Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available to download

Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available to download, the first of 5 point releases scheduled for the ‘Resolute Raccoon’ in the 3 years.

The release doesn’t add new features, but brings a refreshed installation image (.iso) that includes all of the bug fixes, security patches and package updates released since the Ubuntu 26.04 LTS release back in April.

No new hardware enablement stack is included since there’s not been a newer Ubuntu release to backport a kernel and graphics driver set from. Next year’s Ubuntu 26.04.2 LTS release will bring the Linux kernel and GPU drivers that ship in Ubuntu 26.10.

New ISOs are also available for various editions (Raspberry Pi, Arm64, RISC-V) as well as for Ubuntu’s official favours that participated in Aprils’ LTS release.

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS arrived on 23 April with GNOME 50, Linux kernel 7.0 and a pair of new default apps. Snap store and web search are available in the GNOME Shell Overview and you can enable Ubuntu Pro in the Security Center.

Plus, new folder icons, visual password feedback for sudo commands and easier installation of NVIDIA CUDA and AMD ROCm (now in the archives, an apt install away).

This is for new users, not existing one

You do not need to download and reinstall anything if you already use Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. Everything included in the .1 release is already on your system (if you install updates punctually, that is). In fact, if you go to Settings > About, you should see the updated version number.

The point of point releases is to provide periodical refreshes of the installation media (try staying that fast) as this cuts down on the number of updates that have to be downloaded and applied post-install, saving users time and effort and, for Canonical, bandwidth.

Upgrades from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS enabled

Direct upgrades from 24.04 to 26.04 will shortly go live

The first point release in an Ubuntu LTS series is notable for another reason: it’s when upgrades from the previous LTS go live (though not always the same day the ISO pop out, so be patient).

Users on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS can upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS directly, via a GUI, without the need for command-line workarounds. An official prompt will appear, though one is shown after running an update check.

DOn’t feel like you have to upgrade right away. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is supported until 2029 with standard updates, and for another 5 years of critical fixes beyond that by enabling Ubuntu Pro.

Canonical delays upgrades between long-term support releases initially. As there are 2 years worth of accumulated changes from 24.10, 25.04 and 25.10 as well as what got added in 26.04 specifically, upgrades undergo plenty of testing to ensure a reliable transition.

If you do upgrade from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, there is a lot that’s new – my LTS to LTS guide lists 26 changes worth looking out for, including a revamped APT, Rust-based coreutils, 7 new default apps in all, notification grouping, Lock Screen media controls and more.

You can download Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS via the official Ubuntu website or the cdimage server.