Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is now available to download, the first of 5 point releases scheduled for the ‘Resolute Raccoon’ in the 3 years.
The release doesn’t add new features, but brings a refreshed installation image (.iso) that includes all of the bug fixes, security patches and package updates released since the Ubuntu 26.04 LTS release back in April.
No new hardware enablement stack is included since there’s not been a newer Ubuntu release to backport a kernel and graphics driver set from. Next year’s Ubuntu 26.04.2 LTS release will bring the Linux kernel and GPU drivers that ship in Ubuntu 26.10.
New ISOs are also available for various editions (Raspberry Pi, Arm64, RISC-V) as well as for Ubuntu’s official favours that participated in Aprils’ LTS release.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS arrived on 23 April with GNOME 50, Linux kernel 7.0 and a pair of new default apps. Snap store and web search are available in the GNOME Shell Overview and you can enable Ubuntu Pro in the Security Center.
Plus, new folder icons, visual password feedback for sudo commands and easier installation of NVIDIA CUDA and AMD ROCm (now in the archives, an apt install away).
This is for new users, not existing one
You do not need to download and reinstall anything if you already use Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. Everything included in the .1 release is already on your system (if you’ve been installing system updates punctually, that is).
The point of point releases is to provide periodical refreshes of the installation media (try staying that fast) as this cuts down on the number of updates that have to be downloaded and applied post-install, saving users time and effort and, for Canonical, bandwidth.
Upgrades from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS enabled
The first point release in any long-term support series is notable for another reason: upgrades.
Users on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS can now upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS directly, graphically, without the need for command-line workarounds. An official prompt will appear to users, though it is also shown after running an update check.
If you use Ubuntu 24.04 you do not have to upgrade to 26.04 right away. Ubuntu 24.04 is supported until 2029 with standard updates, and for another 5 years of critical fixes beyond that with Ubuntu Pro.
Canonical delays upgrades between long-term support releases initially since, with 2 years worth of changes to migrate to, and stability being paramount, ample testing is required.
Indeed, if you do upgrade from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS there is a lot to look out for – my LTS to LTS guide lists 26 changes worth looking out for!
You get changes introduced in 24.10, 25.04 and 25.10 in addition to the things added in 26.04 specifically. The substantial set of changes includes revamped APT, Rust-based coreutils, 7 new default apps in total, notification grouping, Lock Screen media controls and more.
You can download Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS via the official Ubuntu website or the cdimage server.