Linux 7.1 stable expected 2026-06-14

Category: Linux/Kernel
Status: developing
Sources: Phoronix rc7, Neowin
Summary: Linus Torvalds released Linux 7.1-rc7 on 2026-06-07 and stated he expects it to be the last release candidate, with the 7.1 stable release on 2026-06-14 unless an eighth candidate is needed. The biggest area of late-cycle fixes was GPUs, followed by networking, with the rest spread across architecture, driver, filesystem, and build fixes. The cycle ran heavier than usual due to an uptick in AI-agent-generated patches.
Why it matters: Kernel 7.1 stable lands within a day, and distributions and CI pipelines that test against mainline should prepare for the merge.
Follow-up: Confirm 7.1 stable on 2026-06-14; review changelog for scheduler, io_uring, and eBPF changes.