Flatpak 1.16.2, a universal app delivery framework for Linux, introduces reinstall support for bundle installs, Intel Xe VA-API enablement, and multiple stability and security fixes.

Over seven months after the previous 1.16.1 release, Flatpak, a universal Linux packaging system for distributing desktop applications in sandboxed environments, has released version 1.16.2 as the second bugfix update in the 1.16 series.

One of the most practical user-facing changes is the addition of reinstall support for bundle installations. Until now, applications installed from local .flatpak bundle files required manual removal before reinstalling or updating. With 1.16.2, Flatpak can now cleanly overwrite an existing bundle-based installation, bringing bundle installs in line with repository-based workflows.

Hardware support also sees a targeted improvement, with the VA-API extension now enabled for Intel Xe GPUs. This allows Flatpak-packaged applications better to leverage hardware-accelerated video decoding on newer Intel graphics, improving media playback efficiency and performance where supported.