How to Install Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

Step 1: Download Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS "Resolute Raccoon" was released on 23 April 2026 and is the current long-term support release. It gets five years of standard security maintenance (to 2031), extendable to ten years with Ubuntu Pro. The current installation image is the 26.04.1 point release, which bundles the updates published since April. It ships GNOME 50 (Wayland only), Linux 7.0 and the new sudo-rs as the default sudo.

1. Go to the official download page at ubuntu.com/download/desktop.
2. Download Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS (64-bit PC / amd64).

Or from the command line:

wget https://releases.ubuntu.com/26.04/ubuntu-26.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso

Verify the download

Checking the ISO catches corrupted downloads and tampered mirrors. Download the checksum list and its signature into the same directory as the ISO:

wget https://releases.ubuntu.com/26.04/SHA256SUMS
wget https://releases.ubuntu.com/26.04/SHA256SUMS.gpg

# Check the ISO against the list (ignores the files you didn't download)
sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS --ignore-missing

You should see ubuntu-26.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso: OK. To also confirm the checksum list itself was signed by Ubuntu, run gpg --keyid-format long --verify SHA256SUMS.gpg SHA256SUMS; if gpg reports a missing key, Ubuntu's verification tutorial explains how to fetch the Ubuntu CD Image signing key.

On Windows, Get-FileHash .\ubuntu-26.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso in PowerShell prints the SHA-256 to compare by eye.

Step 2: Create a bootable USB

On Ubuntu or another Linux system

The easiest route is the preinstalled Startup Disk Creator (Ubuntu) or GNOME Disks (“Restore Disk Image”). From the terminal:

# Identify the USB stick (check the SIZE column carefully)
lsblk

# Write the image — replace sdX with the whole device, not a partition
sudo dd if=ubuntu-26.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync

On Windows

1. Download Rufus or balenaEtcher.
2. Insert the USB drive and select the Ubuntu ISO.
3. In Rufus, choose partition scheme GPT and target system UEFI (non CSM) for any modern PC. If Rufus asks, write in the recommended ISO/ESP mode.
4. Click Start.

On macOS

Use balenaEtcher: select the ISO, select the USB drive, click Flash. (Ubuntu's amd64 image is for Intel PCs; Apple-silicon Macs are not supported by the standard image.)

Step 3: Boot from the USB

1. Insert the USB drive and restart the computer.
2. Press the one-time boot menu key during startup. Common keys: Dell F12; HP F9 or Esc; Lenovo F12 (or the Novo button); Acer F12; ASUS F8 or Esc; MSI F11. If none works, look for “Boot menu” in your firmware (UEFI) settings.
3. Select the USB drive (on UEFI systems it often appears as “UEFI: <drive name>”).

Step 4: The installation

Since 23.04 Ubuntu Desktop uses a new installer (built on Subiquity), so screenshots of the old Ubiquity installer — “Normal installation”, “Something else” — no longer match. In 26.04 the flow is:

1. Boot menu and language

At the GRUB menu choose Try or Install Ubuntu. The live session starts and the installer opens: pick your language, then optional accessibility settings, then your keyboard layout.

2. Connect to the internet

Connect to Wi-Fi or plug in Ethernet. It's optional, but it lets the installer fetch drivers, codecs and updates during the install.

3. Try or install

Choose Install Ubuntu (or Try Ubuntu to test hardware first; the installer stays on the desktop). Then pick Interactive installation. The alternative, Automated installation, reads an autoinstall file and is meant for repeat deployments.

4. Applications

• Default selection — a browser and core utilities. You can add more later.
• Extended selection — adds office tools and other common applications, useful for offline installs.

5. Optimise your computer

Tick Install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware (pulls in drivers such as NVIDIA's) and Download and install support for additional media formats. If Secure Boot is on and proprietary drivers are selected, you may be asked to set a one-time password for key enrolment; you'll enter it once on the blue MOK screen at the next reboot.

6. Disk setup

Option A — Erase disk and install Ubuntu. Uses the whole disk. Under Advanced features you can pick:

• Use LVM and encryption — classic full-disk encryption with a passphrase you type at every boot.
• Hardware-backed (TPM) encryption — unlocks automatically using the TPM chip, with a recovery key you must store safely. Requires Secure Boot; check the installer's notes about third-party drivers on your hardware.
• ZFS (optionally encrypted) or plain LVM.

