Upgrading to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Noble Numbat: Step-by-Step Guide

Canonical released Ubuntu 24.04 “Noble Numbat” on April 25. Noble Numbat marks Ubuntu’s tenth LTS (Long Term Support) release and contains several security and performance improvements.

Ubuntu 23.10 “Mantic Minotaur,” released Oct. 20, 2023, is still receiving security updates through July 2024. Still, there’s no reason you can’t switch to 24.04 today.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps you need to take to upgrade from Ubuntu 23.10 to Ubuntu 24.04.

Why Upgrade to Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat?

One of the main advantages of switching to Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat is that as an LTS release, users will receive five years of free security maintenance on the main Ubuntu repository.

Users who enroll in Ubuntu Pro, which is free for personal use, benefit from an extra five years of updates for both the main and universe repositories.

Subscribers can also purchase the legacy support add-on for two years of additional support.

If up to 12 years of support isn’t enough, Noble Numbat includes new security features, including user namespace restrictions, binary hardening, and disabling older versions of TLS and AppArmor 4.

Most importantly, all of the Ubuntu 24.04 binary packages have been rebuilt in light of the hidden backdoor in the data compression package xz Utils, discovered in early April.

Read the Noble Numbat release notes to discover all the advantages of upgrading.

How It Works

Although you can technically update to Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat using Terminal (see below), Ubuntu supports easy upgrades to the next version using the integrated Software Updater.

To upgrade, you first need to use the software updater to ensure your installation of Ubuntu 23.10 is up to date. Then, you can rerun the software updater to upgrade to Ubuntu 24.04.

Ubuntu 23.10 will then launch the upgrade process, connecting to the necessary software channels and applicable packages. You’ll also be offered the choice to remove any obsolete packages.

Ubuntu disables third-party repositories and PPAs by default. Once the OS upgrades to version 24.04, you can re-enable these via the command line.

Step 1. Prepare Your System

The upgrade process to Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat is straightforward. However, it’s always a good idea to follow some basic precautions when making significant changes to your OS.

• Save and close any open files and any running programs.
• If you’re using a portable device, make sure it’s plugged into a power source to prevent the battery from draining during the upgrade.
• Make sure to run a full system backup using your favorite utility.

Next, check that your current version of Ubuntu 23.10 is up to date. The simplest way to do this is:

• Click the workspace switcher at the top left, then type “update” in the search box.
• Click the “Software Updater” icon to launch the utility.

The software updater will now search for and display any available updates. Click “Install Now,” then enter your admin password to download and apply these.