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How to Upgrade an Ubuntu Server to a Newer LTS Release

Learn how to move an Ubuntu 24.04 LTS server to 26.04.1 safely: verify the point-release gate, prepare backups and console access, run do-release-upgrade, and validate services afterward.
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For a supported Ubuntu LTS server, the normal path is to bring the existing release fully up to date, make and test recoverable backups, then run sudo do-release-upgrade from a persistent console session. LTS-to-LTS offers are held until the first point release of the destination LTS. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (“Resolute Raccoon”) was released in April 2026, and Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS followed on 27 August 2026. Offers for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS servers were enabled in stages after 26.04.1, becoming available later in September 2026. If your 24.04 server still does not offer 26.04.1, check the release-upgrade policy, finish all pending updates, and allow for the staged rollout rather than forcing a development upgrade.

What changes when you move between LTS releases

An LTS release upgrade replaces the operating-system packages on the existing installation while attempting to preserve user data, service configuration, accounts, and installed applications. It is not the same operation as installing a new server image. Package configuration files can require decisions, third-party software can be disabled, services can restart during the process, and a reboot is normally required.

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Canonical makes LTS upgrades available only after the first point release of the newer LTS. For the current cycle, that means the supported 24.04 LTS to 26.04 LTS path is presented as an upgrade to 26.04.1, not to the original 26.04.0 image.

Milestone Date or status What it means for a 24.04 server
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS release April 2026 The new LTS exists, but the LTS upgrade offer is still gated.
Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS release 27 August 2026 The first point release satisfies the normal LTS-upgrade gate.
Upgrade offer enabled Staged after 26.04.1; reports place broad availability in September 2026 Different systems may see the offer at different times.

Check the Ubuntu release-cycle information before scheduling production work. It is the authoritative place to verify support windows for your current and target releases; do not infer urgency from the existence of a newer ISO alone.

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Decide whether an in-place upgrade is appropriate

Use an in-place upgrade when

  • The server has a tested backup and a maintenance window long enough for package downloads, configuration prompts, reboots, and service checks.
  • You have console access that does not depend on the SSH service being available.
  • The application stack is supported on the target Ubuntu release and you can recreate any external repositories or packages that are disabled.
  • You have enough free space on the root filesystem for downloaded packages, unpacking, temporary files, and old kernels. Published third-party estimates vary; plan conservatively for about 15 GB free on / and follow the upgrader’s own requirement message.

Prefer a replacement server when

  • The machine is business-critical and you can build a parallel instance, replicate data, test traffic switching, and retain the old host for rollback.
  • The installation has accumulated unsupported repositories, manually replaced system libraries, or software that cannot be rebuilt quickly.
  • The storage layout is nearly full, the boot process is fragile, or you cannot obtain out-of-band console access.

An in-place upgrade has no universal “undo” button. If it fails after packages have been changed, recovery normally means repairing the installation from the console or restoring the system and data from backups. Treat a provider snapshot as an additional recovery option, not as the only backup, and verify that the provider can actually restore it before the change window.

Prepare the server before touching the release

1. Record the current state

Capture the release, kernel, storage, network identity, enabled services, and package sources. These records make it possible to compare the host after the reboot.

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cat /etc/os-release
uname -r
hostnamectl
df -h
lsblk
systemctl --type=service --state=running
apt-mark showmanual
apt-cache policy

Save the output outside the server, such as in your change ticket or an administrator workstation. Also record firewall rules, static routes, mount points, scheduled jobs, container definitions, and the versions of critical applications.

2. Create backups you can restore

At minimum, make a copy of /etc, application data under /home or other service directories, and every database. A configuration archive alone is not a database backup: use the database engine’s consistent dump or physical-backup procedure, then test a restore on a separate system.

  • Back up SSH host keys if clients pin them, TLS certificates and private keys, service credentials, cron and systemd unit files, and package-repository definitions.
  • Keep one copy off the server and retain the last known-good backup until the upgraded host has passed production validation.
  • Document how to boot the provider’s rescue environment or attach the disk to another instance.
  • Confirm that the backup contains the data you believe it contains; check file counts, archive listings, and a sample restore.

3. Arrange a maintenance and access plan

Notify users, pause jobs that write heavily, and decide how you will drain or stop application traffic. Keep a provider console, KVM, serial console, or equivalent out-of-band channel open. SSH can be interrupted by a network change or a daemon restart; do not make an SSH-only recovery plan.

4. Check capacity and health

Inspect df -h and df -i, especially the root, /boot, and /var filesystems. Remove only files you understand, such as obsolete package caches and old logs; never delete active database files or unknown files under /var/lib. Resolve existing disk, filesystem, or SMART errors before beginning.

