, you'll be logged into Fedora Asahi Remix 44.
5. Step 5: Verify the transition
   Check that the vendored Mesa and virglrenderer packages have been automatically replaced with upstream versions from Fedora. You can confirm by running rpm -qa | grep mesa and ensuring no custom Asahi packages remain.

Post-Installation & Variants

After a fresh install or upgrade, explore the desktop variants:

• KDE Plasma 6.6 – flagship experience with the new Plasma Setup and Plasma Login Manager
• GNOME 50 – classic GNOME environment
• Fedora Server – for headless or server workloads
• Minimal – for custom builds from scratch

If you encounter any issues specific to the Asahi Remix, please report them in the official issue tracker, or seek help in the Discourse forum or Matrix room.

Tips & Best Practices

• Backup before upgrading – Always protect your data, even if upgrades are routine.
• Use the recommended upgrade method – Stick with Plasma Discover or DNF; avoid GNOME Software for this remix.
• Check hardware compatibility – Apple Silicon Macs are fully supported, but some peripherals may require additional drivers. Visit the Asahi Linux wiki for details.
• Join the community – For help, feature requests, or to contribute, participate in the Fedora Asahi SIG and Asahi Linux projects. The Matrix room and Discourse are great starting points.
• Keep your system updated – After installation, run regular updates via sudo dnf upgrade to receive security patches and new features.

With these steps, you're ready to enjoy Fedora Asahi Remix 44 on your Apple Silicon Mac. Happy hacking!