How to Upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Safe Upgrade Guide)

Why Upgrade to 26.04 (And When to Wait)

So you've heard Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is out. It dropped on April 23, 2026, and it's a Long-Term Support release. That means free security updates for five years — until 2031 — and up to ten years if you attach Ubuntu Pro (which is free for personal use on up to five machines). If you're coming from 24.04 LTS, that's a big jump: a newer kernel, better hardware support (especially for newer Wi-Fi chips and graphics cards), and a refreshed desktop that feels snappier.

But hold on. Before you type a single command, ask yourself: Is this my daily work machine? If the answer is yes, you're in luck — the first point release, 26.04.1, shipped on August 27, 2026, and it bundles all the early hotfixes and driver updates into one milestone. If you were waiting for that green light, this is it. If you're running a home server or a second laptop you can afford to experiment on, the regular upgrade path is open right now too. I'll walk you through the safe way to upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04.1, step by step.

What to Check Before You Start

I'm a big believer in "trust but verify." Let's do a few quick checks so your upgrade doesn't turn into a rescue mission.

Back up your important files

This isn't optional. I don't care if you're upgrading a VM — back up your /home folder, any custom configs in /etc, and that folder where you keep your Python scripts. Use an external drive, a cloud service, or even just a USB stick. rsync is your friend here:

# Backup your home directory to an external drive
rsync -avh --progress /home/yourname/ /media/yourname/backup-drive/home-backup/

Check disk space

The upgrade needs a few gigabytes of free space — typically 3–5 GB for the new packages plus temporary files. Run this to see what you've got:

# Check available disk space on your root partition
df -h /

If you're below 5 GB free, clear some room. Remove old downloads, empty your trash, and run:

# Clear apt cache to free up space
sudo apt clean

Clean up third-party PPAs

This is the number one reason upgrades hang. Personal Package Archives (PPAs) often ship software that isn't compatible with the new release. Open Software & Updates from your app menu, click the Other Software tab, and uncheck every PPA you see. Don't remove them permanently — just uncheck them. You can re-enable them after the upgrade, once the PPA maintainers update their packages.

Tidy up snap versions

Snaps pile up over time. By default, snap keeps multiple versions of each app. That's fine, but it eats disk space. Let's limit it to two retained versions:

# Keep only the last two snap versions
sudo snap set system refresh.retain=2

The Main Upgrade Command

Alright, you've backed up, cleared space, unchecked PPAs, and trimmed snaps. Now for the main event.

First, let's do a dry run. This command only checks if a new release is available — it doesn't change anything:

# Check for a new Ubuntu release without upgrading
sudo do-release-upgrade -c

On a current 24.04 system you'll see:

Checking for a new Ubuntu release
New release '26.04 LTS' available.
Run 'do-release-upgrade' to upgrade to it.

That means you're clear to go. When you're ready, run:

# Start the upgrade process
sudo do-release-upgrade

The tool will:

• Ask you to confirm (type y and hit Enter).
• Download several hundred megabytes of packages (could be over a gig depending on your current packages).
• Replace old packages with new ones.
• Ask you about configuration files (if you've modified any, it'll ask whether to keep your version or use the maintainer's — I usually choose "keep" unless I know I want the new defaults).
• Reboot automatically at the end.

Plan for 20–40 minutes depending on your internet speed and machine. Grab a coffee. Don't interrupt it — not even if it looks stuck. It's usually just thinking hard.

"No New Release Found"? Here's What to Do

Some guides tell you the upgrade won't appear until 26.04.1 ships. That's not what I'm seeing: on August 23, 2026 I ran the check on a live Ubuntu 24.04 server and do-release-upgrade -c reported "New release '26.04 LTS' available" right away. The upgrade path is open now.

If your machine still says "No new release found," it's usually one of these:

1. Your package lists are stale. Refresh them and check again:

# Refresh package lists, then re-check
sudo apt update && sudo do-release-upgrade -c

1. Canonical's metadata hasn't reached your mirror yet. Release announcements propagate gradually. Wait a day or two and retry.
2. A firewall or restricted network is blocking the check. The upgrader needs to reach changelogs.ubuntu.com. If you're behind a corporate firewall, make sure outbound HTTPS to that host is allowed.

One more thing to know: 26.04.1 was released on August 27, 2026, right on Canonical's published schedule. Fresh ISOs roll out to mirrors over the next hours and days, and the .1 point release bundles four months of fixes — it's the milestone that officially makes 26.04 a stable destination for 24.04 upgraders. I've written a dedicated guide to everything new in Ubuntu 26.04.1 if you want the full rundown before you decide. Want to jump in early instead? The development flag skips the point-release gate:

# Force upgrade via the development channel
sudo do-release-upgrade -d

I've done this on a spare laptop and it works fine. But I'll say it plainly: don't do this on your work computer if you need it to be reliable every day. There's no need for the development channel anymore — 26.04.1 is out and the regular command is fully open, so back everything up and proceed with the standard upgrade.

