For routine updates to the Ubuntu release already installed, run sudo apt update and then sudo apt upgrade. To move to a newer Ubuntu release, use sudo do-release-upgrade instead. These are different operations: the first updates packages within your current release; the second upgrades the operating system.
Update packages in your current Ubuntu release
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Open a terminal.
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Refresh the package information:
sudo apt updateThis checks configured software sources for current package information. It does not install updates by itself.
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Install available package updates:
sudo apt upgrade -
Review the proposed changes and confirm when prompted. Restart the computer if Ubuntu asks you to do so.
apt upgrade installs available updates for packages belonging to the Ubuntu release you are already using; it does not move the system to a newer release. See Ubuntu’s package-management guidance.
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Upgrade Ubuntu to a newer release
A release upgrade is a larger change than installing package updates. Before starting, back up important data and check the target release notes. Ubuntu recommends installing all available updates first, rebooting so the latest kernel is running, checking free disk space, and setting aside enough time to complete the process. Downloading new packages may require a few gigabytes of free space on systems with additional software; that is a qualitative estimate, not a universal fixed requirement.
- Third-party repositories and PPAs are disabled during the documented release-upgrade process. Software installed from them can cause upgrade issues.
- The release-upgrade process may download many packages and ask how to handle configuration changes. Read the prompts before confirming.
When ready, run:
sudo do-release-upgradeFollow the interactive prompts. Ubuntu recommends this command-line method for release upgrades, including on systems without a graphical environment and over remote connections. See the Ubuntu release-upgrade instructions and release notes.
If no release upgrade is available
If sudo do-release-upgrade reports that no upgrade is available, your system may already be current, or the next release may not yet be enabled for your installation. LTS upgrades generally become available with the first point release. Interim-release upgrades can be delayed several days, and known issues may block an upgrade. Check Ubuntu’s release-upgrade guidance for availability details before trying again.
Do not use -d as a routine shortcut to get a stable release sooner: that option can select a development release, which Ubuntu warns is not supported for ordinary production use. See Ubuntu’s upgrade guidance.
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If an upgrade is interrupted by power loss, Ubuntu advises trying to restart the machine and resume. If package configuration is incomplete, run:
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt --fix-broken installIf you cannot log in or these recovery steps do not resolve the problem, seek help through Ubuntu support channels. See Ubuntu’s package-manager troubleshooting procedure.
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