Release selection updated on . Media creation procedure checked on 7 October 2026.
Download the official ISO and prepare installation media
The button above opens Ubuntu's official website. Download a free ISO image there: this file is used to create a USB drive for trying or installing Ubuntu Desktop. distrib.wiki does not host the ISO.
1. Choose the right Ubuntu Desktop image
As of 16 October 2026, the official Ubuntu Desktop page offers 26.04.1 LTS and 26.10. The highest version number is not necessarily the best choice for your needs.
| Release | Decision point |
|---|---|
| 26.04.1 LTS | Keep the same branch longer, with the security updates provided for the LTS. |
| 26.10 | Try newer features, with maintenance until July 2027 and another release upgrade to plan. |
Durations and coverage are explained in the official release cycle and our Ubuntu release comparison. Downloading an ISO for a new installation and upgrading an existing system are different procedures.
- Intel or AMD 64-bit PC: select the Intel/AMD 64-bit image, also called AMD64. That name does not restrict it to AMD processors.
- ARM device: AMD64 is unsuitable. Check that both the image and the procedure explicitly cover your device; an ARM processor alone does not guarantee support.
- Other uses: Ubuntu Server targets servers, while a WSL image is for Linux within Windows. Neither is the Desktop image used in this USB procedure.
The official 26.04 LTS and 26.10 directories distinguish Desktop, Server and other image formats. For the final 26.10 release, avoid files with beta in their names. For Apple Silicon Macs, follow the specific information in the Ubuntu installation guide; a USB drive prepared for an Intel/AMD PC is not a suitable installation method for that Mac.
Snapdragon X1 laptops: on 16 October, the official download page reported an integrated-keyboard issue with 26.10 ARM64 images. It advised installing with an external USB keyboard and announced a fix through updates. Check the current warning before preparing your device.
2. Verify the ISO before using it
Download SHA256SUMS and SHA256SUMS.gpg from the official directory for your release. The first lists image checksums; the second signs that list. Follow the official Ubuntu verification guide to check the signature and signing-key fingerprint.
Next, calculate your ISO's SHA256 checksum and compare it with the line containing exactly its filename in SHA256SUMS. If they differ, download the file again. Matching checksums establish file integrity; the checksum list must also be authenticated to establish its origin.
Windows PowerShell example
Open PowerShell in the ISO's folder. This example uses Desktop 26.04.1 for Intel/AMD; replace the filename if yours differs.
Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 -LiteralPath ".\ubuntu-26.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso"Compare the Hash value with the official checksum, ignoring letter case. Microsoft documents Get-FileHash. This command does not verify the GPG signature.
Ubuntu example
In a terminal opened in the ISO's folder, with the same filename adjustment:
sha256sum "ubuntu-26.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso"If you chose 26.10: for the Intel/AMD Desktop ISO, use ubuntu-26.10-desktop-amd64.iso in both examples and use the checksum and signature files from the 26.10 directory. Do not compare a 26.10 ISO against the LTS checksum list.
For GPG tools and other systems, follow the Ubuntu guide above. Do not proceed with an invalid signature or a result you could not verify.
3. Create a bootable USB drive
The official media creation guide requires a USB drive of at least 8 GB. Back up its contents: writing the image replaces the data. Simply copying the ISO file onto an ordinary USB drive does not perform this operation.
- Windows: the guide describes Rufus and links to its official site.
- Ubuntu: it covers the Disks application and its restore-disk-image option.
- macOS: it describes balenaEtcher for preparing media for a computer compatible with the chosen image.
Select the verified ISO, then check the target drive's name and capacity. Disconnect unnecessary drives if that helps distinguish them. Wait until writing completes before removing the drive.
4. Boot from the USB drive and try Ubuntu
Restart the computer and open its boot menu to select the USB drive. The key depends on the manufacturer: the Ubuntu trial tutorial provides guidance, but your computer's documentation is authoritative.
Select Try Ubuntu when offered a choice between trying and installing. Check Wi-Fi, sound, display and essential devices. The trial session uses open-source drivers; missing proprietary drivers may limit this first check.
Before installing: back up documents separately and read the partitioning choices in the official installation guide. Erasing a disk and keeping Windows alongside Ubuntu are different choices; do not confirm an option whose effects you do not understand.