Linux moves closer to retiring the x32 ABI after 14 years

Linux kernel developers have proposed the first step toward disabling the x32 ABI, a compatibility layer that combined x86_64 instructions with 32-bit pointers. A patch series dated October 8, 2026 places CONFIG_X86_X32_ABI behind the BROKEN condition, blocking it from normal kernel configuration.

• x32 debuted in Linux kernel 3.4 in 2012 as an ILP32 model
• The October 8, 2026 patch hides CONFIG_X86_X32_ABI behind BROKEN
• Enabling is blocked first; code removal follows in a later cycle
• x32 never saw broad adoption across Linux distributions