Linux 7.2 Kernel Set to Boot on Apple M3 Macs for the First Time — Four Models Supported
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Linux 7.2 Kernel Set to Boot on Apple M3 Macs for the First Time — Four Models Supported
Minimal device trees covering the iMac, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro bring Apple’s M3 chip into the Linux mainline, though everyday usability remains a distant goal.
The upcoming Linux 7.2 mainline kernel is poised to gain the ability to boot on Apple M3 series devices for the first time, covering four Mac models powered by Apple’s M3 chip. While the milestone marks real progress for the Asahi Linux community, significant work remains before any of these machines become viable for day-to-day Linux use.
Developer Sven Peter submitted the Apple SoC device tree updates destined for Linux 7.2 on June 4, 2026. The kernel’s merge window is expected to open in mid-June. The submission bundles a set of patches authored by Janne Grunau that establish initial device tree files for M3-based Apple hardware — representing roughly the third anniversary of the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chip launch.
“Add minimal device trees for all t8122 / base M3 based devices and some required new compatibles to the dt-bindings. These are enough to boot Linux on these devices to a simple serial console but future work is required to make these machines useful for end users.” — Sven Peter, Pull Request Notes
Supported Devices
The initial device tree patches cover four specific Mac models, all featuring the base M3 chip (Apple SoC identifier t8122):
- iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023)
- MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024)
- MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)
- MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, 2023)
What the Device Trees Cover
The device trees provide a deliberately minimal set of hardware support, restricted to components essential for a basic kernel boot. The covered hardware modules include:
Notebook models (both MacBook Air variants and the MacBook Pro) additionally include a PWM controller for the keyboard LED backlight. The iMac and the 14-inch MacBook Pro also include support for the I2C-based Apple cd321x USB Type-C port controller, a component not required on the Air models.
A Long Road to Usability
The practical capabilities of this bring-up are extremely limited. At present, the patches allow the Linux kernel to boot to a simple serial console on these machines — a useful proof of concept for developers, but nowhere near sufficient for general use. There is no functional display output, no keyboard or trackpad input, no network, and no GPU acceleration.
The gap between M2 and M3 architectures is substantial, and the graphics subsystem represents the most significant hurdle. The open-source GPU driver work for Apple Silicon, already a major challenge on M1 and M2 hardware, must be substantially extended to handle M3-specific changes. The Asahi Linux graphics driver has not yet been merged into the mainline kernel, and M3 GPU support remains firmly in the “work in progress” category.
The Asahi Linux project — the community effort responsible for bringing Linux to Apple Silicon hardware — currently provides stable, usable Linux support on M1 and M2 machines. M3 support remains in a developer-only “fairydust” branch, available for those comfortable building their own kernels, with no official support offered at this stage.
Looking further ahead, the community still faces M4 and M5 bring-up, with Apple’s M6 chip expected later in 2026. Each generation brings new architectural complexities that must be reverse-engineered without official documentation from Apple.
