Here is some information which I think will be useful. Although I am not certain about its relevancy.
user@localhost ~ → sudo bootctl list
[sudo] password for root:
type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
title: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20260917 (default) (selected)
id: opensuse-tumbleweed-7.2.6-1-default-386.conf
source: /boot/efi//loader/entries/opensuse-tumbleweed-7.2.6-1-default-386.conf (on the EFI System Partition)
sort-key: opensuse-tumbleweed
version: 386@7.2.6-1-default
linux: /boot/efi//opensuse-tumbleweed/7.2.6-1-default/linux-15ce62d5381d89cb622426c2ec137fdb56057986
initrd: /boot/efi//opensuse-tumbleweed/7.2.6-1-default/initrd-a2554e747d2254b640f4d3142f95c6157fbcf9a5
options: root=UUID=ced76553-425e-485c-ba40-c63d0cccffe1 splash=silent quiet ideapad_laptop.allow_v4_dytc=Y amd_pstate=active security=selinux selinux=1 mitigati>
type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
title: Snapper: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20260919 (399,7.2.6-1-default,2026-09-21 14:36:05, post, zypp(zypper))
id: opensuse-tumbleweed-7.2.6-1-default-399.conf
source: /boot/efi//loader/entries/opensuse-tumbleweed-7.2.6-1-default-399.conf (on the EFI System Partition)
sort-key: snapper-opensuse-tumbleweed
version: 399@7.2.6-1-default
linux: /boot/efi//opensuse-tumbleweed/7.2.6-1-default/linux-15ce62d5381d89cb622426c2ec137fdb56057986
initrd: /boot/efi//opensuse-tumbleweed/7.2.6-1-default/initrd-a2554e747d2254b640f4d3142f95c6157fbcf9a5
options: root=UUID=ced76553-425e-485c-ba40-c63d0cccffe1 splash=silent quiet ideapad_laptop.allow_v4_dytc=Y amd_pstate=active security=selinux selinux=1 mitigati>
type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
title: Snapper: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20260919 (399,7.2.5-1-default,2026-09-21 14:36:05, post, zypp(zypper))
id: opensuse-tumbleweed-7.2.5-1-default-399.conf
source: /boot/efi//loader/entries/opensuse-tumbleweed-7.2.5-1-default-399.conf (on the EFI System Partition)
sort-key: snapper-opensuse-tumbleweed
version: 399@7.2.5-1-default
linux: /boot/efi//opensuse-tumbleweed/7.2.5-1-default/linux-caec3589041dab18da2cba0c3b3087dd02593439
initrd: /boot/efi//opensuse-tumbleweed/7.2.5-1-default/initrd-7315a0f7c30531dd57d46739e9eb9b5dba64915d
options: root=UUID=ced76553-425e-485c-ba40-c63d0cccffe1 splash=silent quiet ideapad_laptop.allow_v4_dytc=Y amd_pstate=active security=selinux selinux=1 mitigati>
type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
title: Snapper: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20260918 (398,7.2.6-1-default,2026-09-21 14:35:29, pre, zypp(zypper))
id: opensuse-tumbleweed-7.2.6-1-default-398.conf
source: /boot/efi//loader/entries/opensuse-tumbleweed-7.2.6-1-default-398.conf (on the EFI System Partition)
sort-key: snapper-opensuse-tumbleweed
version: 398@7.2.6-1-default
linux: /boot/efi//opensuse-tumbleweed/7.2.6-1-default/linux-15ce62d5381d89cb622426c2ec137fdb56057986
initrd: /boot/efi//opensuse-tumbleweed/7.2.6-1-default/initrd-a2554e747d2254b640f4d3142f95c6157fbcf9a5
options: root=UUID=ced76553-425e-485c-ba40-c63d0cccffe1 splash=silent quiet ideapad_laptop.allow_v4_dytc=Y amd_pstate=active security=selinux selinux=1 mitigati>
type: Automatic
title: Windows Boot Manager
id: auto-windows
source: /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/LoaderEntries-4a67b082-0a4c-41cf-b6c7-440b29bb8c4f (on the EFI System Partition)
type: Automatic
title: EFI Default Loader
id: auto-efi-default
source: /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/LoaderEntries-4a67b082-0a4c-41cf-b6c7-440b29bb8c4f (on the EFI System Partition)
type: Automatic
title: Reboot Into Firmware Interface
id: auto-reboot-to-firmware-setup
source: /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/LoaderEntries-4a67b082-0a4c-41cf-b6c7-440b29bb8c4f (on the EFI System Partition)
user@localhost ~ → cat /etc/os-release
NAME="openSUSE Tumbleweed"
# VERSION="20260919"
ID="opensuse-tumbleweed"
ID_LIKE="opensuse suse"
VERSION_ID="20260919"
PRETTY_NAME="openSUSE Tumbleweed"
ANSI_COLOR="0;32"
# CPE 2.3 format, boo#1217921
CPE_NAME="cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:tumbleweed:20260919:*:*:*:*:*:*:*"
#CPE 2.2 format
#CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:opensuse:tumbleweed:20260919"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugzilla.opensuse.org"
SUPPORT_URL="https://bugs.opensuse.org"
HOME_URL="https://www.opensuse.org"
DOCUMENTATION_URL="https://en.opensuse.org/Portal:Tumbleweed"
LOGO="distributor-logo-Tumbleweed"
user@localhost ~ → uname -a
Linux localhost.localdomain 7.2.6-1-default #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue Sep 15 06:50:07 UTC 2026 (3d19f11) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
user@localhost ~ → sudo snapper list
