Upgrade Ubuntu to Latest Version

This guide walks you through upgrading your Ubuntu system to the latest version.

Before you begin:

Pre-Upgrade Preparation

Check current version

lsb_release -a

Update existing packages

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install update manager

sudo apt install update-manager-core

Start the upgrade

sudo do-release-upgrade

Follow prompts

The upgrade tool will guide you through the process. Review and confirm package changes when prompted.

Reboot

When the upgrade completes:

sudo reboot

Verify upgrade

After rebooting, confirm the new version:

lsb_release -a

Upgrade to development release

To upgrade to a non-LTS or development release:

sudo do-release-upgrade -d

Force upgrade check

If no upgrade is found but you know one exists:

sudo do-release-upgrade -c

# Remove obsolete packages
sudo apt autoremove

# Clean package cache
sudo apt clean

Check the Ubuntu release notes for any version-specific considerations before upgrading.