After installing Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, first check whether the installer already added optional hardware and media support, then install offered updates and restart if prompted. Drivers, codecs, and Flatpak are not all mandatory next steps: what you need depends on the choices you made during installation, your hardware, and the apps you plan to use.
Check what you selected during installation
Ubuntu 26.04’s installer offers an optional third-party software choice that covers some graphics and Wi-Fi hardware support as well as additional media formats. If you selected it, some support you might otherwise look for after installation may already be present. If you did not, do not assume that you need to install a generic package bundle; first check whether a device or app you use actually has a problem.
Ubuntu’s 26.04 release summary says the optional package set includes a non-free AAC codec for supported Bluetooth headsets. That is a specific compatibility benefit, not a guarantee that every media format or application codec is included.
Install available system updates
Check for updates after the first boot, install those Ubuntu offers, and restart if prompted. Ubuntu’s desktop documentation recommends applying available updates and restarting when requested. Keeping the system current is a useful early maintenance step; it does not mean you need to add unrelated repositories or install optional utilities.
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Check drivers by testing your actual hardware
Try the hardware you rely on: connect to Wi-Fi, use any external display or graphics-dependent application you need, and check other devices that matter to your setup. If something is missing or not working, consult current Ubuntu 26.04 documentation for your hardware rather than following an older menu path by rote.
Ubuntu Desktop no longer includes the Software & Updates settings app by default, and the current release information does not establish a definitive replacement graphical workflow for installing additional drivers. Avoid assuming that an older “Additional Drivers” path is available on your installation.
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Driver choices can also depend on full-disk encryption. Ubuntu 26.04 release notes describe restrictions on third-party DKMS modules with TPM-backed full-disk encryption, including the possibility that hardware modules will not be available. If your system uses TPM/FDE and a device driver is missing, check the release notes and hardware-specific guidance before changing driver or encryption settings.
Know what media support is already included
For supported Bluetooth headsets, the optional third-party software selected during installation includes a non-free AAC codec, according to Ubuntu’s 26.04 release summary. The statement is limited to that codec and supported headsets; it does not establish that every audio or video format is covered.
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AMD and Intel users also get VA-API hardware-accelerated video encoding and decoding by default in Ubuntu 26.04, according to the release summary. Do not install acceleration packages as a blanket first step. If video playback or encoding is not working as expected, investigate the specific hardware, application, and format involved.
Choose app sources with care; Flatpak is optional
You do not need to set up Flatpak simply because you have installed Ubuntu. Choose an app source based on the application you need and whether you trust its publisher or repository. Ubuntu warns that third-party software sources are not checked by Ubuntu members for security or reliability, so adding one means taking responsibility for that trust decision.
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- Ubuntu-supported sources: a sensible starting point when the app you need is available there.
- Third-party or community sources: consider these only when they provide an app you need and you trust the source.
- Flatpak: an optional app format to investigate, not a required post-install step. The Ubuntu 26.04 documentation cited here does not establish a release-specific Flatpak setup procedure or a complete comparison with other formats.
Ubuntu’s software-source guidance recommends confined snaps where possible. That is a general recommendation about source and confinement choices, not a claim that one app format is always best for every application.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Make a backup before significant future changes
A new installation is a good time to decide how you will protect personal files before a later upgrade or other significant maintenance. Ubuntu recommends backing up personal data to external storage before upgrades. An external hard drive or SSD can serve that purpose, but buying one is not a prerequisite for using a fresh installation.
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Ubuntu 26.04 LTS was released on 23 April 2026. Ubuntu says it receives five years of standard security updates and critical bug fixes, through April 2031; Ubuntu Pro offers ten years of Extended Security Maintenance. These dates help frame future maintenance planning, but they do not require a special first-boot configuration.
Ubuntu lists a 2 GHz dual-core processor or better, 6 GB of RAM, and 25 GB of free storage for a comfortable Desktop experience. Those are published Desktop requirements, not a shopping checklist for a computer on which Ubuntu is already installed.
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