What "Not Upgrading Yet Due to Phasing" Means

You might see this message during the upgrade:

Not upgrading yet due to phasing

I remember the first time I saw this. I thought my system was broken. It wasn't.

Phasing is Ubuntu's rollout strategy. When a new package lands, they don't push it to every machine at once. Instead, they push it to a small percentage of users first — say 5% — and watch for bug reports. If nothing blows up, they increase the percentage over a few days. It's like a canary in a coal mine, but for software updates.

When you see "not upgrading yet due to phasing", apt is telling you: "There's a newer version of this package, but I'm not installing it yet because I'm not in the rollout group." It's not an error. It's a safety feature.

To get the latest phased updates immediately (if you want to live dangerously), you can run:

# Force installation of all available updates including phased ones
sudo apt full-upgrade

But honestly, just wait a day or two. The phased rollout will reach you eventually.

After the Upgrade

The system reboots. You see the login screen. Now what?

First, verify you're actually running 26.04:

# Check your Ubuntu version
lsb_release -a

You should see Release: 26.04 and Codename: resolute (26.04's codename is Resolute Raccoon — I still smile at that).

You'll probably notice visual changes. The default wallpaper is different. The App Center looks cleaner. GNOME (the desktop environment) feels a bit smoother, especially on older hardware. If you use the terminal a lot, you'll appreciate the faster startup times.

What if something breaks?

It happens. Maybe your Wi-Fi driver acts up. Maybe a Python package you depend on isn't compatible yet. Don't panic. I've written a guide that covers the most common issues — from fixing Ubuntu 26.04 problems like the App Center not opening to stuck upgrades, before you consider reinstalling from scratch.

Comparison: 24.04 LTS vs 26.04 LTS

FAQ

Is Ubuntu 26.04.1 out yet?

Yes — 26.04.1 shipped on August 27, 2026, per Canonical's release schedule. It's the first point release of 26.04 LTS: a fresh ISO that bundles the fixes and driver updates from the first months of the release, and the milestone that officially opens the supported upgrade path from 24.04 LTS. See my Ubuntu 26.04.1 guide for everything that's new in it.

Can I upgrade from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS directly to 26.04 LTS?

Yes — absolutely. 24.04 → 26.04 is a supported LTS-to-LTS upgrade path. You don't need to upgrade to 25.10 or any intermediate release. Just run sudo do-release-upgrade — on a 24.04 machine the check currently reports "New release '26.04 LTS' available" (verified August 2026).

What does "not upgrading yet due to phasing" mean?

It means apt is using a phased rollout for certain packages. Only a percentage of machines receive the update immediately, which reduces the risk of widespread breakage. It's a normal, intentional behavior — not an error. Wait a day or two and the update will become available for your system.

How long does the upgrade take?

Typically 20 to 40 minutes, but it depends on your internet speed (it downloads several hundred MB to over 1 GB of packages) and your CPU speed. On a modern machine with a fast connection, I've seen it finish in under 15 minutes. On older hardware, it could take closer to an hour. Don't rush it. Let it finish.

Will I lose my files or apps during the upgrade?

No, a standard Ubuntu upgrade preserves your personal files (everything in /home) and most of your installed applications. That said, third-party PPAs can cause problems — which is why we unchecked them earlier. Some apps might need to be reinstalled if their dependencies changed. But your documents, photos, music, and code will stay right where they are. Still, please back up before starting — I say this every time, and every time someone skips it and regrets it.

Next Steps

Now that you've upgraded (or decided to wait), here are a few useful resources to keep exploring:

• Install Ubuntu 26.04 from scratch — if you ever want to do a fresh install instead of an upgrade.
• Linux terminal basics — get comfortable with 10 essential commands if you're new to the terminal.
• SSH into your server — manage that freshly upgraded machine from anywhere.

Happy upgrading — and remember, patience pays off with Linux. The .1 release you might have been waiting for is out now, so the conservative path has arrived. Your future self will thank you.

All code in this article was tested and runs successfully on a live Ubuntu 24.04 LTS server: do-release-upgrade -c reported "New release '26.04 LTS' available", df -h, lsb_release, apt clean, and snap set system refresh.retain=2 all executed as shown, and rsync verified with test paths (substitute your own). The full upgrade itself was not run on the test server. As of 2026-08-27 the 26.04.1 point release shipped per Canonical's schedule (Launchpad milestone, 2026-08-27); mirror sync re-verified on 2026-09-01: releases.ubuntu.com/26.04.1/ returns HTTP 200 and serves the desktop and live-server ISOs. — verified August 2026, re-verified September 2026.