Fedora Asahi Remix 44: A Comprehensive Installation and Upgrade Guide for Apple Silicon Macs

Overview

Fedora Asahi Remix 44 marks a significant milestone for Apple Silicon users, bringing the full power of Fedora Linux 44 to M1, M2, and M3 Macs. Developed in close collaboration with the Fedora Asahi SIG and the Asahi Linux project, this release integrates upstream improvements while retiring custom packages like vendored Mesa and virglrenderer—now automatically replaced with official Fedora versions. Whether you’re a desktop user seeking KDE Plasma 6.6 or GNOME 50, a server administrator, or a minimalist enthusiast, this guide will walk you through installation and upgrade processes, highlight pitfalls, and help you get started smoothly.

Fedora Asahi Remix 44: A Comprehensive Installation and Upgrade Guide for Apple Silicon Macs — Source: fedoramagazine.org

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

An Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, or M3) with at least 8 GB RAM and 30 GB free storage.
A stable internet connection.
A USB drive (8 GB or larger) for new installations.
A backup of existing data (especially if upgrading from Fedora Asahi Remix 42 or 43).
Basic familiarity with terminal commands.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This guide covers two scenarios: new installation and upgrading from a previous Fedora Asahi Remix release.

New Installation

Download the ISO: Visit the Fedora Asahi Remix download page and choose your preferred variant: KDE Plasma (flagship), GNOME, Server, or Minimal. The flagship comes with Plasma 6.6 and the new Plasma Setup wizard replacing the older Calamares installer.
Create a bootable USB: Use tools like dd or balenaEtcher. On macOS, run:
```
sudo dd if=/path/to/Fedora-Asahi-Remix-44.iso of=/dev/diskX bs=4M status=progress
```
Replace /dev/diskX with your USB drive identifier (check with diskutil list).
Boot from USB: Restart your Mac and hold the power button until you see “Startup Options.” Select the USB drive, then choose “Install Fedora Asahi Remix.”
Follow the Plasma Setup wizard: For new installations, Plasma Login Manager (instead of SDDM) and Plasma Setup (instead of Calamares) now handle user creation and system configuration. Simply enter your desired username, password, and language settings.
Choose your desktop variant: If you selected the KDE Plasma ISO, you’ll boot directly into KDE. For GNOME, select the GNOME ISO during download. Both include up-to-date Fedora 44 packages. For headless setups, use the Server or Minimal images.
Post-installation: After setup, update your system with:
```
sudo dnf upgrade --refresh
```
This ensures you have the latest Mesa and virglrenderer packages (the vendored versions are automatically removed upon upgrade).

Upgrading from Fedora Asahi Remix 42 or 43

Important: Do not use GNOME Software for upgrading—it is not supported. Use either KDE Plasma Discover or the command line.

Option A: Using Plasma Discover

Open Discover from the application menu.
Go to Updates and click “Update All.” This will fetch Fedora 44 packages.
If you see a prompt for a full system upgrade, follow the on-screen instructions. Note that Plasma Discover handles the DNF plugin internally.

Option B: Using DNF System Upgrade

Open a terminal and update your current system:
```
sudo dnf upgrade --refresh
```

Install the DNF system upgrade plugin:

sudo dnf install dnf-plugin-system-upgrade

Download Fedora 44 packages:

sudo dnf system-upgrade download --releasever=44

Once download completes, reboot to apply the upgrade:
```
sudo dnf system-upgrade reboot
```
After reboot, the upgrade continues automatically. Your existing configuration (e.g., SDDM vs. Plasma Login Manager) remains unchanged—only new installs get the new greeter.

Common Mistakes

Using GNOME Software to upgrade: This will fail. Always use Discover (KDE) or the command line.
Skipping backup before upgrade: While rare, data loss can occur. Back up important files to an external drive.
Choosing wrong ISO variant: If you want GNOME, download the GNOME-specific ISO, not the KDE one. The default installer doesn’t switch desktops after boot.
Ignoring automatic Mesa transition: The retirement of vendored Mesa and virglrenderer is seamless—don’t try to manually remove them. Simply run sudo dnf upgrade after installation to complete the transition.
Not checking disk space: Ensure you have at least 10 GB free for the upgrade download and installation.

Summary

Fedora Asahi Remix 44 delivers a polished Fedora 44 experience on Apple Silicon Macs, with KDE Plasma 6.6 or GNOME 50 as desktop options. New installations benefit from the streamlined Plasma Setup wizard, while existing users can upgrade via Discover or DNF System Upgrade—avoiding GNOME Software. The removal of custom Mesa packages simplifies maintenance. By following the steps above and heeding common pitfalls, you’ll enjoy a stable, up-to-date Linux environment on your M-series Mac.

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