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You can upgrade Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) directly to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish) using Ubuntu’s documented release-upgrade path. Update and back up your current system first, then use Update Manager on a desktop or do-release-upgrade on a server. The upgrade needs a network connection to an Ubuntu mirror; there is no offline upgrade option.
One timing consideration: Ubuntu’s 22.04 release notes state that standard maintenance for Ubuntu Desktop, Server, Cloud, and Core runs through April 2027. If you are upgrading in 2026, check whether that remaining standard-support period fits your needs.
Before you upgrade
Prepare the existing installation before starting the release upgrade. Ubuntu recommends applying all available updates, reading the target release notes, and making a restorable backup.
- Confirm the starting release. This guide is for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS upgrading to 22.04 LTS. Ubuntu documents this direct path in its Jammy upgrade instructions.
- Install current updates. Apply all available updates to Ubuntu 20.04 before attempting the release upgrade.
- Read the 22.04 release notes. Review known issues and caveats in the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS release notes.
- Make a separate, restorable backup. Copy important files and any data needed to recover the system to a safe location, such as another device or a backup destination you can access if the upgrade fails. Ubuntu Server documentation stresses keeping a backup so you can restore data if problems occur.
- Check repository use. Third-party software repositories and PPAs are disabled during server release upgrades. Software installed from them can cause upgrade issues. Disabling a repository does not mean its installed applications are removed or guaranteed to work afterward.
- Plan for connectivity and time. Keep access to an official Ubuntu mirror or a locally accessible mirror throughout the process. Ubuntu does not provide an offline upgrade option. Set aside time to respond to the upgrader’s prompts.
Upgrade Ubuntu Desktop
For an Ubuntu 20.04 LTS desktop, use Update Manager. The Jammy-specific instructions use the LTS-only notification setting and then launch the release upgrader.
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- Open Update Manager and install any available updates for Ubuntu 20.04.
- Open Software & Updates, select the Updates tab, and set Notify me of a new Ubuntu version to For long-term support versions.
- Close Update Manager, open a terminal, and run
update-manager -c -d. - When Update Manager reports that the new release is available, choose Upgrade and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Allow the process to finish and reboot when prompted.
The Ubuntu 22.04 release notes also describe a desktop route through Software & Updates: select For any new version on the Updates tab, then run update-manager -c (or /usr/lib/ubuntu-release-upgrader/check-new-release-gtk) and use the offered upgrade prompt. That setting allows notifications for any release; it is not required for the LTS-only route above. The release notes say Ubuntu 20.04 LTS users would be prompted for 22.04 after its first point release.
Upgrade Ubuntu Server
On a server, use the release upgrader rather than the desktop Update Manager. Ubuntu’s 22.04 release notes specify setting the upgrader prompt to normal and running do-release-upgrade.
- Back up important data and apply all available updates to Ubuntu 20.04.
- Open
/etc/update-manager/release-upgradeswith an editor that has the required privileges. - Set the
Promptvalue tonormal, then save the file. - Run
sudo do-release-upgradeand follow the prompts. - When the upgrader requests a reboot, restart the server.
The server upgrade uses GNU screen and can automatically reattach if the connection drops. The documented general procedure uses sudo do-release-upgrade; do not add -d to force a development-release upgrade when your goal is the ordinary supported upgrade.
After the upgrade
- Confirm the system reports Ubuntu 22.04 LTS after reboot.
- Check that essential applications and, on a server, services start and operate as expected.
- Review third-party repositories and PPAs before re-enabling or reconfiguring them. Confirm each vendor supports Jammy and follow that vendor’s instructions.
Is Ubuntu 22.04 the right destination in 2026?
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is a documented upgrade target from 20.04 LTS, but its standard-maintenance window matters if you are making the move in 2026. Ubuntu’s 22.04 release notes state five years of standard maintenance, through April 2027, for Ubuntu Desktop, Server, Cloud, and Core. Other Ubuntu flavors have a different support period; check the status of the specific flavor rather than assuming the same coverage.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteCanonical announced that Ubuntu 20.04 LTS standard support transitioned to Extended Security Maintenance (ESM) on May 29, 2025. ESM is a separate support consideration, not the same as standard maintenance. If you need support beyond the 22.04 standard-maintenance period, account for your organization’s ESM and upgrade plans before choosing this intermediate destination. See Canonical’s Ubuntu 20.04 ESM announcement.
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