Canonical has released the first monthly snapshot of Ubuntu 26.10 ‘Stonking Stingray’.
This is the first of 4 planned testing builds in the lead up to the final, stable release of Ubuntu 26.10 on 15 October, 2026.
Utkarsh Gupta announced the release on the Ubuntu developer mailing list, noting that a couple of images are missing from the first snapshot but will return for Snapshot 2.
Ubuntu monthly snapshots are not alpha builds. They exist as a way for Ubuntu’s engineers to fine-tune new, automated build processes. Snapshots are useful jump-on points that help users test the next release, but aren’t traditional milestones.
Being the first snapshot, there isn’t an awful lot of ‘new-ness’ to play with – ergo, no need to rush off and download it unless you’re needing to test something. Updated packages from Debian have begun syncing in.
User-facing changes tend to arrive later in the development cycle. GNOME 51 (and all it entails) will hit alpha in the coming months, so there’s that to look forward to. Might we also get our first hint of the planned Ubuntu AI features? Who knows…
If you want to help test an Ubuntu development release, snapshots are one way to do it. If you need to test something in an Ubuntu development release to check it works, then I would recommend you use a recent daily build as they’re fresher.
Ubuntu 26.10 Snapshot 2 is due for release on 25 June or thereabouts. In the coming weeks the Linux 7.1 kernel will likely be packaged and shipped to those testing the next version. Canonical has said it plans to use the Linux 7.2 kernel in Ubuntu 26.10.
Download Ubuntu 26.10 Snapshot 1 from the Ubuntu cdimage server.