How to upgrade Ubuntu to 26.04 and kernel to latest version

2026-05-11

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS upgrade guide

Two clear upgrade paths to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is out, and planning the move should feel simple, not stressful. Are you looking for a clean guide that helps you choose the right path before you run anything? This walkthrough is built to keep the process clear from start to finish.

This article covers two supported upgrade routes in one place: from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and from Ubuntu 25.10 to the newly released Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. You can quickly jump to the path that matches your current version and follow the flow step by step. It also explains what to check before and after the reboot so the process stays predictable and easy to verify.

If you want the smoothest result, read the full guide first and then run the commands in order. It also includes a dedicated kernel section that shows how to move to the latest stable 7.x build or test the latest mainline 7.1 release candidate, separate from the main OS upgrade path.

Previous LTS

Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS

Noble Numbat is the prior long-term base and the starting point for the standard LTS-to-LTS path.

Previous interim

Ubuntu 25.10

Questing Quokka is the prior interim release and follows the normal interim-to-LTS upgrade flow.

Current LTS

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

Resolute Raccoon is now the active long-term release target for both supported upgrade paths.

Choose the right upgrade path

Starting point	Goal	Command	Notes
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Safest move to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS	`sudo do-release-upgrade`	Use the normal prompt when Canonical opens the LTS-to-LTS upgrade path with Ubuntu 26.04.1, scheduled for August 4, 2026.
Ubuntu 25.10	Upgrade to released Ubuntu 26.04 LTS	`sudo do-release-upgrade`	Interim-release upgrades normally appear a few days after release, once Canonical enables the prompt.
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Force the development-release path in a lab only	`sudo do-release-upgrade --devel-release`	Use this only if you deliberately want the latest development target. After 26.04 launch, that target can move beyond 26.04 quickly.

Before you touch a production machine, test the upgrade on a VM first. If you want a quick cloud sandbox, DigitalOcean still has a generous free trial credit and is a simple place to rehearse the whole flow.

Backups matter more than bravado here. Snapshot the VM, copy your important data, and note any PPAs, third-party repositories, custom kernels, or GPU drivers before you begin. Those are the most common reasons an Ubuntu release upgrade becomes noisy.

If you prefer to watch the video instead of reading, here it is:

To upgrade Ubuntu to 26.04 LTS, or to use the development-release path on a lab machine before the normal LTS prompt appears, set aside about 2 hours and follow the steps below.

Preparation

Refresh package metadata
```
sudo apt update
```
Install all regular package updates
```
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt full-upgrade
```
Refresh snaps and reboot if the current system asks for it
```
sudo snap refresh
systemctl reboot
```
Make sure the release upgrader is installed
```
sudo apt install update-manager-core
```
Review space, backups, and third-party repositories
Check that you have enough free disk space, note any PPAs or external repositories, and take a backup or VM snapshot before you continue. If you are upgrading a server over SSH, use a stable console or keep the session protected with tools such as screen or tmux.

Upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

This is the cleanest path if you want the next major LTS and do not want to follow a development branch. On Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, the prompt for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is expected with 26.04.1 on August 4, 2026, so there is still a waiting period for conservative LTS-to-LTS upgrades.

Start the official LTS release upgrade
```
sudo do-release-upgrade
```
Review the package changes and follow the interactive prompts
The upgrader will show you which packages are new, removed, or disabled. Pay special attention to third-party repositories and locally modified configuration files.
Remove obsolete packages when the upgrader offers cleanup
Removing old packages usually makes the post-upgrade system cleaner and easier to maintain.
```
sudo apt autoremove --purge
sudo apt clean
```
Reboot into Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
```
sudo reboot
```
If Ubuntu 24.04 LTS still does not offer 26.04, do not force a production machine
That usually means Canonical has not opened the normal LTS-to-LTS prompt yet. For this cycle, Ubuntu's release announcement says 24.04 LTS users should receive that prompt with Ubuntu 26.04.1 on August 4, 2026, so either wait for that supported path or use the development-release path below only on a test machine.

