Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Users Can Now Upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, codenamed Resolute Raccoon, is the latest long-term support release in Canonical’s Ubuntu family. The first point release, Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS, consolidates fixes and improvements from the initial Ubuntu 26.04 release.

Canonical has now opened the supported upgrade path for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS systems. This means administrators and desktop users running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS can move directly to the new LTS release without performing an intermediate LTS upgrade.

For production systems, however, an LTS upgrade should be treated as a planned change rather than a routine package update. Backups, third-party repositories, available disk space and application compatibility should all be checked before starting.

Should You Upgrade Ubuntu 24.04 LTS to 26.04.1 LTS?

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS introduces a new platform baseline and continues Canonical’s long-term support model. The 26.04 release includes changes across security, system components, hardware support, virtualization and enterprise capabilities.

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is scheduled for standard support through May 2031. Ubuntu’s release documentation also lists longer security coverage options through Ubuntu Pro.

Before You Upgrade Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

Complete the following preparation steps before starting the release upgrade.

1. Back Up Your System

A distribution upgrade changes a large number of packages, system libraries, configuration files and core components. A backup gives you a recovery path if the upgrade fails or an important application becomes incompatible.

If Ubuntu is running inside a VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox or other virtual environment, a properly tested VM snapshot or backup can provide an additional recovery option.

2. Fully Update Ubuntu 24.04

Canonical recommends fully updating the existing Ubuntu installation before beginning a release upgrade.

sudo apt update
sudo apt dist-upgrade

If packages remain pending, resolve them before continuing. You can also remove packages that are no longer required:

sudo apt autoremove --purge

If the kernel or other core packages were updated, reboot before beginning the release upgrade:

sudo reboot

3. Check Your Current Ubuntu Version

Verify that the machine is actually running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS before proceeding.

lsb_release -a

You can also use:

cat /etc/os-release

Look for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS / Noble Numbat in the output.

4. Check the Ubuntu Release Upgrade Policy

Ubuntu’s release upgrade configuration determines which releases the system will offer.

Check the current configuration with:

cat /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades

For an LTS system following the LTS upgrade path, the configuration should normally contain:

Prompt=lts

If you need to change the setting, edit the file carefully or use:

sudo sed -i 's/^Prompt=.*/Prompt=lts/' /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades

5. Review Third-Party Repositories and PPAs

Third-party repositories are one of the most common sources of release-upgrade problems.

Before upgrading, identify software sources outside the standard Ubuntu repositories.

grep -R "^deb " /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ 2>/dev/null

Pay particular attention to:

• Third-party PPAs
• Vendor repositories
• Custom kernel repositories
• Graphics driver repositories
• Development repositories
• Monitoring and security software repositories

Ubuntu’s release upgrade process may disable third-party repositories. Verify application compatibility and re-enable only repositories that support Ubuntu 26.04.

How to Upgrade Ubuntu 24.04 LTS to Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS

Method 1: Upgrade Using the Graphical Interface

Ubuntu Desktop users can use the standard Software Updater workflow when the LTS upgrade notification is presented.

1. Open Software Updater.
2. Install all available Ubuntu 24.04 updates.
3. Restart the computer if requested.
4. Open Software Updater again.
5. If Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is offered, select the option to upgrade.
6. Review the release upgrade information.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions.
8. Allow the upgrade process to complete.
9. Restart the system when prompted.

Method 2: Upgrade Using the Terminal

For administrators and advanced users, the recommended command-line upgrade utility is:

sudo do-release-upgrade

Ubuntu will perform a series of pre-upgrade checks before asking you to confirm the upgrade.

Review the proposed changes carefully before continuing. The process can identify packages that will be upgraded, installed or removed.

What Happens During the Upgrade?

The release upgrade utility checks the current installation and prepares the system for the new Ubuntu release.

Depending on the installed software, the process may:

• Download new package versions.
• Upgrade core Ubuntu components.
• Install new dependencies.
• Remove obsolete packages.
• Disable incompatible third-party repositories.
• Ask questions about modified configuration files.
• Install the new kernel and system components.

The upgrade can take considerable time depending on hardware performance, network speed, installed software and the number of packages that need to be changed.

Configuration File Prompts

During the upgrade, Ubuntu may detect locally modified configuration files and ask whether you want to keep your existing version or install the package maintainer’s version.

Do not automatically accept every prompt. If the machine has custom SSH, networking, firewall, web server or application configuration, review the differences before making a decision.

