How to Upgrade to The New Ubuntu 25.10 “Questing Quokka”

Ubuntu 25.10, with the code-name Questing Quokka, is the latest stable release as of October 9, 2025, bringing many notable enhancements across the desktop experience, system security, and under-the-hood improvements. For users currently on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or earlier versions, understanding how to enjoy these features while planning an eventual step up to Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is important.

What’s New in Ubuntu 25.10?

Ubuntu 25.10 includes GNOME 49, providing a more polished, user-friendly desktop experience with new lock screen media controls, smoother animations, and better support for fractional scaling on high-resolution displays. A major change for GNOME users is the removal of the traditional Xorg/X11 desktop session; GNOME now runs exclusively on Wayland, improving graphics performance and security while maintaining legacy support for X11 apps via XWayland.

Security is a primary focus in 25.10, which introduces a Rust-based reimplementation of the sudo command (sudo-rs) and core command-line utilities (rust-coreutils). This enhances memory safety and reduces vulnerabilities in essential system tools. The installer now supports TPM-backed full disk encryption on compatible devices, making encryption stronger and easier to recover via new built-in recovery key management options.

Ubuntu 25.10 also ships with Linux kernel 6.17 and Mesa 25.2 graphics drivers, offering improved hardware support including new Intel Lunar Lake chipsets and better support for AMD ray tracing and NVIDIA performance on graphics. Other user-facing additions include two new default apps: the GPU-accelerated Ptyxis terminal with advanced features like multiple profiles and container workflows, and Loupe, a modern, gesture-friendly image viewer.

Beyond new features, Ubuntu 25.10 refines many existing components: the Software Updater is less intrusive, desktop icons now have more keyboard shortcuts, and the Raspberry Pi variant gains a robust A/B boot system for safer updates.

Planning Upgrades to 25.10 and Beyond

If you are running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or lower, a direct jump to 25.10 is not officially supported yet. Instead, the recommended upgrade path is incremental:

• Upgrade from 24.04 LTS to 24.10


• Then from 24.10 to 25.04


• Then from 25.04 to 25.10

Following this approach minimizes the risk of broken dependencies and system instability.

Looking ahead, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is scheduled for April 2026. When planning to upgrade to 26.04 LTS, upgrading sequentially through the 25.x releases now (especially 25.10) reduces the number of steps needed later and ensures your system is ready for the next LTS milestone.

Upgrading via the Terminal

If you are currently on an LTS release, you may need to adjust your system’s release upgrade settings in /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades by setting Prompt=normal to allow upgrades to non-LTS versions.

To do that, run:

sudo nano /etc/update-manager/release-upgrades

And set Prompt=normal

Then, follow these general steps for each intermediate version:

1. Update and upgrade your current system:
   

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

1. Launch the release upgrade process
   

sudo do-release-upgrade

1. Reboot when prompted and confirm you have the new version before proceeding to the next upgrade by repeating the first two steps above.

Fresh Install Considerations

Sometimes, a fresh installation of Ubuntu 25.10 or future 26.04 LTS can be beneficial for a clean start. Keep in mind that a clean install erases existing apps and settings by default.

To keep some of your apps, config and settings:

1. Export your installed .deb package list before reinstalling:
   

sudo dpkg --get-selections > package.list

1. Back up your home directory and hidden config files to preserve personal settings.
   

tar -cvpzf backup-home.tar.gz /home/<your_username>

1. Perform the clean install, during installation, choose the option to overwrite the existing system.


2. Reinstall your packages:
   

sudo dpkg - set-selections < package.list

sudo apt-get dselect-upgrade

1. Reinstall your user files and configs
   

tar -xvpzf backup-home.tar.gz -C /home/your_username

This approach ensures you maintain your personalized environment while benefiting from the clean install’s stability.

Conclusion

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS offers significant advancements that make upgrading or reinstalling worthwhile. While the upgrade process is best done in stages through supported releases, a fresh install combined with careful backups can provide a clean and efficient transition. Whichever method you choose, Ubuntu’s vibrant community and robust tooling ensure a smooth experience moving forward.