# │ Type │ Pre # │ Date │ User │ Used Space │ Cleanup │ Description │ Userdata
─────┼────────┼───────┼─────────────────────────────────┼──────┼────────────┼─────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────
0 │ single │ │ │ root │ │ │ current │
59 │ pre │ │ Thu 13 Aug 2026 11:45:24 PM IST │ root │ 247.96 MiB │ │ before applying changes │
94 │ pre │ │ Sat 15 Aug 2026 01:14:51 AM IST │ root │ 185.39 MiB │ │ before applying changes │
138 │ pre │ │ Sun 16 Aug 2026 02:31:36 PM IST │ root │ 22.20 MiB │ │ Before BIOS/UEFI update │
139 │ pre │ │ Sun 16 Aug 2026 08:43:09 PM IST │ root │ 22.52 MiB │ │ power profiles GUI issue resolved state │
168 │ pre │ │ Tue 18 Aug 2026 01:14:21 PM IST │ root │ 277.63 MiB │ │ Before Windows update 8-18-26 │
208 │ pre │ │ Thu 20 Aug 2026 04:40:13 PM IST │ root │ 206.49 MiB │ │ Before running the new custom command │
225 │ pre │ │ Fri 21 Aug 2026 05:23:27 PM IST │ root │ 218.79 MiB │ │ After finishing basic customization │
301 │ pre │ │ Tue 01 Sep 2026 12:30:41 PM IST │ root │ 1.83 GiB │ │ Before Windows update │
316 │ pre │ │ Sun 06 Sep 2026 05:17:25 PM IST │ root │ 1.08 GiB │ │ before checking for win updates sept 6 │
358 │ pre │ │ Wed 16 Sep 2026 01:05:14 AM IST │ root │ 16.69 MiB │ │ pre-MajorPackageModification │
367 │ pre │ │ Wed 16 Sep 2026 01:40:46 AM IST │ root │ 3.54 MiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=yes
368 │ post │ 367 │ Wed 16 Sep 2026 01:42:51 AM IST │ root │ 48.89 MiB │ number │ │ important=yes
369 │ pre │ │ Wed 16 Sep 2026 01:46:41 AM IST │ root │ 432.00 KiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=yes
370 │ post │ 369 │ Wed 16 Sep 2026 01:47:11 AM IST │ root │ 22.12 MiB │ number │ │ important=yes
377 │ pre │ │ Thu 17 Sep 2026 04:51:33 PM IST │ root │ 84.07 MiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=yes
378 │ post │ 377 │ Thu 17 Sep 2026 04:52:36 PM IST │ root │ 114.97 MiB │ number │ │ important=yes
385 │ single │ │ Sun 20 Sep 2026 01:24:48 AM IST │ root │ 24.96 MiB │ number │ rollback backup of #366 │ important=yes
386* │ single │ │ Sun 20 Sep 2026 01:25:07 AM IST │ root │ 168.76 MiB │ │ writable copy of #384 │
387 │ pre │ │ Sun 20 Sep 2026 01:34:32 AM IST │ root │ 6.38 MiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=yes
388 │ post │ 387 │ Sun 20 Sep 2026 01:35:55 AM IST │ root │ 50.74 MiB │ number │ │ important=yes
389 │ pre │ │ Sun 20 Sep 2026 01:36:53 AM IST │ root │ 3.66 MiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=yes
390 │ pre │ │ Sun 20 Sep 2026 09:46:22 PM IST │ root │ 1.46 MiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=no
391 │ post │ 390 │ Sun 20 Sep 2026 09:46:46 PM IST │ root │ 2.18 MiB │ number │ │ important=no
392 │ pre │ │ Sun 20 Sep 2026 10:03:08 PM IST │ root │ 308.00 KiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=no
393 │ post │ 392 │ Sun 20 Sep 2026 10:03:28 PM IST │ root │ 1.93 MiB │ number │ │ important=no
394 │ pre │ │ Mon 21 Sep 2026 01:47:29 AM IST │ root │ 6.33 MiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=no
395 │ post │ 394 │ Mon 21 Sep 2026 01:48:10 AM IST │ root │ 66.48 MiB │ number │ │ important=no
396 │ pre │ │ Mon 21 Sep 2026 01:49:16 AM IST │ root │ 448.00 KiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=no
397 │ post │ 396 │ Mon 21 Sep 2026 01:49:36 AM IST │ root │ 712.00 KiB │ number │ │ important=no
398 │ pre │ │ Mon 21 Sep 2026 02:35:29 PM IST │ root │ 1.96 MiB │ number │ zypp(zypper) │ important=no
399 │ post │ 398 │ Mon 21 Sep 2026 02:36:05 PM IST │ root │ 25.08 MiB │ number │ │ important=no
My confusion started when I saw that the snapshot ID mentioned in the title of the default bootloader entry in the boot screen was lagging behind the latest installed TW snapshot via zypper. I had to do a rollback a few weeks ago, and only recently noticed that the snapshot which was active for me, past that, multiple snapshots had been automatically created. I thought, let’s roll “back” to a newer snapshot. I ran the latest snapshot, tested that it was working fine for a day, and rolled back to it a couple days ago (I think). I’ve run a few dist-updates, till now. And the curent snapper list(as seen above) has much similarity to whatever was before - active snapshot is 386 (further behind) and latest snapshot is 399 (further ahead). (I did rollbacks using sudo snapper rollback #abc in a default shell, if that matters)
The actual active snapshot version and kernel version appears to be what’s latest.
I tried reading this ArchWiki page, but didn’t leave the page with much.
I want to know, if I need to keep rolling back to newer snapshot IDs via snapper? Is this completely normal behavior? Other than that, is there anything I need to do?
I apologize if this is a very basic, surface level thing to know already. But I figured it’s better to not make guesses myself while I am below half-knowledged about these things.