How to Install Ubuntu 26.04

Installing Ubuntu 26.04 gives you a fresh long-term support desktop with the current Ubuntu installer, GNOME desktop, and updated system packages. A clean installation is the right choice when you are setting up a new computer, replacing another operating system, or starting over with a known-good system.

This guide explains how to install Ubuntu 26.04 from a bootable USB drive. We will download the ISO, create the installer USB, boot from it, walk through the installer screens, and review the first steps after the system starts.

Quick Reference #

Prerequisites #

Before you start, make sure you have:

• A computer where you want to install Ubuntu 26.04.
• A USB flash drive with at least 12 GB of storage.
• A reliable internet connection.
• A backup of any files you want to keep from the target computer.

Installing Ubuntu can erase the selected disk. If the computer already contains another operating system or personal files, back up your data before continuing.

If you already run an older Ubuntu release and want to keep your existing setup, see how to upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04 instead of doing a clean install.

Download the Ubuntu 26.04 ISO #

Download the Ubuntu 26.04 Desktop ISO from the official Ubuntu downloads page . Choose the 64-bit desktop image and save it to your computer. The file name is ubuntu-26.04-desktop-amd64.iso and the download is about 6.1 GB. You can also take the image from releases.ubuntu.com/26.04 , which lists every image for the release next to its checksum files.

Verify the ISO before writing it to the USB drive. A truncated or corrupted download is a common cause of installer crashes that are hard to diagnose later. Download the SHA256SUMS file into the same directory as the ISO:

wget https://releases.ubuntu.com/26.04/SHA256SUMS

Then check the image against it:

sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS --ignore-missing

ubuntu-26.04-desktop-amd64.iso: OK

The OK means the file matches the published checksum. Any other result means the download is damaged and you should fetch the ISO again. On Windows, run Get-FileHash ubuntu-26.04-desktop-amd64.iso -Algorithm SHA256 in PowerShell, and on macOS run shasum -a 256 ubuntu-26.04-desktop-amd64.iso, then compare the printed value against the matching line in SHA256SUMS.

Create a Bootable Ubuntu USB Drive #

Write the ISO file to a USB flash drive with a tool such as Rufus, balenaEtcher, GNOME Disks, or Startup Disk Creator. The exact steps depend on your current operating system, but the process is the same:

1. Select the Ubuntu 26.04 ISO file.
2. Select the USB flash drive.
3. Start the write process.
4. Wait until the tool finishes and safely ejects the drive.

Windows #

Rufus is the usual choice on Windows. Pick your USB drive under Device, click SELECT and choose ubuntu-26.04-desktop-amd64.iso, then keep the default partition scheme and target system settings. Click START. When Rufus asks how to write the image, keep Write in ISO Image mode, the recommended mode for Ubuntu images.

If the USB drive does not boot on a modern UEFI system, recreate it with Partition scheme set to GPT and Target system set to UEFI (non CSM). A computer that boots only in legacy BIOS mode may require the MBR partition scheme instead.

macOS #

balenaEtcher behaves the same on macOS and Windows. Click Flash from file and select the ISO, click Select target and pick the USB drive, then click Flash. Etcher verifies the write on its own once the copy finishes.

Linux #

On Ubuntu and other GNOME desktops, Startup Disk Creator and GNOME Disks both write the image without any setup. From a terminal, dd does the same job. Find the device name of the USB drive first:

lsblk -d -o NAME,SIZE,MODEL

NAME  SIZE MODEL
sda   477G Samsung SSD 870 EVO
sdb  14.6G SanDisk Ultra

Here the USB drive is sdb, so the target is /dev/sdb. Write to the whole device, never to a partition such as /dev/sdb1.

Close any file manager windows open on the USB drive, then unmount its partitions before writing the image:

sudo umount /dev/sdb*

Replace sdb with the device name you found with lsblk. An error saying a partition is not mounted can be ignored.

sudo dd if=ubuntu-26.04-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync

The command prints no output until it finishes, apart from the running progress counter. Wait for the shell prompt to return before removing the drive.

Boot From the USB Drive #

Insert the USB drive into the computer where you want to install Ubuntu and restart the machine. Open the boot menu during startup and select the USB drive.

