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Safest practice is to read the target release notes, fully update the Ubuntu installation you already have, check disk space, plan for interactive prompts, disable or account for third-party repositories, and make a separate, restorable backup. Start a supported release upgrade from Software Updater on Desktop or with sudo do-release-upgrade on Server, cloud images, or a command-line workflow. If a power interruption leaves a bootable system in an incomplete package state, Ubuntu documents sudo dpkg --configure -a followed by sudo apt --fix-broken install. If you cannot log in, use GRUB recovery mode for diagnostic access and contact Ubuntu support if those steps do not restore the system.
What a safe Ubuntu release upgrade involves
A release upgrade replaces the operating system’s package set, adjusts repositories, and may change configuration files. It is different from installing routine updates: hundreds of packages can be downloaded, the download can consume several gigabytes, and the upgrader may stop for questions that require your response. A reliable process therefore has four parts: preparation, a supported launch method, uninterrupted time while packages are changed, and a recovery plan that does not depend on the upgraded installation being healthy.
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Ubuntu does not publish a universal success or failure percentage for release upgrades in its official upgrade and recovery guidance. Treat the procedure as normally manageable but capable of leaving an installation needing repair, especially when power is lost, storage fills, or third-party packages conflict.
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Read the target release notes
Check the release notes for the Ubuntu version you intend to install before changing anything. They list known issues, changes, and release-specific blockers. Availability is staged: an LTS-to-LTS upgrade generally becomes available with the first point release, while an interim-release upgrade may appear a few days after the release while critical issues are addressed. Consequently, two otherwise identical computers may not receive the prompt at the same time.
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Use the release notes to confirm that your current release has a supported path to the target. Do not treat a development-release option as a normal production shortcut. Ubuntu documents --devel-release for trying a development release and warns that it is unsupported and could break the system.
Bring the current release completely up to date
Finish ordinary updates first. An incomplete or partially upgraded starting point makes a release transition harder to diagnose. On Ubuntu Desktop, open a terminal and run:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgradeOn Ubuntu Server, the documented sequence is:
sudo apt update
sudo apt dist-upgrade -o APT::Get::Always-Include-Phased-Updates=trueWait for each command to finish successfully. If the package manager reports errors, resolve them before attempting the release upgrade rather than proceeding past a known broken state. Reboot when the updater requests it or when a completed update requires a reboot, then sign in and confirm that the machine is operating normally.
Check storage, power and time
The upgrader downloads hundreds of new packages and can require several gigabytes of temporary and installed space. Check that the system partition has comfortable free capacity, not merely enough for the initial download. Remove only files you can identify safely; do not delete package or system directories just to make a number fit.
Use a reliable power source. A desktop should not be switched off during package configuration, and a laptop should be connected to its charger. If you are upgrading remotely, arrange a stable connection and a way to keep the session alive. Set aside enough time to answer prompts: an unattended session can pause while waiting for a response, making an apparently frozen upgrade look worse than it is.
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Account for third-party repositories and packages
Ubuntu disables PPAs and other third-party repositories during a release upgrade. Software installed from those sources may remain on the machine, but its repository may no longer provide packages for the new release. Third-party packages are a common source of upgrade problems, so do not assume that every external application will continue to work immediately afterward.
Record which external repositories and manually installed packages you rely on before starting. After the upgrade, re-enable only repositories that explicitly support the new Ubuntu release, and check their maintainers’ instructions. If an application is critical, confirm that a compatible build exists before you begin; otherwise, plan to leave its repository disabled until compatibility is clear.
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Make and test a separate backup
Ubuntu recommends a backup because an upgrade can go wrong and a backup allows restoration. Copy important documents, photographs, project files, configuration exports and other irreplaceable data to a destination separate from the disk being upgraded. An external USB drive is one practical option; Ubuntu does not specify a required capacity, model or brand.
A backup is useful only if you can read it. Open several copied files, check that the expected directories are present, and keep the drive disconnected after verification until the upgrade is complete. If you use an encrypted or application-specific backup, make sure you have the recovery key or password and know how to restore it without relying on the installation you are about to modify.
Choose the supported way to launch the upgrade
| Situation | Recommended start | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Desktop and you prefer a graphical interface | Software Updater | The updater checks eligibility, offers the release transition when available, and presents package and configuration prompts. |
| Ubuntu Desktop and you prefer a terminal | sudo do-release-upgrade |
The same release-upgrade process runs interactively in the terminal, including checks and a package-change summary. |
| Ubuntu Server or a cloud image | sudo do-release-upgrade |
Ubuntu’s Server guidance recommends the command-line release upgrader for these editions. |
Ubuntu’s Server documentation states: “We recommend upgrading the system using the do-release-upgrade command on Server edition and cloud images.” The command is designed to select a supported target and perform prerequisite checks; it is preferable to changing repository names by hand.
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When the target is not offered yet
If Software Updater says the upgrade is unavailable, first verify that your current installation is fully updated and that the target’s availability policy has been met. LTS-to-LTS offers normally wait for the first point release. Interim offers can be delayed for a few days while serious issues are addressed. A missing prompt is therefore not, by itself, evidence that the installation is broken.
Do not use --devel-release to bypass a staged production offer. Ubuntu describes that option as a way to try a development release, warns that it is unsupported, and notes that it might break the system. It is inappropriate for a machine on which reliability or recoverability matters.
Run the release upgrade step by step
Desktop: Software Updater
- Save work, close applications that are not needed, connect the computer to reliable power, and make sure your separate backup is available.
- Open Software Updater and allow it to check for updates. Install any ordinary updates it offers, then restart if requested.
- When the supported release offer appears, read the release information and the list of packages and configuration changes.
