Ubuntu 26.04.1 Now Available: Key Features and Release Details

Canonical has released Ubuntu 26.04.1, the first point update for the April 2024 Long-Term Support (LTS) version of its Linux distribution. This release, codenamed "Noble Numbat," provides system updates and improvements for users running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.

Ubuntu 26.04.1 is supported until 2031 and follows the typical LTS release cycle, which includes four additional point releases. The final update, Ubuntu 26.04.5, is expected after the release of Ubuntu 28.04, likely around September 2028. Most official Ubuntu remixes—including Kubuntu, Ubuntu Budgie, Lubuntu, Ubuntu Kylin, Ubuntu Studio, Xubuntu, Edubuntu, and Ubuntu Cinnamon—have also released matching point updates. However, Ubuntu MATE and Ubuntu Unity are missing from this list.

Ubuntu MATE maintainer Martin Wimpress has stepped down to focus on a new project called Nøughty Linux. While the project’s website remains sparse, Wimpress is scheduled to discuss it at the 2025 Ubuntu Summit. Ubuntu Unity, another official remix, missed the 25.10 release cycle due to lead developer Rudra Saraswat’s university commitments. However, an Ubuntu Unity 26.04 release is available, though it is not an LTS version.

For users running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, this point release marks the first opportunity to upgrade to Ubuntu 26.04.1. Canonical typically delays upgrade prompts for LTS users until the first point release. This applies to both desktop and server users, including those who manage servers as "pets" rather than in automated, cattle-like environments. Notably, Canonical includes upgrade prompts within the output of the `apt` command, a feature that has drawn criticism from some Debian users.

Additionally, System76’s Pop!_OS 26.04, based on Ubuntu 26.04.1, is expected soon. The company had initially targeted a late June release but has since delayed it. System76 has been actively developing its in-house COSMIC desktop environment, which reached version 1.0 in December 2024 and version 1.7.0 earlier this week. The upcoming Pop!_OS will integrate these updates.

Pop!_OS, which has gained favorable attention from the FOSS desk at *The Register*, is noted for its speed compared to standard Ubuntu. On a 2018 Dell XPS13 testbed, Pop!_OS demonstrated quick startup times and dynamic screen DPI adjustment. It also supports older NVIDIA GPUs that modern kernels no longer accommodate with official drivers, though occasional freezes have been reported on very old hardware. The COSMIC desktop is evolving rapidly, with ambitious plans for "Epoch 2" and beyond. The next version of Pop!_OS may include COSMIC 2.