Restart the System

When the release upgrade finishes, reboot the system:

sudo reboot

The system is not fully running the new release until the required reboot has completed.

How to Verify Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS After the Upgrade

After the reboot, verify the installed Ubuntu release.

lsb_release -a

You can also check:

cat /etc/os-release

The system should report Ubuntu 26.04 LTS / Resolute Raccoon.

Check the Kernel

uname -r

Check for Remaining Package Updates

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Clean Up Obsolete Packages

sudo apt autoremove --purge

Refresh Snap Packages

If you use Snap applications, refresh them after the upgrade:

sudo snap refresh

Ubuntu 26.04.1 Post-Upgrade Checklist

Troubleshooting Ubuntu 24.04 to 26.04.1 Upgrade Problems

“No new release found”

If the release-upgrade utility reports that no new release is available, first make sure Ubuntu 24.04 is completely updated and that the LTS upgrade path is configured correctly.

sudo apt update
sudo apt dist-upgrade
cat /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades

Confirm that the configuration uses:

Prompt=lts

Then reboot and try again:

sudo reboot

sudo do-release-upgrade

Third-Party Repository Errors

If an external repository prevents package updates, temporarily disable the affected repository and retry the update process.

Do not blindly re-enable old repositories after upgrading. Verify that the repository explicitly supports Ubuntu 26.04.

Broken Packages

If the package manager reports dependency problems, do not immediately force package removal.

First inspect the package manager’s error messages and determine which package or repository caused the conflict.

Applications Stop Working

Check applications that depend on external repositories, custom libraries, proprietary drivers or kernel modules. These components may require updated versions for Ubuntu 26.04.

What Is New in Ubuntu 26.04 LTS?

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS introduces several platform-level changes beyond the normal package updates associated with a point release.

Canonical highlights expanded use of memory-safe system components, including Rust-based components and memory-safe implementations of foundational utilities. Ubuntu 26.04 also introduces post-quantum-aware cryptographic defaults and support for confidential computing technologies including Intel TDX and AMD SEV.

Enterprise users also gain additional identity-management capabilities, including authentication through cloud identity providers using authd.

How Long Is Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Supported?

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is a long-term support release. Canonical lists standard support through May 2031.

Additional security coverage is available through Ubuntu Pro, making Ubuntu 26.04 LTS suitable for organizations that require a longer maintenance lifecycle.

Should You Upgrade Ubuntu Servers Immediately?

Desktop users can generally evaluate the new release quickly, but production servers require more planning.

Before upgrading a production Ubuntu server, verify:

• Application compatibility
• Database compatibility
• Kernel module support
• Network configuration
• Firewall rules
• Backup and restore capability
• Monitoring agents
• Security software
• Third-party repositories
• Maintenance-window availability

Conclusion

The supported upgrade path from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS to Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available, giving Noble Numbat users a direct route to Canonical’s latest LTS platform.

The safest approach is straightforward: back up the system, fully update Ubuntu 24.04, review third-party repositories, verify the LTS upgrade configuration, perform the upgrade with the standard release-upgrade mechanism, reboot, and then verify the resulting system.

For production environments, test first and schedule the migration during an appropriate maintenance window. A major operating-system upgrade should always have a tested rollback or recovery strategy.

Technical Verification

This guide was prepared using Canonical’s official Ubuntu 26.04 release documentation and release-upgrade guidance. Commands should be reviewed against the specific Ubuntu environment before use in production.

Last verified: October 8, 2026 • Ubuntu 24.04 LTS → Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS

Sources & References

1. Canonical — Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS Upgrade Information
2. Canonical — Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Release Notes
3. Canonical — How to Upgrade Your Ubuntu Release
4. Canonical — Ubuntu Release Cycle
5. Linuxiac — Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Users Can Now Upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS

KS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Khurram Shahzad

Hybrid Cloud & Virtualization Engineer

Khurram Shahzad is a Hybrid Cloud & Virtualization Engineer focused on VMware, Microsoft Azure, AWS, Windows Server, Linux, networking, backup and disaster recovery technologies.

VMware Azure AWS Windows Server Linux Networking Backup & DR

Related VMoreCloud Articles

Linux Tutorial Install and Configure Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04 Read Guide → Ubuntu Tutorial Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Complete Installation Guide Read Guide → Linux Explore More Linux Guides Explore Linux →