- Start the upgrade only after confirming that the target release is the one you intend to install and that you can stay available for questions.
- Read each configuration-file or service prompt. Keep the existing configuration when it contains deliberate local changes; accept a maintainer version when you understand that the new default is required. If you are unsure, record the choice and investigate after the system is stable.
- Leave the computer powered and connected until the upgrader reports completion and asks for a restart. Reboot when instructed.
Desktop, Server or cloud image: command line
- Log in locally or through a dependable remote session. For a remote Server upgrade, use an access method that will not disappear when services restart, and keep an alternative console available if your hosting environment provides one.
- Confirm that routine updates completed, then start the supported upgrader:
sudo do-release-upgrade- Let the tool perform its checks. It should identify the target, calculate package changes, and show a summary before committing to the transition.
- Read the summary carefully. It can identify packages to install, remove or upgrade and may warn about obsolete software or disabled external sources. Cancel at this point if the proposed changes are unexpected; investigate while the old release still runs.
- Answer prompts as they appear, including service restarts and configuration-file decisions. Do not close the terminal or terminate the session while packages are being unpacked or configured.
- When the tool finishes, follow its restart instruction. Keep the terminal output or a photograph of any error message if the process does not complete; those details are useful for support.
What to do while the upgrade appears slow
Large downloads, disk activity and package configuration can make the desktop unresponsive for periods of time. A slow phase is not automatically a failed phase. Check for visible progress, disk activity or a prompt waiting for input before interrupting anything. Do not force a power-off merely because the screen has not changed for a few minutes.
If the process is waiting for a question, answer it. If it is downloading, allow the transfer to finish. If there is genuinely no progress and you can still access a terminal, note the last displayed package or message before seeking help rather than killing the package manager blindly. An interruption during unpacking or configuration can leave packages only partly installed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If the system powered off during the upgrade
First restart normally
Ubuntu’s Desktop troubleshooting guidance for a power interruption says to start the computer again; the upgrade may resume. Give it time to reach a login screen. If you can sign in, do not immediately launch another release upgrade or remove packages at random. Repair the incomplete package state with the documented commands:
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sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt --fix-broken installdpkg --configure -a configures packages that were unpacked but not configured. apt --fix-broken install then attempts to correct dependency problems. Run the commands in that order and wait for each to finish. If either command reports an error, preserve the complete output.
These are a limited first response for the documented interruption scenario. They are not a universal repair for every bootloader failure, damaged filesystem, full disk, hardware fault or repository conflict. Do not treat a successful command as proof that every application or service is healthy; check the services and data that matter to you before returning the machine to normal use.
If you cannot log in
When normal login fails, use GRUB’s recovery mode to obtain diagnostic and repair access:
- Restart the computer and open the GRUB menu. The key and timing vary with firmware and configuration; if the menu is hidden, try the platform’s usual method for displaying it during startup.
- Select Advanced options.
- Choose the recovery-mode entry for the appropriate kernel.
- From the recovery menu, select Drop to root shell prompt.
A root shell lets you inspect errors and perform carefully chosen repairs when the graphical login cannot start. Recovery mode is an access and diagnostic path, not a guarantee that one command sequence will fix the upgrade. Record the exact boot or package error before changing files, and avoid deleting packages or editing repository definitions without understanding the dependency consequences.
When to stop repairing and seek Ubuntu support
- The machine cannot reach GRUB recovery mode or cannot produce a usable shell.
- The package-repair commands fail repeatedly, request dependencies that are unavailable, or leave the package database reporting errors.
- The root filesystem is full, reports filesystem damage, or the storage device is showing hardware errors.
- The upgrade removed or disabled a service that the machine requires and you cannot identify a supported replacement package.
- You are unsure whether a configuration-file choice, repository change or boot error is safe to alter.
Ubuntu recommends seeking help through its support channels when you cannot log in or when the documented repair commands do not work. Provide the Ubuntu release you started from and targeted, whether the machine is Desktop or Server, the point at which the upgrade stopped, and the complete error text. Mention whether power was interrupted and which commands you already ran. Clear, exact details reduce the risk of repeating destructive steps.
After a successful reboot
Sign in and confirm that the new release is running, that your network and storage are available, and that important applications and services start. Run a normal package refresh to check that the package manager is healthy, and inspect the software sources: PPAs and other third-party repositories may still be disabled by design. Re-enable only sources that support the new release, then update and test the associated application.
Check a sample of files from the separate backup and verify that essential services, scheduled jobs and user permissions survived the transition. Keep the backup untouched until you have completed these checks. If a third-party application fails, consult its maintainer for a build compatible with the new Ubuntu release rather than forcing an old repository to provide packages.
Quick Recap
A compact pre-flight and recovery checklist
Before starting
- Read the target release notes and confirm the supported upgrade path.
- Complete
sudo apt updateand the appropriate upgrade command for your edition. - Reboot if requested and verify the current system is functioning.
- Check several gigabytes of free space plus room for temporary files.
- Plan uninterrupted power, connectivity and time for interactive prompts.
- List third-party repositories and applications; expect those repositories to be disabled during the transition.
- Create, verify and disconnect a separate backup.
During the transition
- Use Software Updater on Desktop or
sudo do-release-upgradeon Server and cloud images. - Read the package-change summary before accepting.
- Answer configuration and service prompts deliberately.
- Do not force a shutdown while packages are being unpacked or configured.
After an interruption
- Restart once and see whether the upgrader resumes.
- If you can log in, run
sudo dpkg --configure -a, thensudo apt --fix-broken install. - If login fails, use GRUB’s Advanced options, the appropriate recovery-mode kernel, and Drop to root shell prompt.
- If recovery access or package repair fails, stop and provide Ubuntu support with the exact errors.
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