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5. Check repositories and application support

List files in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ and identify packages that came from outside the Ubuntu archive. The release upgrader may disable third-party repositories because their packages are not built for the target release. Obtain target-release instructions from each software vendor, but do not enable every old repository immediately after the reboot.

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Bring 24.04 fully up to date

Run the normal update cycle while the server is still on its current release. Do this during the maintenance window if updates might restart services.

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
dpkg --audit

Resolve held, broken, or half-configured packages before attempting the release change. If the kernel, libc, init system, OpenSSH, or other boot-critical packages changed, reboot and verify that the server returns normally:

sudo reboot

After reconnecting through the console or SSH, repeat sudo apt update, confirm that no upgrades remain, and check the running kernel with uname -r. A release upgrade should start from a clean package state.

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Verify that the upgrader is configured to offer the next LTS

Install the upgrader component

Most Ubuntu Server installations already include the release-upgrader command. If the command is missing, install the package while still on 24.04:

sudo apt install ubuntu-release-upgrader-core

Check the LTS prompt policy

Open the policy file:

sudoedit /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades

For an LTS-to-LTS move, the setting should permit LTS prompts:

Prompt=lts

Prompt=never suppresses release offers. A policy that asks for ordinary releases instead of LTS releases can also produce an unexpected result, so correct the value, save the file, and close the editor before retrying.

Run the LTS upgrade safely over SSH

The following workflow reflects the standard Ubuntu release-upgrader process described by widely used administration guides. Read the prompts on your machine carefully; package selections and questions vary with the services installed. Canonical’s release notes for 26.04 contain the changes relevant to systems coming from 24.04.

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1. Start a persistent terminal

tmux new -s lts-upgrade

If tmux is not installed, use screen or perform the work from the out-of-band console. A persistent terminal does not protect against a host reboot, but it protects the interactive upgrader from a normal SSH disconnect. Before starting, note how to detach from and reattach to the session.

2. Launch the release upgrader

sudo do-release-upgrade

The tool checks the current release, available target releases, disk space, package state, and repositories. Read each summary. It may tell you which packages will be installed, removed, or kept back and how much data will be downloaded. Decline and investigate if the proposed removals affect an essential service.

3. Handle configuration-file prompts deliberately

When a locally modified configuration file conflicts with a package version, the prompt normally offers the current file, the package maintainer’s version, or a way to inspect differences. Preserve the current file only when you understand the new defaults it may be missing; choosing the maintainer version can overwrite site-specific settings. Save a copy of either version for comparison before proceeding.

4. Let package configuration and reboots finish

Do not close the terminal, power off the host, or run a second package manager while the upgrader is unpacking and configuring packages. If the process pauses for a question, answer it from the console. When it requests a reboot, do so only after confirming that you have console access and that dependent operators know the service will be unavailable.

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5. Reconnect and complete cleanup

After the machine returns, reconnect through the console first if possible. Check whether the upgrader reports unfinished configuration, then run:

sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt -f install
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade

Only run commands that match the state reported by the upgrader; if it completed cleanly, the repair commands should make no changes.

Why 26.04.1 may not appear yet

The point-release gate

Before 27 August 2026, an LTS server on 24.04 was not expected to receive the normal 26.04 LTS offer. The existence of a 26.04 ISO did not remove that gate.

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Staged enablement

Ubuntu announced that 24.04 users would be offered 26.04.1 a couple of weeks after the point release, with the delay allowing planned backports for regressions in rust-coreutils. Reports later in September described the 24.04-to-26.04.1 offer as live, while community guidance emphasized that ISO publication and upgrade enablement are separate events. A machine can therefore be correctly configured and still wait for the rollout.

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Local policy or package problems

Check these conditions before assuming a rollout problem:

  • /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades is not set to Prompt=never.
  • sudo apt update completes without repository or signature errors.
  • sudo apt full-upgrade leaves no pending upgrades, held packages, or interrupted configuration.
  • The machine is actually running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, rather than a non-LTS release or a derivative with a different upgrader.
  • The root filesystem has sufficient free space and the server can resolve and reach Ubuntu archive mirrors.

Do not use the -d option merely to bypass the offer. Development-release overrides were described by some third-party articles before 26.04.1, but they were not confirmed here by an official Canonical server procedure and can select a development target rather than the intended stable LTS.

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Validate the upgraded server before returning traffic

Confirm release and package state

cat /etc/os-release
uname -r
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
dpkg --audit

Confirm that the release reports 26.04 or 26.04.1 as appropriate, that no package configuration is pending, and that the running kernel is the one selected by the new release.

