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Update packages, upgrade Ubuntu, or reinstall?
These operations are different:
- Regular package update: updates Ubuntu 24.04 packages while keeping Ubuntu 24.04.
- Release upgrade: moves the operating system, such as Ubuntu 24.04 LTS to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.
- Kernel update: can arrive through ordinary package updates and does not necessarily change the Ubuntu release.
- Clean installation: replaces the operating system; you restore files and reinstall applications yourself.
Identify the current release before choosing a path:
lsb_release -a
cat /etc/os-releaseTo see pending package updates, run:
sudo apt update
apt list --upgradableChoose an upgrade path
| Current system | Normal supported path |
|---|---|
| Older LTS | Upgrade one sequential LTS release at a time. |
| Current LTS | Upgrade to the next LTS when Canonical opens that path, commonly after the target’s first point release. |
| Interim release | Move to the next sequential release before its nine-month support period ends. |
| End-of-life release | Repair repositories or use an intermediate route; a clean installation may be safer. |
| Ubuntu Desktop | Use Software Updater or do-release-upgrade. |
| Ubuntu Server | Use do-release-upgrade, normally during a maintenance window. |
| Ubuntu on WSL | Use the separate WSL upgrade procedure. |
Ubuntu supports sequential upgrades rather than arbitrary LTS skips. The existence of a new ISO does not guarantee that every previous LTS already has an in-place upgrade offer; follow the upgrader’s availability check. See Canonical’s Desktop guidance.
In-place upgrade or clean installation?
| In-place upgrade | Clean installation | |
|---|---|---|
| Preservation | Keeps the existing installation, home directory and much configuration. | Requires restoring data and reinstalling applications. |
| Disruption | Usually less disruptive, but still requires downtime. | More setup and restore work. |
| Best when | The system is supported, healthy and reasonably maintained. | The installation is corrupted, heavily customized, badly outdated, or needs new partitioning, encryption, boot mode or architecture. |
| Main risk | Old PPAs, drivers and configuration can carry problems forward. | An untested backup or incomplete restore can cause data loss. |
Prepare Ubuntu before upgrading
Install all current-release updates
On Server or the command line:
sudo apt update
sudo apt dist-upgrade -o APT::Get::Always-Include-Phased-Updates=trueConfirm both commands finish successfully and that no further updates remain. On Desktop, open Software Updater, install everything offered, and restart if requested.
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Check architecture and reboot status
uname -m
lsb_release -a
test -e /run/reboot-required && echo "Reboot required" || echo "No reboot required"If a reboot is required, complete it before the release upgrade:
sudo rebootUbuntu 26.04 LTS lists amd64, armhf, arm64, s390x, riscv64 and ppc64el-p9 support, but verify hardware and edition compatibility for your machine on the release-cycle page.
Check free space
df -h /
df -h /bootThe upgrader downloads hundreds of packages and needs temporary space. There is no universal number: requirements vary with installed packages, kernels, language packs and filesystem layout.
Make and test a real backup
Copy important data to an external drive, NAS or remote storage, not merely another directory on the same disk. Back up:
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- A list of manually installed packages
apt-mark showmanual > ~/manual-packages.txt
sudo tar --exclude=/etc/ssl/private
-czf ~/etc-backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz /etcOpen or restore test files before starting. Canonical recommends backing up because an upgrade can fail even when the normal process is safe (Ubuntu Server upgrade documentation).
Audit PPAs, repositories and drivers
ls -l /etc/apt/sources.list.d/
grep -R ^deb /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ 2>/dev/null
ubuntu-drivers devicesThird-party repositories and PPAs are disabled during an upgrade. Record each one, check that it supports the target release, and remove abandoned entries rather than changing codenames blindly. Reinstall supported third-party software after the upgrade. The --allow-third-party option exists, but it is an advanced exception, not the safe default (do-release-upgrade manpage).
Upgrade Ubuntu Desktop
- Save work, close applications and connect a laptop to AC power.
- Install all normal updates and reboot if requested.
- Open Software Updater and wait for the release-upgrade offer.
