Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS updates the default Linux kernel from version 6.8 to 7.0.

• Ubuntu LTS releases ship with the Hardware Enablement (HWE) stack enabled.
• Since Ubuntu 24.10, crash dumps are enabled by default for desktop and server installations.
• Since Ubuntu 25.04, the linux-lowlatency binary package has been retired. The generic kernel can now tune responsiveness at boot time, so low-latency tuning is provided by linux-generic together with the lowlatency-kernel user-space package, which updates the GRUB command line.

For the current lifecycle table and Canonical kernel guidance, see Ubuntu kernel lifecycle and Ubuntu kernels.

Check HWE, Support, and Kernel Version

Ubuntu LTS releases use the Hardware Enablement stack so newer kernels can be delivered through the life of the release.

Check your support status

hwe-support-status --verbose

Check your kernel version

uname -r
cat /proc/version_signature

Enable HWE

Since 2019, HWE has been on by default. You should not need to do this.

sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-26.04

You can change the release at the end to any LTS release since 2020.

Supported Ubuntu Kernels

  Warning: Manual kernel installs are usually unnecessary

These manual kernel installation guides may not be necessary for most Ubuntu systems. Ubuntu ships the HWE stack by default, so the recommended approach is usually to keep your system updated and let Ubuntu deliver the appropriate kernel through normal updates.

Ubuntu Kernel 7.0

• Supported until August 2026.
• Recommended for users who want the latest software and hardware support.
• Install Ubuntu Kernel 7.0

Ubuntu Kernel 6.18 LTS

• Supported until December 2028.
• Latest LTS kernel.
• Install Ubuntu Kernel 6.18 LTS

Ubuntu Kernel 6.12 LTS

• Supported until December 2028.
• Previous LTS kernel release, users are recommended to use the newer LTS release.
• Install Ubuntu Kernel 6.12 LTS

Ubuntu Kernel 6.6 LTS

• Supported until December 2027.
• Previous LTS kernel release, users are recommended to use the newer LTS release.
• Install Ubuntu Kernel 6.6 LTS

Ubuntu Kernel 6.1 LTS

• Supported until December 2027.
• Previous LTS kernel release, users are recommended to use the newer LTS release.
• Install Ubuntu Kernel 6.1 LTS

Ubuntu Kernel 5.15 LTS

• Supported until December 2026.
• Previous LTS kernel release, users are recommended to use the newer LTS release.
• Install Ubuntu Kernel 5.15 LTS

Ubuntu Kernel 5.10 LTS

• Supported until December 2026.
• Previous LTS kernel release, users are recommended to use the newer LTS release.
• Install Ubuntu Kernel 5.10 LTS