The key used to open the boot menu depends on the computer manufacturer. Common keys include F12, F10, F9, Esc, and Del. If the computer starts the existing operating system instead, restart and try the boot-menu key again.

When the Ubuntu boot menu appears, choose Try or Install Ubuntu.

Choose Language and Accessibility Options #

The installer starts with the language screen. Select your preferred language and click Next.

The next screen lets you configure accessibility options before installation. Most users can leave these settings unchanged and continue.

Select Keyboard Layout and Network #

Choose your keyboard layout. If you are unsure, use the text field on the screen to test keys such as quotes, symbols, and special characters.

Next, connect to the internet if the installer asks for network access. A wired Ethernet connection is usually detected automatically. For Wi-Fi, select your network and enter the password.

You can install Ubuntu without internet access, but connecting during installation allows the installer to download updates and third-party packages when those options are selected.

Choose the Installation Type #

When asked what you want to do, select Install Ubuntu.

The Try Ubuntu option starts a live desktop without changing the disk. Use it if you want to test hardware support before installing.

Choose Interactive Installation #

On the next screen, choose Interactive installation. This is the standard installer path for a single desktop computer.

The automated installation option is for advanced deployments where you provide an installation configuration file. Most desktop users should leave it unselected.

Select Apps and Third-Party Software #

Choose the application set you want to install. The default selection is a good fit for most desktop systems. The extended selection installs more applications during setup.

Ubuntu 26.04 uses Default selection for a smaller desktop setup and Extended selection for additional tools such as office utilities. Choose the default option if you want a clean desktop and plan to add applications later. Choose the extended option if you want more applications installed immediately.

Ubuntu 22.04 and earlier used Normal installation and Minimal installation. Ubuntu 23.10 changed these to Default installation and Full installation. The current installer uses Default selection and Extended selection; the smaller default option is the successor to minimal installation.

The next screen offers proprietary software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware, along with support for additional media formats.

Enable these options when you have a working internet connection. They can help with NVIDIA graphics, some Wi-Fi adapters, and common media playback.

Choose Disk Setup #

The disk setup screen is the most important part of the installation.

For a clean install on a dedicated computer or virtual machine, choose the option to erase the disk and install Ubuntu. This creates the required partitions automatically.

If you are installing Ubuntu next to another operating system, read the installer options carefully before continuing. Do not erase the disk unless you want to remove the existing operating system and all files on that disk.

For most desktop installs, the automatic disk setup is simpler and less error-prone. If you need to control mount points and file systems yourself, the next section covers the manual path.

Manual Partitioning #

Choose Manual installation on the disk setup screen when you need control over the layout, for example to keep an existing /home partition, to install next to another Linux system, or to put /home on a separate disk. The installer then lists every disk and partition and lets you create, resize, and assign mount points yourself.

A UEFI system needs at least two partitions:

On a computer that boots in legacy BIOS mode with an MBR partition table, the EFI partition is not used and the root partition is enough. If the disk uses GPT, also create a 1 MB unformatted BIOS boot partition and enable its bios_grub flag so GRUB has space for its boot code.

Two more partitions are common but optional:

• /home - Give it most of the remaining space after setting aside any dedicated swap space. Keeping user data on its own partition lets you reinstall Ubuntu later without touching your files.
• swap - Ubuntu creates a swap file by default, so most systems do not need a swap partition. If you plan to use hibernation, allocate enough swap to hold the contents of RAM. A dedicated partition can simplify the setup, but a swap file also works when resume is configured correctly.

If the disk already carries an EFI system partition from another installation, reuse it rather than creating a second one. Select it, set the mount point to /boot/efi, and leave the format option unchecked so the existing boot entries survive.

Set the boot loader device to the disk itself, such as /dev/sda or /dev/nvme0n1, and not to a partition on it.

For a first Ubuntu install on a dedicated machine, the guided option reaches the same result with fewer ways to go wrong.

Choose Encryption and File System Options #

After choosing the disk setup, select the encryption and file system options. For a basic desktop installation, leave No encryption selected.

If you are installing Ubuntu on a laptop or a computer that stores private data, disk encryption is worth considering. Make sure you can store the recovery key safely, because encrypted data is difficult or impossible to recover without the correct passphrase or recovery key.

Create Your User Account #

Enter your name, computer name, username, and password. Choose a strong password because this account will be used for desktop login and administrative tasks with sudo .

