Ubuntu 26.04 LTS to arrive in April with Linux 6.20 kernel

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon) will ship with Linux 6.20 next April, Canonical has announced today. This decision continues Ubuntu's policy of using the most recent upstream kernel available at the time of the Feature Freeze. To ensure the latest hardware support and features, Canonical will even ship the 6.20 kernel even if it is still in Release Candidate (RC) status by the final release date.

According to current Linux kernel release predictions, the 6.20 kernel (which could also be released as Linux 7.0) is expected to be released on April 5. Over on Canonical's side, March 19 will see the Kernel Feature Freeze, March 23 will see the Beta and HWE Freeze, April 9 will be the Kernel Freeze, April 16 is the Final Freeze, and then the Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Final Release is planned for April 23.

The main benefit of shipping with the latest Linux kernel is that more hardware will be supported. This is an important factor for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS because it will be used by many more people than interim versions like Ubuntu 25.04 and 25.10. It will also be supported a lot longer, and users are better off having a newer kernel, so their software stays more relevant over time.

A brand new kernel is not the only thing we can expect from Ubuntu 26.04 LTS; it is also likely to throw out two older apps for new modern alternatives. The apps being replaced are Totem video player and GNOME System Monitor; they are getting swapped for Showtime and Resources, respectively.

Once Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is released next April with the Linux 6.20 / 7.0 kernel, you will be able to download and install it, or upgrade from 25.10. However, if you are on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, you won't be presented with the upgrade until Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS is released around August. This is so it has time to become more stable.

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Posted Saturday 20 December 2025 at 3:58 am AEST (my time).

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