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# It's Time to Ditch 32-Bit Linux for 64-Bit
- URL: https://itsfoss.com/news/64-bit-linux/
- Published: 2022-07-28T16:47:51.000Z
- Updated: 2022-07-28T16:49:14.000Z
- Author: Ankush Das
- Tags: Linux, News, #Import 2025-11-08 21:15

We have plenty of [Linux distributions tailored for 32-bit systems](https://itsfoss.com/32-bit-linux-distributions/).

So, why do I want to discourage using 32-bit and upgrade to 64-bit Linux instead?

There are a couple of reasons, and one of the biggest reasons came to the spotlight this week.

## 32-Bit: Ancient Hardware for E-Waste?

Of course, Linux distros allow you to re-use older hardware, unlike any other operating system.

You get the possibility to convert a system to a [media server](https://itsfoss.com/best-linux-media-server/), a storage server, and whatnot.

Here, I’m not giving you the idea to contribute more e-waste. It is always good to utilize your hardware as long as possible without replacing them.

However, the reasons not to use 32-bit systems may be more compelling than ever. The key highlight would be in terms of security and maintenance. 

## Improved Security With 64-bit Linux

Spectre vulnerability made the buzz in 2018 as a dangerous security issue for processors. While it was fixed for Intel and AMD processors, it was not a pretty situation. 

Unfortunately, a new exploit, **Retbleed**, a variant of Spectre, is here affecting Intel and AMD chips.

You can see it in action in the video below shared by the researchers who discovered it:

So, naturally, we need appropriate measures to address a fix for this new security vulnerability.

**Here comes the shocker**: 64-bit Linux kernels have received a fix for it to protect the necessary Intel/AMD processors in question. But, Linux 32-bit kernels remain vulnerable to Retbleed, as reported by [Phoronix](https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-x86-Retbleed?ref=itsfoss.com).

Pawan Gupta (Intel) responded to the concerns in the [kernel mailing list](https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20220715221901.xm3c4w4idqt67uja@desk/?ref=itsfoss.com) by mentioning:

> Intel is not aware of production environments that use 32-bit mode on Skylake-gen CPUs. So this should not be a concern.

Also, it is rare to see any efforts for 32-bit maintenance. So, it should not come as a surprise.

Hence, if you use your system for any tasks that a security issue can disrupt, you should steer clear of 32-bit kernels.

Of course, exceptions can include that you have an entirely offline setup. So, it would be up to you, but it is not recommended.

## Don’t Care About Security?

Even if you do not have a problem with not getting critical security fixes like Retbleed, there will be more trouble with 32-bit systems in 2022.

Software maintainers aeventually giveup on tools and Linux distribution updates to work well with 32-bit systems.

So, you may not be left with actively maintained programs for your 32-bit Linux system very soon.

Hence, it would be a good idea to make the switch (and upgrade) now. 

*Do you still use 32-bit Linux? What do you think about it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.*