How to Check Your Ubuntu Version: A Simple Guide

This post describes steps one can take to find the version of Ubuntu Linux running on a computer.

A new version of Ubuntu Linux is released frequently. There are two release versions: Standard and Long-Term Support (LTS) releases.

Ubuntu Linux’s normal releases come out every 6 to 9 months. This suits desktop users since the latest versions include new features and hardware support.

Ubuntu LTS releases occur every two years and are supported for five years for desktops and servers. The LTS versions are suitable for servers since long-term support is excellent for enterprise applications and services.

Below is how one can find out the version of Ubuntu Linux running on a system.

How to find the Ubuntu Linux version on a computer

As described above, there are two types of Ubuntu Linux releases: Standard and Long-term support (LTS).

Below are steps you can use to find out the version of Ubuntu you are running.

The quickest way to find the Ubuntu Linux version is to use the lsb_release utility. LSB (Linux Standard Base) is a utility that provides information about Linux distribution.

To use the utility, open your terminal by typing Ctrl — Alt — T on your keyboard to open the terminal.

Then type the commands below:

lsb_release -a

That should output a similar info sheet below:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:	Ubuntu
Description:	Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS
Release:	22.04
Codename:	jammy

That gives you the version of Ubuntu and the release number.

When you use the -d switch with the lsb_release command instead of –a, it displays the description only.

Description:	Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS

Another way to discover the Ubuntu Linux version is via the issue or the os-release file.

Run the commands below to display the content of the issue file. The issue file contains the operating system identification text.

cat /etc/issue

That should output a similar line as below:

Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS \n \l

Alternatively, you may look in the /etc/os-release file to learn and find out the Ubuntu Linux version.

That file contains more operating system identification data. For example, run the commands below to display the os-release data for Ubuntu Linux.

cat /etc/os-release

That should output the lines below:

PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS"
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION_ID="22.04"
VERSION="22.04.1 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)"
VERSION_CODENAME=jammy
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
UBUNTU_CODENAME=jammy

The hostnamectl command also shows you info about Ubuntu Linux. Run the commands below to view the Ubuntu Linux version.

hostnamectl

That should up the info sheet below:

 Static hostname: Ubuntu2204
       Icon name: computer-vm
         Chassis: vm
      Machine ID: 103bd8b830824b90bca97c6ac84ad445
         Boot ID: 8f430b32cc1b4831959fbdcae616810f
  Virtualization: oracle
Operating System: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS              
          Kernel: Linux 5.15.0-47-generic
    Architecture: x86-64
 Hardware Vendor: innotek GmbH
  Hardware Model: VirtualBox

Discovering the Ubuntu version number from the command line has many ways.

Find the Ubuntu Linux version via desktop system settings

If you are on a Ubuntu desktop and want to view the version of Ubuntu Linux running on your computer, you can do that from the Settings app.

To do that, click on the top bar and select the System menu at the top right corner.

Then select Settings.

In the Settings app, select About. You should see details about your computer, including the Ubuntu Linux version.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• The post demonstrated multiple methods for discovering the version of Ubuntu Linux running on a computer, including command-line utilities such as lsb_release, cat /etc/issue, cat /etc/os-release, and hostnamectl.
• It also outlined how to find the Ubuntu Linux version via desktop system settings, providing a user-friendly alternative to command-line approaches.
• The comprehensive guide allows users to easily determine the Ubuntu version, catering to novice and experienced users.
• Feel free to engage through the comment section if there are any errors or additional insights.