Oct 4, 2026 / News

Asahi Linux’s first M4 pull requests target kernel 7.4

The initial patches are enough to install the kernel on M4 hardware, but GPU work remains ahead.

Key points

Sven Peter submitted pull requests adding basic M4 support to Linux kernel 7.4.
The initial support covers a device tree for the M4 and the MacBook Neo, enough to install the kernel but not for practical use.
Further development, especially GPU support, is required before Linux is usable on M4 hardware.

Asahi Linux developer Sven Peter has submitted pull requests to add basic support for Apple’s M4 chip to Linux kernel 7.4, first reported by AppleInsider. The initial patches include a device tree for the M4 processor and for the MacBook Neo, Apple’s latest notebook. According to AppleInsider, the support is enough to install the kernel on M4 devices — the system can boot — but it is not sufficient for practical, everyday use.

Considerable further development remains necessary, particularly for GPU support, before Linux can function as a usable operating system on Apple’s newest hardware. The current pull requests only cover the basic kernel infrastructure; major subsystems such as the graphics stack still require extensive work. As such, the patches represent an early milestone in the effort to bring Linux to the M4 generation, but a fully functional port remains a work in progress.

Sources

AppleInsider — Initial basic M4 support coming to Linux 7.4

Apple Heat impact

● 0 Neutral

Moderate

This is a minor development in third-party operating system support for Apple's M4 chip, with no direct impact on Apple's product line or user experience.