The history of Linux interacting with the Windows file system is perhaps one of the longest and most complex in the world of operating systems. For years, users faced compromises: either slow performance or a lack of write support. However, with the release of the stable Linux kernel 7.1, scheduled for June 14–21, 2026, this era is coming to an end. A completely rewritten NTFS driver, worked on by a single developer for four years, has finally been merged into the kernel.
From "Resurrection" to Reality
When integrating the new code in April, Linus Torvalds used the expressive phrase "ntfs resurrection." This name accurately reflects the essence of the event: for those who remember the painful attempts of Linux to work correctly with Microsoft disks, the appearance of a native driver is not just an update, but a paradigm shift.
The new module replaces the outdated implementation, offering a clean codebase, write support, and modern capabilities. Driver activation is now handled via the NTFS_FS Kconfig switch, giving system administrators and distribution builders full control over the configuration.
A Long Road to Stability
To appreciate the scale of the changes, it is worth looking back. For many years, the built-in NTFS driver in the kernel supported read-only access. For writing, users were forced to use NTFS-3G — a solution based on FUSE. It worked, but at the cost of significant performance loss due to constant context switching between the kernel and user space.
In 2021, the situation seemed close to resolution: Paragon Software handed over the NTFS3 driver to the kernel, which entered Linux 5.15. It solved a number of problems, but over time development slowed down, and stability did not always meet community expectations.
Four Years of Work by One Engineer
The author of the new driver is Namjae Jeon — an engineer already known to the community as the creator of the exFAT driver for Linux. The path to integration was not easy: Torvalds initially rejected the pull request due to Git commit issues, and only after fixing the errors was the code finally accepted.
In the merge commit message, the kernel creator explained: "Adding a new NTFS driver from Namjae Jeon. This is the result of four years of work on cleaning up the codebase, adding write support, and implementing more modern capabilities compared to NTFS3".
Performance: The Numbers Speak for Themselves
The testing results obtained during the preview period look convincing. In multi-threaded write scenarios, the new driver demonstrates a speed increase of up to 110%. Mounting partitions occurs approximately four times faster than in previous implementations. Furthermore, xfstests coverage has grown from 273 to 326, indicating a serious approach to code reliability testing.
It is important to note that figures in the range of 35–110% were obtained in specific developer scenarios (developer benchmarks). Independent confirmation is not yet available, but even by the most modest estimates, this is a noticeable improvement for any user working in dual-boot mode or with external Windows drives.
Transition Period: NTFS3 is Not Disappearing
The appearance of the new driver does not mean the immediate removal of the old one. NTFS3 from Paragon Software remains in the kernel tree for now. Both drivers are available simultaneously, and the user can choose which one to use via Kconfig. The kernel team continues to receive fixes for NTFS3 in parallel.
Effectively, this is a transition period: the new driver must prove its stability in real-world conditions before NTFS3 disappears completely. For distributions, this means time for thorough testing before switching users to the new implementation by default.
When Will This Be Available to Users
For most desktop Linux users, the new driver will become available after updating the kernel to version 7.1 or later. Most likely, this will happen together with the next round of major distribution releases in the second half of 2026.
The stable release of Linux 7.1 is scheduled for June 14, if there are seven release candidates, or June 21 if an eighth is needed. Ubuntu 26.10, scheduled for October, will get Linux 7.2, however, many rolling distributions, such as Arch and Fedora, will switch to version 7.1 immediately after the stable release.