Upgrading Ubuntu 16.04 LTS to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

If your server is still operating on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, moving to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is an effective way to modernize your environment. The latest Long-Term Support release includes updated software repositories, enhanced security protections, improved hardware compatibility, and continued maintenance through the LTS support lifecycle.

Before making any system changes, create a reliable backup of your data. Although many VPS hosting providers allow you to reinstall the operating system at any time, a fresh installation removes existing applications, user files, and custom configurations. A recent backup or server snapshot gives you the ability to restore your system if the upgrade does not go as planned.

The first step is to ensure your current Ubuntu 16.04 installation is fully updated. Install every available package upgrade, then reboot the server so all updates are applied.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo reboot

After logging back into the server, remove packages that are no longer needed to reduce unnecessary dependencies and free up disk space.

sudo apt autoremove --purge

The release upgrade utility must also be available on the system. If it has not been installed already, add it using the following command:

sudo apt install update-manager-core

Once your server is fully prepared, launch the operating system upgrade.

sudo do-release-upgrade

In some cases, the upgrade tool may indicate that the target LTS release is unavailable. If you need to continue anyway, you can force the upgrade process by running:

sudo do-release-upgrade -d

During the installation, Ubuntu will download updated packages, replace older components, and prompt you to confirm configuration changes where necessary. Depending on your server’s specifications and internet connection, this process may take some time. When the upgrade finishes, restart the system to load the new kernel and services.

To verify that the installation completed successfully, display the current Ubuntu release information.

lsb_release -a

You should receive output similar to the following:

Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
Release: 26.04
Codename: [Ubuntu 26.04 Codename]

Once the version information confirms Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, the upgrade is complete. Your server is now running the latest Long-Term Support release with updated packages, security enhancements, and access to future maintenance updates.