The Linux Mint logo in front of mint leaves
The Linux Mint team is testing the disc images of the upcoming version, which means it's not far away now. These will likely be Beta versions which will be released to the public for two weeks of testing before the Stable version is released.
Linux Mint 22.1, like preceding versions, will feature Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce editions so that users have a decent amount of choice. The Cinnamon edition will get a notable upgrade this time around because it ships with the new Cinnamon 6.4.
Cinnamon 6.4 includes an improved dark theme with better contrast and new dialog boxes. If you want to take a look at some of the screenshots, please check our previous coverage of Cinnamon 6.4.
As a point release of the 22.x series, it will still be supported until 2029, and upgrading to this version is not mandatory if you already have Linux Mint 22, though, you will be offered it and the upgrade is usually seamless.
Linux Mint 22 was codenamed Wilma, if the team sticks to tradition, 22.1 will also carry a female name beginning with W. Some possible codenames that we could see are Winifred, Winter, or Whitney.
Once the Beta has been released, we will get an official statement from the Linux Mint team who will call on its community to help test it. About two weeks later (but it could be longer), the Linux Mint team will release the Stable version and open up the upgrade path for existing users. If you're still on Linux Mint 21 or older, this would be a good time to finally upgrade.
Source: Linux Mint