Use the development-release path only on lab machines

Ubuntu 26.04 is now released, so this path is no longer the normal way to reach it. Use it only if you explicitly want whatever Ubuntu currently marks as the latest development release, and only on a disposable test system.

Run the development release upgrade command only if you really want the newest development target
```
sudo do-release-upgrade --devel-release
```
Do not use this as shorthand for released Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
The --devel-release flag always targets the latest development release. After the Ubuntu 26.04 launch, that development target can move beyond 26.04, so the safe recommendation for production systems is still to wait for the normal upgrade prompt.
Choose whether this machine should stay on LTS releases or keep following interim releases
Leave Prompt=lts if you want long-term support releases only. Switch to Prompt=normal if you want this machine to keep seeing interim releases such as Ubuntu 26.10 later on.
```
sudo nano /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades
```
Complete the interactive upgrade, remove obsolete packages, and reboot
```
sudo apt autoremove --purge
sudo apt clean
sudo reboot
```

Upgrade Ubuntu kernel version manually

As of May 1, 2026, the latest stable mainline package set listed here is Linux 7.0.3, and the newest mainline build is Linux 7.1-rc1. Mainline kernels are handy for testing hardware support, but Canonical does not recommend them for normal production use.

Change the working directory to /tmp
```
cd /tmp
```

Download the latest stable mainline kernel packages

wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.0.6/amd64/linux-headers-7.0.6-070006_7.0.6-070006.202605110700_all.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.0.6/amd64/linux-headers-7.0.6-070006-generic_7.0.6-070006.202605110700_amd64.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.0.6/amd64/linux-image-unsigned-7.0.6-070006-generic_7.0.6-070006.202605110700_amd64.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.0.6/amd64/linux-modules-7.0.6-070006-generic_7.0.6-070006.202605110700_amd64.deb

Install the stable mainline kernel packages
```
sudo dpkg -i *.deb
```
Reboot after the stable kernel upgrade
```
sudo reboot
```

Optionally test the latest release candidate or upcoming branch

If the stable 7.0.1 branch does not fix your problem or you specifically want to test what comes next, you can try the current 7.1 release candidate. You can either use the mainline tool from the community PPA or install the packages manually:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cappelikan/ppa -y
sudo apt update
sudo apt install mainline -y

# or download the packages manually
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.1-rc3/amd64/linux-headers-7.1.0-070100rc3_7.1.0-070100rc3.202605102142_all.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.1-rc3/amd64/linux-headers-7.1.0-070100rc3-generic_7.1.0-070100rc3.202605102142_amd64.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.1-rc3/amd64/linux-image-unsigned-7.1.0-070100rc3-generic_7.1.0-070100rc3.202605102142_amd64.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.1-rc3/amd64/linux-modules-7.1.0-070100rc3-generic_7.1.0-070100rc3.202605102142_amd64.deb

Install the latest mainline kernel packages
```
sudo dpkg -i *.deb
```
Reboot after the mainline kernel upgrade
```
sudo reboot
```

Finishing up

Confirm the new Ubuntu release
```
lsb_release -a
cat /etc/os-release
```
Confirm the running kernel version
```
uname -r
```
Check for failed services after the reboot
```
systemctl --failed
```

Run a final cleanup pass

sudo apt autoremove --purge
sudo apt clean

Quick notes before you go

Ubuntu only supports sequential major upgrades. If you are still on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, move to 24.04 LTS first.
Ubuntu 25.04 reached end of life on January 15, 2026, so treat that as a recovery scenario rather than a normal supported upgrade path.
For most people, the distro kernel that ships with Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is the right answer. Manual mainline kernel installs are best kept for hardware testing and troubleshooting.

That is it. At this point you should be running Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, or a newer development branch if you intentionally used the devel-release path, and optionally a newer kernel if you chose the mainline path.