How To Upgrade Ubuntu 25.10 to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

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Ubuntu 25.10 reached its End of Life (EOL) in July 2026 and no longer receives security or package updates. It is recommended to upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon), which provides Long-Term Support (LTS) and continued security updates.

Verify the Current Ubuntu Version

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Check the currently installed Ubuntu version:

lsb_release -a

Output:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 25.10
Release:        25.10
Codename:       questing

Update Existing Packages

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Update all installed packages before performing the release upgrade.

apt update
apt upgrade -y
apt full-upgrade -y
apt autoremove --purge -y

If a reboot is required, reboot the server.

reboot

Create a Backup

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Before proceeding with the release upgrade, it is strongly recommended to create a backup of your server. While the upgrade process is generally safe, having a backup allows you to restore your server if anything unexpected occurs during the upgrade.

If you are using a CrownCloud VPS, you can create a Snapshot from the CrownPanel before starting the upgrade. Refer to the following guide for instructions: How to Manage Snapshots in CrownPanel.

Once you have confirmed that the backup or snapshot has been created successfully, continue with the upgrade.

Ensure the Release Upgrade Tool is Installed

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Install the upgrade manager if it is not already present.

apt install update-manager-core -y

Verify that /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades contains:

Prompt=normal

You can edit the file using:

nano /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades

Save and exit after making the change.

Start the Upgrade

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Start the release upgrade:

do-release-upgrade

If the upgrade is not immediately detected, refresh the package lists and try again:

apt update
do-release-upgrade

Follow the on-screen prompts during the upgrade process.

You may be asked to:

• Confirm downloading upgraded packages
• Decide whether to keep or replace modified configuration files
• Remove obsolete packages after the upgrade

Choose the appropriate option based on your environment.

Reboot the Server

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Once the upgrade has completed successfully, reboot the server.

reboot

Verify the Upgrade

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After the server comes back online, verify the new Ubuntu version.

lsb_release -a

Output:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
Release:        26.04
Codename:       resolute

You can also verify using:

cat /etc/os-release

Remove Unused Packages

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Clean up obsolete packages left from the previous release.

apt autoremove --purge -y
apt autoclean

Conclusion

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Your server has now been successfully upgraded from Ubuntu 25.10 to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon). Ubuntu 26.04 LTS provides long-term security updates, bug fixes, and improved stability for production workloads.