Option B — Install alongside Windows (dual boot). Prepare Windows first:

1. If BitLocker/Device Encryption is on, save your recovery key (aka.ms/myrecoverykey) — or suspend BitLocker — before resizing. The installer cannot safely resize a partition while BitLocker is active.
2. Turn off Fast Startup (Control Panel → Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do).
3. In Disk Management, shrink the Windows (C:) partition to free at least 50 GB.
4. Boot the USB and choose Install Ubuntu alongside Windows Boot Manager; the installer uses the free space and adds Ubuntu to the boot menu.

Option C — Manual installation. For custom layouts. A typical UEFI layout:

EFI System Partition  ~1 GB  FAT32  /boot/efi  (reuse the existing one when dual-booting)
/                     30 GB+ ext4
/home                 rest   ext4   (optional, makes reinstalls easier)
swap                  not needed — Ubuntu uses a swap file by default

7. Create your account

Enter your name, computer name, username and password. Keep Require my password to log in selected. Business users can also tick the option to join an Active Directory domain.

8. Time zone, review and install

Confirm the time zone, review the summary (pay attention to which partitions will be formatted) and click Install. Installation usually takes 10–30 minutes. When it finishes, click Restart now and remove the USB drive when prompted.

Step 5: After installation

On first login the Welcome to Ubuntu app offers Ubuntu Pro (free for personal use on up to five machines, includes Livepatch), optional system-report sharing and a few app suggestions. Then:

Update the system

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
sudo reboot   # if a new kernel was installed

Drivers

If you skipped third-party drivers during install, open Software & Updates → Additional Drivers, or from the terminal:

sudo ubuntu-drivers list
sudo ubuntu-drivers install

Codecs and useful tools

sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras
sudo apt install curl git build-essential

Firewall

The ufw firewall is installed but disabled. On a laptop that joins untrusted networks it's worth enabling (allow ssh first if you log in remotely):

sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status verbose

Troubleshooting

Black screen or freeze at boot

Usually a graphics-driver problem (often NVIDIA). Hold Shift (BIOS) or tap Esc (UEFI) to reach GRUB, press e on the Ubuntu entry, add nomodeset to the end of the line starting with linux, and press F10. Once booted, install the recommended driver with sudo ubuntu-drivers install and reboot without nomodeset.

Wi-Fi not working

lspci -k | grep -A3 -i network
rfkill list

See the full Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide.

Windows missing from the boot menu

Ubuntu's GRUB does not run os-prober by default. To add Windows:

echo 'GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false' | sudo tee /etc/default/grub.d/os-prober.cfg
sudo update-grub

You can also always pick “Windows Boot Manager” from the firmware's boot menu.

Slow boot

systemd-analyze
systemd-analyze blame

Frequently asked questions

Should I install 26.04 or 24.04?

For a new installation, 26.04 LTS: it's supported until 2031 and has newer hardware support. 24.04 is supported until 2029 and remains a reasonable choice only if a specific application you need doesn't support 26.04 yet.

Can I upgrade from 24.04 instead of reinstalling?

Yes. LTS-to-LTS upgrades opened after the 26.04.1 point release. See how to upgrade Ubuntu.

Will installing Ubuntu delete my Windows files?

Not if you choose “Install Ubuntu alongside Windows Boot Manager”. Resizing partitions always carries some risk, so back up first.

Can I try Ubuntu without installing?

Yes. Choose Try Ubuntu in the installer to run the live session from USB without changing your disk.

Does 26.04 still have an X11 (Xorg) session?

Not for the default GNOME desktop — GNOME 50 is Wayland-only. X11 applications still run through XWayland. See Wayland vs X11.

How do I remove Ubuntu from a dual-boot PC?

Boot Windows, delete the Ubuntu partitions in Disk Management, then remove the “ubuntu” boot entry (from an administrator prompt, bcdedit /enum firmware lists it). Make sure Windows Boot Manager is first in the firmware boot order. Microsoft's recovery options page covers repairing startup if needed.

Should I encrypt?

On a laptop, yes. Passphrase (LVM) encryption works everywhere; TPM-backed encryption is more convenient but depends on Secure Boot and on keeping the recovery key safe.

Applies to

• Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS and 26.04 LTS Desktop (amd64)
• Most steps also apply to 24.04 LTS, which uses the same installer (TPM-backed encryption is marked experimental there)

Sources & references

• Ubuntu 26.04 LTS release notes (system requirements, changes since 24.04)
• Official Ubuntu Desktop installation tutorial
• How to verify your Ubuntu download