- Review the proposed package removals and installations.
- Start the upgrade and answer configuration-file questions deliberately.
- Keep the computer powered and do not force it off, even if the screen appears idle.
- Reboot when instructed.
The command-line alternative is:
sudo do-release-upgradeA Foreign Packages Installed prompt can identify software from PPAs or other sources. Do not use -d as a shortcut to a stable release: it selects a development-release path and is not recommended for ordinary production upgrades.
Upgrade Ubuntu Server over SSH
Test the process on a clone or staging system first. Arrange a maintenance window, confirm console or out-of-band access, and know how to restore the backup. Use tmux or screen as an additional safeguard, but neither makes an interrupted operating-system upgrade safe.
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sudo apt dist-upgrade -o APT::Get::Always-Include-Phased-Updates=true
sudo do-release-upgradeFor an availability check without starting the upgrade:
sudo do-release-upgrade -cExpect service restarts and downtime. Read the pre-upgrade summary and monitor the system through the console where possible. If SSH disconnects, do not launch a second upgrader: reconnect through the console and inspect the running system.
Verify and repair after reboot
lsb_release -a
sudo dpkg --audit
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
apt-mark showhold
systemctl --failedDesktop checks
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, graphics acceleration and external displays
- Audio, microphone, printers, scanners and suspend/resume
- VPN clients, Snap and Flatpak applications
- Proprietary drivers and virtual machines
Check available graphics drivers with:
ubuntu-drivers listServer checks
- SSH access, firewall rules and mounts
- Web servers, reverse proxies, databases and containers
- TLS certificates, scheduled jobs, monitoring and backups
- Application-specific repositories and service health
Re-enable only repositories that explicitly support the new release. If package configuration was interrupted, these are common recovery attempts, not guaranteed fixes:
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt -f installTroubleshoot common problems
No upgrade is offered
Finish all current-release updates, reboot, and run the availability check. LTS prompts can wait until the target’s first point release. Do not force a development path merely because a newer ISO exists.
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“No new release found”
Check that the current release is still supported, the configured upgrade policy matches LTS or interim releases, and network and repository metadata work. An EOL system may need repository recovery or a clean installation; the correct route depends on its release, edition and backup state. Consult official Ubuntu documentation.
Insufficient disk space
Remove unneeded packages and old kernels only after confirming the running kernel, clear safe caches, and recheck both / and /boot. Never delete files blindly from system directories.
Repository or PPA errors
Disable the offending source, complete the Ubuntu upgrade, then install a version supplied for the new release. Do not rename a repository entry from one codename to another without vendor support.
Configuration-file prompts
Keep a locally modified file when its changes are deliberate, and compare the package maintainer’s version afterward. Choose the maintainer’s version when the local file is obsolete or unexplained. Save a copy before deciding; neither answer is always correct.
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Graphics-driver failure
Drivers can be rebuilt, replaced or temporarily unavailable after a kernel or release change. Use ubuntu-drivers list, review vendor instructions and avoid assuming every NVIDIA, AMD or Intel setup behaves identically.
Failed boot
Use a provider console, recovery environment or tested restore procedure. If critical services or the filesystem cannot be recovered, restore the known-good backup rather than repeatedly rerunning the upgrader.
Ubuntu on WSL
WSL distributions have a Windows-managed instance lifecycle, so their upgrade and rollback considerations differ from a physical Desktop or Server installation. Follow Canonical’s Upgrade Ubuntu on WSL instructions rather than applying the conventional recovery steps unchanged.
Should you upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS?
Upgrade when you need newer hardware support, kernels or application versions, or want the current LTS maintenance window and your critical vendors support it. Staying on a supported release can be sensible when compatibility matters more than new features. Ubuntu LTS releases receive five years of standard security maintenance; Ubuntu Pro can extend coverage, but it does not replace backups or provide newer drivers and desktop features. See Ubuntu Pro for current eligibility and coverage.
For business fleets, Canonical support or Landscape can provide commercial assistance and centralized administration. These services are most relevant to production systems and multiple machines, not a routine upgrade on one home computer.
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