How to upgrade Ubuntu to 26.04 and kernel to latest version

2026-04-17

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS upgrade guide

Stable LTS path, beta path, and manual kernel upgrade notes in one place

Want the cleanest way to move from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or 25.10 to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS? This refreshed guide keeps the original command-line walkthrough, but updates it for the Ubuntu 26.04 cycle and separates the safe, supported LTS path from the early beta or development-release path. You will see when to wait for the standard release prompt, when to use do-release-upgrade -d for testing, how to switch between LTS and interim release prompts, and how to verify the upgrade afterwards. If you also want a newer kernel than the distro default, the guide includes current mainline download commands for the latest stable 6.19.11 build and the 7.0 mainline build.

Status on April 17, 2026: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon) is still in beta and the final release is scheduled for April 23, 2026.

If you want the most conservative path from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, wait for the standard LTS prompt to be enabled. If you want to test early, use the beta path below on a VM or a machine you have backed up properly. The official upgrade flow is documented in the Ubuntu Desktop upgrade guide, Ubuntu Server upgrade guide, and the Ubuntu release list.

Current stable LTS

Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS

Noble Numbat is still the safe default base for most production machines.

Next LTS

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

Resolute Raccoon is in beta now, with final release scheduled for April 23, 2026.

Current interim release

Ubuntu 25.10

Questing Quokka is the normal stepping stone if you want to stay on interim releases.

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, usually after 26.04.1.
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Test Ubuntu 26.04 before the normal prompt	`sudo do-release-upgrade -d`	Good for a VM, lab box, or a well-backed-up machine. Not the conservative production route.
Ubuntu 25.10	Move to the 26.04 beta or final release early	`sudo do-release-upgrade -d`	This is the easiest way to preview the next LTS from the current interim release.

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 test the beta track before the official rollout, 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 need to test beta images early. On Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, the prompt for the next LTS usually appears after the first point release, so there may be a waiting period even after April 23, 2026.

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. At that point, either wait for the supported prompt or use the beta or development release path below only on a test machine.

Test the beta or development release path

Use this path if you specifically want the Ubuntu 26.04 beta or want to move before the normal LTS prompt becomes available. This is not the conservative path for a live production workstation or server.

Run the development release upgrade command
```
sudo do-release-upgrade -d
```
Use this route from Ubuntu 25.10, or from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS if you are deliberately testing early
The -d flag tells Ubuntu to target the latest development release. That is the right option when 26.04 is still in beta or when the regular prompt has not been opened yet.
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 April 17, 2026, the latest stable mainline package set listed here is Linux 6.19.11, and the newest mainline build is Linux 7.0. 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/v6.19.11/amd64/linux-headers-6.19.11-061911_6.19.11-061911.202604021147_all.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v6.19.11/amd64/linux-headers-6.19.11-061911-generic_6.19.11-061911.202604021147_amd64.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v6.19.11/amd64/linux-image-unsigned-6.19.11-061911-generic_6.19.11-061911.202604021147_amd64.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v6.19.11/amd64/linux-modules-6.19.11-061911-generic_6.19.11-061911.202604021147_amd64.deb

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

Optionally test the latest mainline kernel

If a stable kernel does not fix your problem or you specifically want to test the newest branch, 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/v7.0/amd64/linux-headers-7.0.0-070000_7.0.0-070000.202604122140_all.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.0/amd64/linux-headers-7.0.0-070000-generic_7.0.0-070000.202604122140_amd64.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.0/amd64/linux-image-unsigned-7.0.0-070000-generic_7.0.0-070000.202604122140_amd64.deb
wget -c https://kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/v7.0/amd64/linux-modules-7.0.0-070000-generic_7.0.0-070000.202604122140_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 its beta track, and optionally a newer kernel if you chose the mainline path.