You can choose automatic login if the computer is for personal use in a trusted location. For laptops, shared machines, and work systems, require a password at login.

Select Time Zone #

Select your time zone on the map or search for your city. The installer uses this setting to configure the system clock.

If you are connected to the internet, Ubuntu can usually detect the correct time zone automatically.

Review and Start the Installation #

Before copying files, the installer shows a summary of the selected options. Review the disk, keyboard layout, time zone, and account details.

When everything looks correct, start the installation. Ubuntu will copy files to the disk, install packages, configure the boot loader, and prepare the system for first boot.

The installation can take several minutes depending on your hardware and USB drive speed.

Restart Into Ubuntu 26.04 #

When the installer finishes, restart the computer and remove the USB drive when prompted.

After the reboot, the computer should start from the internal disk and show the Ubuntu login screen or desktop.

Ubuntu may show a short welcome wizard after the first login. Use it to review location services, privacy reporting, appearance, and application suggestions, or skip the options you do not need.

First Steps After Installing Ubuntu 26.04 #

After logging in, open a terminal and update the package index:

sudo apt update

Install available updates:

sudo apt upgrade

You can check your Ubuntu version with:

lsb_release -a

If this is a server or a machine you will access remotely, consider setting up SSH and a firewall. See our guides on enabling SSH on Ubuntu and setting up UFW on Ubuntu .

You may also want to install extra .deb packages for applications that are not available from the Ubuntu repositories. For details, see how to install deb files on Ubuntu .

For a typical desktop setup, you can install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 26.04 and, if you do development work, Docker on Ubuntu 26.04 .

For a longer setup checklist covering drivers, media codecs, firewall, and desktop tweaks, see our list of things to do after installing Ubuntu 26.04 .

Troubleshooting #

The computer does not boot from the USB drive
Open the boot menu and choose the USB device manually. If the USB drive is not listed, recreate it with another tool or try a different USB port.

The installer freezes or shows a blank screen
Restart and choose the safe graphics option from the Ubuntu boot menu. This can help on systems with graphics drivers that do not work well during installation.

The disk you want to use is not listed
Check the computer firmware settings for storage mode and disk controller options. On some systems, switching from RAID or Intel RST mode to AHCI is required before Linux installers can detect the disk. Back up data before changing storage settings.

Wi-Fi does not work during installation
Install without network access and connect after the first boot. If the Wi-Fi adapter needs third-party drivers, connect with Ethernet or USB tethering, then install updates and additional drivers from Ubuntu.

The system boots back into the installer after installation
Remove the USB drive and reboot. If it still opens the installer, check the boot order in the firmware settings and move the internal disk above the USB device.

FAQ #

Can I install Ubuntu 26.04 without internet access?
Yes. You can install Ubuntu without an internet connection. Updates, language packs, and some third-party packages can be installed after the first boot.

Will installing Ubuntu erase Windows?
It depends on the disk option you choose. Erasing the disk removes Windows and all files on that disk. If you want to keep Windows, choose the install-alongside option when available or use manual partitioning.

How much disk space does Ubuntu 26.04 need?
Ubuntu can install on a modest disk, but a desktop system is more comfortable with at least 25 GB of free space. Use more if you plan to install many applications, keep large files, or run development tools.

Should I choose default or extended installation?
Choose the default selection if you want a smaller desktop setup and plan to install applications as needed. Choose the extended selection if you want more desktop tools installed immediately.

Can I use this guide to install Ubuntu Server 26.04?
Only in part. Ubuntu Server ships a different image, ubuntu-26.04-live-server-amd64.iso, and a text-based installer instead of the graphical one shown here. Downloading, verifying, and writing the ISO to USB work exactly the same way, but the installer screens differ. Once the server install finishes, continue with our initial server setup on Ubuntu 26.04 guide.

Conclusion #

You now have Ubuntu 26.04 installed and ready to use. After the first login, install updates, confirm that your hardware works, and add only the applications and services you need for your setup.

About the authors

Dejan Panovski

Dejan Panovski is the founder of Linuxize, an RHCSA-certified Linux system administrator and DevOps engineer based in Skopje, Macedonia. Author of 800+ Linux tutorials with 20+ years of experience turning complex Linux tasks into clear, reliable guides.

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