How to Upgrade to Ubuntu 22.04
Upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS lets you move your computer to a newer version of the popular Linux operating system. Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, nicknamed “Jammy Jellyfish,” is a major update that comes with five years of free security and maintenance support from Canonical.
This upgrade means getting a more stable system with the Linux kernel 5.15. You’ll also experience the fresh GNOME 42 desktop, which is the visual part of the operating system you see and use.
You can perform this upgrade from either Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or Ubuntu 21.10. This process updates your system to take advantage of the latest features and improvements in Ubuntu 22.04.
Upgrade to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS using the command line by first updating your system with `sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade`. Then, run `sudo do-release-upgrade` to begin the upgrade process. Reboot after completion to finalize the installation.
How to upgrade to Ubuntu 22.04 from Ubuntu 20.10 or Ubuntu 20.04
You can upgrade directly to Ubuntu 22.04 from Ubuntu 20.04 or Ubuntu 21.10 for a stable system that receives five years of support. To start the Ubuntu 22.04 upgrade, you must log in with administrative rights, meaning you need root user access or ‘sudo’ (superuser do) permissions. This ensures system changes can be made safely.
Performing the Ubuntu 22.04 upgrade requires root privileges. This means you’ll need to log in as the root user or be part of the sudoers file, which grants administrative permissions for this process.
How to Back up Ubuntu
How to back up Ubuntu
How to update Ubuntu
Updating your current software packages to their newest versions ensures a smoother Ubuntu 22.04 upgrade. If any packages are held back from updating, you can check them using the `sudo apt-mark showhold` command. Specific commands can then release these held packages, allowing them to be updated.
If packages are held back, you may want to release them to upgrade to the latest version. First, run the commands below to see any packages currently being held back. To release a hold, use the commands that follow. Remember to replace ‘package_name’ with the actual name of the package. After that, update all your currently installed packages with the commands below. Finally, run the commands to complete an upgrade and remove any packages that might be preventing your machine from upgrading.
sudo apt-mark showhold
To release the hold, run the commands below. Remember to replace package_name with the name of the package being held back.
sudo apt-mark unhold package_name
Next, run the commands below to update all your currently installed packages.
sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade
Next, run the commands below to complete an upgrade and remove packages that might be preventing your machine from upgrading.
The update-manager-core tool starts the actual upgrade to Ubuntu 22.04 after your system updates and restarts. This tool usually installs by default, but you can install update-manager-core with `sudo apt install update-manager-core` if the tool is missing. Installing update-manager-core prepares your system for the main upgrade process.
Ubuntu includes an upgrade package called “update-manager-core,” which is installed by default on both desktop and server versions. If it’s not already installed, you can run the commands below.
sudo apt install update-manager-core
Once the package is installed, make sure the default upgrade policy in the /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades file is set to “Prompt=normal” or “Prompt=lts.”
If your release upgrade option is set to ‘lts’ and you encounter issues, change it to ‘normal’ and try again. This ensures your system checks for the standard Ubuntu 22.04 upgrade pathway.
Finally, run the commands below to begin the upgrade process.
sudo do-release-upgrade
During the upgrade, you’ll be prompted to choose between keeping your existing configuration file or installing the package maintainer’s version.
You can safely type Y for Yes if you haven’t made many custom configurations.
The Ubuntu 22.04 upgrade process requires patience. Once the installation of 22.04 is finished, your computer will prompt you to reboot. This reboot is necessary for the new Ubuntu 22.04 system to start correctly.
After rebooting, run the commands below to confirm that your Ubuntu system has been upgraded.
lsb_release -a
You should see something similar to the lines below:
No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Release: 22.04 Codename: jammy
Related post:
How to upgrade the Ubuntu desktop
Conclusion:
- Upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish) from Ubuntu 20.04 or 21.10 is straightforward and well-supported.
- It’s crucial to back up your current system before performing the upgrade to ensure you can restore it if anything unexpected occurs.
- Updating the currently installed packages and releasing any held-back packages is necessary before upgrading.
- Once the system is updated, installing the update-manager-core package and adjusting the upgrade policy will allow you to start the upgrade process with the sudo do-release-upgrade command.
- During the upgrade, you may be prompted to confirm certain actions, and after completion, it’s essential to reboot and verify the Ubuntu version to ensure a successful upgrade.
How do I update my Ubuntu OS version?
Click on Settings… and then select Updates. The Software Updater may run for a moment before presenting the settings button. You can choose to receive all updates or only LTS updates using the drop-down menu at the bottom, labeled "Notify me of a new Ubuntu version".
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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