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How to Upgrade Ubuntu 22.04 LTS to 24.04 LTS

By Virgil on May 4, 2025 | howtos

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How to Upgrade Ubuntu 22.04 LTS to 24.04 LTS

Upgrading your system from Ubuntu 22.04 (Jammy Jellyfish) to Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble Numbat) is a straightforward process—but it's critical to do it right. Whether you're running a development server, workstation, or VPS, here's a step-by-step guide to help you upgrade smoothly and safely.

📋 Step 1: Back Up Your Data

Before you do anything, back up your important data. An upgrade shouldn't erase files, but things can go wrong. Use tools like:

  • rsync to back up files to an external drive

  • scp or sftp to copy files to another server

  • Snapshot tools (if you're on a VPS or using LVM/ZFS)

🧼 Step 2: Update Your Current System

Make sure Ubuntu 22.04 is fully updated first:

bash
sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade sudo apt dist-upgrade

Then reboot to apply any kernel or service updates:

bash
sudo reboot

⚙️ Step 3: Install the Update Manager (if not already installed)

Ensure you have update-manager-core installed:

bash
sudo apt install update-manager-core

Then edit the release upgrader config:

bash
sudo nano /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades

Make sure the line says:

ini
Prompt=lts

This ensures you only upgrade to the next LTS release (which 24.04 is).

🚀 Step 4: Start the Upgrade

Run the upgrade tool:

bash
sudo do-release-upgrade

If the upgrade isn't found right away (especially right after 24.04 is released), you can try:

bash
sudo do-release-upgrade -d

The -d flag tells it to look for development or newer releases. It’s safe for LTS-to-LTS upgrades after release day.

🧠 Step 5: Follow the Prompts

The upgrade tool will:

  • Check for available updates

  • Notify you of removed/updated packages

  • Ask to restart services

Be sure to review each prompt carefully. In most cases, accepting the defaults is fine, but pay attention if you’ve made heavy customizations (especially to /etc/ files).

🔄 Step 6: Reboot When Finished

After the upgrade completes, reboot your system:

bash
sudo reboot

You can verify the upgrade by running:

bash
lsb_release -a

You should see:

yaml
Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

🧹 Step 7: Clean Up (Optional)

After rebooting, clean up unnecessary packages:

bash
sudo apt autoremove sudo apt clean

This helps free up space and remove unused dependencies.

✅ Done!

You’ve successfully upgraded your system to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Take some time to test your applications and services to ensure everything is running as expected.

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