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On 13 November 2025, Canonical expanded the Ubuntu Pro Legacy add-on from two years to five, making the advertised maximum lifecycle for Ubuntu LTS releases up to 15 years: five years of standard security maintenance, up to five more through Ubuntu Pro, then five years through Legacy. Coverage depends on release, package and subscription terms; 15 years does not mean every package or support service is covered identically for every customer.

How long does Ubuntu LTS receive security maintenance?

Canonical’s current Ubuntu Pro information describes three stages for an LTS release:

  1. Years 1–5: standard maintenance. Canonical provides five years of standard security maintenance for packages in Main.
  2. Up to year 10: Ubuntu Pro. Pro extends security maintenance to ten years. Its coverage spans the Ubuntu Archive, but the services available depend on package area and subscription tier.
  3. Up to year 15: Legacy add-on. The paid Legacy add-on can add five years after the first ten years of coverage. Canonical says this expanded offer starts with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS.

These are Canonical’s published lifecycle terms, not a guarantee that every package, plan or support service has identical coverage. See Ubuntu Pro and Canonical’s Ubuntu Pro service overview for the distinctions.

What changed in the Legacy add-on?

Canonical’s announcement on 13 November 2025 increased Legacy from two additional years to five, raising the advertised maximum from 12 years to 15. The 12-year figure appeared in Canonical’s earlier announcement on 25 March 2024; it describes the offer at that time, not the current maximum. The newer announcement says Legacy is available after the first ten years and that existing subscriptions continue uninterrupted. Read the November 2025 announcement and, for the historical terms, the March 2024 announcement.

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What does Ubuntu Pro cover?

Canonical distinguishes Extended Security Maintenance (ESM) for Main, called ESM Infrastructure, from ESM for Universe, called ESM Applications. The packages and services available also depend on the subscription tier. As a result, the headline ten-year Pro period should not be read as uniform coverage for every package on every plan. Check the service overview against the repositories and services your system actually needs.

Canonical says existing Ubuntu LTS installations can be upgraded in place to Ubuntu Pro without redeployment. Whether that is sufficient for a particular system depends on its release, package coverage and support requirements.

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Is Ubuntu Pro free, and does that include Legacy?

Canonical describes Ubuntu Pro as free for personal use on up to five machines. Its release-cycle page also describes an allowance of up to 50 machines for official Ubuntu Community members. Legacy is a paid extension; the free personal-use Pro entitlement does not make the Legacy add-on free. Canonical’s 13 November 2025 announcement describes Legacy as priced at a 50% premium over standard Ubuntu Pro, and its Pro plans and pricing page lists that premium. Treat the percentage as Canonical’s published pricing information, not an individual quote; check the current terms before purchase.

When do Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04 stop getting security updates?

There is no single end date that applies to all Ubuntu security maintenance: the date depends on the release and whether you mean standard maintenance, Pro ESM or Legacy. Canonical’s Ubuntu release cycle and the Ubuntu Project’s release list publish release-specific schedules, including ESM and Legacy dates. Look up the exact release installed rather than adding a number of years to its release month; use the date in Canonical’s schedule for that release.

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For Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or 24.04 LTS, consult those current tables for the applicable standard, ESM and Legacy dates. The cited material establishes that the tables are the place to verify current release-specific coverage; it does not provide a specific end date for either release here.

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How to decide whether to use Legacy or migrate

Extended maintenance can help keep a system in service, but it is not automatically a better choice than upgrading. Compare these factors before committing to a release’s final years:

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  • Lifecycle: Check the release’s published standard, ESM and Legacy end dates in Canonical’s schedule.
  • Packages: Confirm whether the software you depend on is in Main or Universe and what coverage your chosen tier includes.
  • Support needs: Separate security maintenance from any support services your organization requires; plan inclusions vary by tier.
  • Cost and timing: Legacy becomes available after the first ten years of coverage and is a paid add-on. Confirm current pricing and eligibility with Canonical.
  • Migration impact: Compare the cost and risk of maintaining the current installation with the operational, certification or application work involved in moving to a newer LTS.

Canonical presents longer coverage as a way to maintain continuity and avoid disruptive upgrades. The right trade-off depends on the system’s requirements and the cost of keeping it on its current release.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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