CANONICAL has opened the upgrade path from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS to Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS (code-named Resolute Raccoon) for desktop users via Update Manager, with the upgrade rolling out gradually. Server users or those who prefer not to wait can also upgrade using the do-release-upgrade command. The move follows Ubuntu’s long-term aim to modernise the stack, including the switch to GNOME 50 and the Linux 7.0 kernel, and a full shift of the standard desktop to Wayland (with X11 apps continuing to run via XWayland).
The update also reflects Canonical’s ongoing work to migrate core tools to Rust, while retaining some GNU utilities for compatibility.
The upgrade came 33 days later than planned, with Canonical noting the late release was due to the need to fix problems in rust-coreutils after an audit uncovered 113 issues in Ubuntu’s new Rust utilities. For those preparing to upgrade, Canonical advises installing all available updates first and reviewing the known issues for the new release. Desktop users will see the upgrade notice in Update Manager, while server installations can initiate the process immediately.
The upgrade imposes higher system requirements, with a recommended dual-core 2 GHz processor, 6 GB of RAM, and 25 GB of free disk space for Ubuntu Desktop 26.04. Before upgrading, users should clear unneeded packages and verify available disk space to minimise post-upgrade issues.