How to Update Omarchy 3.6: Complete Guide to the New Features

Introduction to Omarchy 3.6

Omarchy is a pre-configured Linux distribution based on Arch Linux, designed to offer an optimized work environment for developers. This distribution includes the Hyprland window manager, a tiling window manager, and a series of pre-set tools and settings curated to improve productivity.

Omarchy 3.6 is the latest released version, introducing numerous improvements and new features. This update is particularly useful for Intel laptop users, thanks to a custom kernel that improves energy efficiency and screen management.

The distribution is ideal for developers and advanced users looking for a lightweight, customizable, and optimized operating system for the latest generations of Intel hardware.

• Developers: Benefit from pre-configured tools and optimizations to improve workflow.
• Advanced Users: Appreciate the customization and advanced features offered by Hyprland and the custom kernel.
• Intel Laptop Owners: Optimize energy efficiency and screen management with the new features introduced.

Prerequisites

• Hardware: Intel laptop with Thunderbolt support (e.g., Framework 13 Pro, Dell XPS 16 OLED)
• Software: Omarchy 3.6 (available at the official website)
• Kernel: Custom 6.19.13 with Panther Lake patches
• Desktop Environment: Hyprland tiling window manager
• Monitor: Support for external displays via Thunderbolt

Procedure to Upgrade to Omarchy 3.6

By the end of this guide, you will have correctly upgraded your Omarchy system to version 3.6, benefiting from the new features and improvements described.

• 1. Open a terminal on your Omarchy system.
• 2. Run the system update command with root privileges: sudo omarchy-update
• 3. Wait for the update process to complete all stages. This may take a few minutes.
• 4. Once the update is complete, reboot the system to apply all changes: sudo reboot
• 5. After rebooting, verify the Omarchy version to confirm the update: omarchy --version
• 6. Check the release notes for more details on new features and fixes: Omarchy 3.6 Changelog

Verification and Troubleshooting

By the end of this guide, you will be able to test the correct operation of Omarchy 3.6 and resolve any issues encountered.

Functionality Test

• Kernel Verification: Open a terminal and type the command uname -r. Ensure the kernel version is 6.19.13 with Panther Lake patches.
• Display Management Test: Open and close the laptop lid and verify that the internal display behaves as expected. Disconnect an external monitor during sleep or reboot and check that the internal panel is automatically restored.
• Keyboard Shortcut Test: Try the new shortcuts for hardware toggles and monitor focus cycling.
• Persistent Settings Test: Restart Hyprland and verify that settings such as window gaps and single window appearance persist.
• Vantablack Theme Test: If you have an OLED system, verify that the Vantablack theme is correctly applied.

Troubleshooting

• Problems with omarchy-update: If omarchy-update hangs when Chromium or Brave are not running, ensure the browsers are open or update the system manually.
• Keyboard Layout: If the keyboard layout is reset after omarchy-refresh-hyprland, check system settings or manually configure the desired layout.
• Hide Button Issues: If the hide button in the screen sharing overlay does not work, check Hyprland settings or update the system.
• Theme Issues: If themes are not installed correctly due to a case sensitivity issue, check file names or install themes manually.
• Specific Application Issues: If you encounter problems with Typora, iA Writer, Lumon, or the Elephant menu, check application settings or update them to the latest versions.

For more details, consult the official changelog.

By the end of this guide, you will have learned the main new features introduced by Omarchy 3.6 and how to leverage them to optimize your experience with this Linux distribution.

To consolidate what you have learned, we invite you to practice with the new features:

• Try the new display management settings on an Intel laptop with Thunderbolt.
• Manually configure home directory snapshots if necessary.
• Experiment with the new scaling options and available themes.
• Test the new keyboard shortcuts and improved animations.