Linux Mint is suffering from nasty kernel crashes, but there's a quick way to go back

Published Jul 30, 2026, 11:05 PM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary Linux Mint's 7.0.0-28 kernel can cause kernel panics and pink screens for some users. To roll back, reboot, hold Shift or tap Esc at boot, pick "Advanced options for Linux Mint" and select an older kernel. Don't be put off using Linux Mint; the kernel swapper means you're not stuck, and Mint is still great for beginners. As much as I'd like to say that Linux is the best operating system out there and can do nothing wrong, the truth is, things do often go wrong. Such is the case with Linux Mint, which recently rolled out version 7.0.0-28 of the Linux kernel. Unfortunately, it seems that the update is causing chaos with some people's computers, but the good news is that it's easy to roll back to a previous kernel version. Linux Mint's 7.0.0-28 kernel update is causing panic among users Going back a kernel version is really easy Over on the Linux Mint subreddit, users are flooding in and creating posts about a kernel panic issue after updating Linux Mint with the 7.0.0-28 kernel. Because Linux Mint is some people's first Linux distro, people are getting hit with a bright pink screen and have no idea how to proceed with it. Fortunately, going back to the previous Linux kernel is simple. If you're getting hit by this nasty pink screen, turn off your computer, then turn it on again. As the PC boots, hold down the Shift key or tap the Esc key. In the menu that appears, pick "Advanced options for Linux Mint" and then select an older kernel. Linux Mint should hopefully boot up fine. If you're brand new to Linux and you're concerned about this kernel panic, don't let this put you off the open-source side of operating systems. After all, the built-in kernel swapper means you're never stuck with a dud PC when something like this happens. In fact, Linux Mint is still very much the best distro for beginners who don't want surprises.