Check boot, storage, and networking

  • Review the previous boot for errors with journalctl -b -p err and inspect service-specific logs.
  • Verify all expected mounts with findmnt, disk usage with df -h, and network addresses, routes, DNS, and firewall policy.
  • Confirm that remote administration, monitoring, backups, time synchronization, and log forwarding work from an external host.

Check every production service

Use systemctl --failed and then test each application through its real interface, not just its unit status. Check databases for clean startup and replication, web servers for certificate and virtual-host loading, queues for message continuity, containers for image and volume availability, and scheduled jobs for the expected interpreter and paths.

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Re-enable external repositories one at a time

Inspect the files in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/. Re-enable only repositories that explicitly support 26.04, refresh package metadata, and upgrade or reinstall their packages individually. After each change, run a focused service test. If a repository has no 26.04 build, leave it disabled and use the vendor’s supported installation method instead of forcing packages built for 24.04.

Common failure modes and recovery paths

The command says no new release is available

Check the point-release date, staged rollout status, Prompt=lts, and package cleanliness in that order. Repeat the check after the server is fully updated. If production timing is important, use a parallel 26.04.1 instance rather than forcing an unverified development target.

A repository or signature error blocks apt update

Identify the failing entry, contact its maintainer, and temporarily disable only that entry if it is not required for the base system. Do not ignore errors from Ubuntu’s own archives. Once metadata updates cleanly, complete the full upgrade before retrying.

The upgrader stops on a package configuration error

Keep the console session open and read the named package and file. Do not terminate dpkg or delete lock files. If the upgrader has exited, capture its message, run the prescribed package-configuration command from the console, and use sudo dpkg --configure -a followed by sudo apt -f install only when the package manager is no longer running.

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SSH disconnects during the upgrade

Reconnect through the out-of-band console first, then reattach to tmux or screen. Do not start a second upgrader. Determine whether the original process is still active and allow it to finish before taking corrective action. An auxiliary SSH daemon on a special port is sometimes mentioned in third-party instructions, but its presence and port are not guaranteed; rely on the current console output and your provider’s documented access method.

The server boots but a service is down

Run systemctl status service-name, inspect journalctl -u service-name -b, and compare the saved configuration with the package’s new default. Common causes include a disabled third-party repository, a changed library or runtime version, a configuration-file replacement, a missing mount, or a certificate and permission mismatch. Restore the smallest necessary configuration change, test, and document it before reopening traffic.

The upgrade cannot be completed

Use the provider console and the upgrader’s logs to determine whether the system is repairable in place. If boot, package, or filesystem damage makes the result uncertain, stop making ad-hoc changes and restore the tested backup or rebuild a clean 26.04.1 server, then restore application data. Preserve the failed disk or snapshot for later diagnosis.

Protecting data during an LTS upgrade

An in-place upgrade is designed to retain data, but retention is not a guarantee against operator error, hardware failure, incompatible applications, or an interrupted package transaction. The practical safeguards are operational rather than a special “no data loss” switch:

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  • Use consistent database backups and perform a restore rehearsal before the window.
  • Keep an external copy of /etc, application data, keys, and service definitions.
  • Use console access and a persistent terminal for the upgrader.
  • Record the pre-upgrade package and service inventory so missing components are visible.
  • Keep the old server, image, or snapshot available until application and monitoring checks pass.
  • Do not delete the only backup or immediately prune the old kernel and logs while validating the new release.

A concise change-window checklist

  1. Verify that the target is Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS and that the LTS offer is enabled for your 24.04 system.
  2. Check Ubuntu’s release-cycle information for current support dates and read the 26.04 release notes.
  3. Inventory packages, services, repositories, mounts, firewall rules, and application dependencies.
  4. Back up /etc, user and application data, databases, keys, and recovery information; test a restore.
  5. Arrange a maintenance window, external monitoring, and out-of-band console access.
  6. Check root, boot, and inode capacity; plan conservatively for roughly 15 GB free on root and obey the upgrader’s own check.
  7. Run sudo apt update, sudo apt full-upgrade, and dpkg --audit; reboot if boot-critical packages changed.
  8. Install ubuntu-release-upgrader-core if necessary and set Prompt=lts.
  9. Start tmux or screen, run sudo do-release-upgrade, and review every proposed removal and configuration choice.
  10. After reboot, verify the release, package state, boot, storage, network, monitoring, backups, and each production service.
  11. Re-enable only repositories that support 26.04, one at a time, and retain the rollback path until validation is complete.

When to schedule the move

For a non-critical test or development host, upgrade after the 26.04.1 offer appears and you have a tested restore path. For production, schedule the change when application owners, operators, and the person holding console access are all available. The release-cycle page should determine support urgency; the date of the new ISO alone should not force an immediate change.

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