Niri 26.04 Wayland Compositor Adds Background Blur Feature

Niri 26.04 launched today as the latest version of a window manager that organizes computer screens differently than typical desktop software. Instead of overlapping windows, Niri arranges programs in tiles that users can scroll through horizontally.

The biggest new feature is background blur, which creates a frosted glass effect behind windows and menus. According to the developers, users had been asking for this visual enhancement more than any other feature.

Niri is what's called a Wayland compositor, which is the modern way Linux systems handle graphics and window management. The software is considered stable enough for daily use and includes most features people expect from a desktop environment.

This type of tiling window manager appeals to users who want more control over how their screen space is organized, often programmers and power users who prefer keyboard shortcuts over mouse clicking.