Download Xubuntu: official images and preparation
English edition published on .
Download Xubuntu from the official project, then verify the image before preparing USB media. First choose a supported release and the Desktop or Minimal edition. For its uses and desktop, read the Xubuntu profile.
Information checked on .
Which Xubuntu ISO should you download?
The official download page provides direct links, mirrors and torrents. On 29 October 2026, the current LTS branch was 26.04, supported until April 2029, with 26.04.1 images in its directory. Interim release 26.10, available since 15 October, is supported until July 2027. The branch comparison helps you choose for your maintenance horizon.
- Desktop amd64: for an x86-64-compatible Intel or AMD PC, with a fuller application selection. “amd64” does not mean the CPU must be AMD-branded.
- Minimal amd64: the same architecture, with a reduced software base to extend. This is not a 32-bit edition.
- Minimal riscv64: a separate image marked experimental by the project. It does not replace the amd64 image for an Intel/AMD PC and is not an ARM image.
The official Xubuntu 26.04.1 LTS and Xubuntu 26.10 directories show exact filenames and checksums. Choose an .iso, or its .iso.torrent to open with a BitTorrent client; a .manifest file list is not the installation image.
Verify download integrity and provenance
Obtain SHA256SUMS and SHA256SUMS.gpg from the same release directory as the ISO. The official Ubuntu procedure explains two complementary checks:
- Authenticate the checksum list with its GPG signature and verify the signing-key fingerprint against the official source. Do not trust a key simply because its name looks correct.
- Calculate the downloaded file’s SHA256 and compare it to the line bearing its exact filename in the authenticated list. Desktop, Minimal and different architectures have different values.
If they differ, do not use the image. A matching checksum verifies the received bytes; authenticating the list verifies their origin. Do not substitute SHA1 hashes of torrent files shown elsewhere on the website.
Prepare bootable USB media
Use an 8 GB or larger drive and back up its contents: writing the image erases the selected media. The Ubuntu USB-creation documentation covers Disks on Linux, Startup Disk Creator for Ubuntu and its flavours, and Rufus on Windows.
- Open the image-writing tool and select the verified Xubuntu ISO.
- Identify the USB drive by name and capacity. Ensure your system disk is not selected.
- Start writing, wait for completion, then eject the media properly. Simply copying an ISO to an ordinary USB drive does not make it bootable.
Try before installing: useful checks
Boot USB through your computer’s boot menu and choose the trial option where offered. The Desktop image lets you explore before installation. Test networking, audio, suspend and peripherals; keep original documents backed up and work on copies. The per-application trial worksheet helps record what works and what is missing.
For dual boot, read your version’s known issues before changing partitions. The 26.04 and 26.10 notes mention cases of the GRUB menu not appearing and the installer selecting two root partitions. Check linked issue tickets for current status. If the partition summary does not match your intention, stop before confirming disk writes.
Already using Xubuntu: upgrade or reinstall?
Installation media is not needed for every update. The project documents upgrading to 26.04 from 24.04 or 25.10. Back up data, apply available updates and read known issues before a major upgrade. Do not force a development release to obtain a stable one.
You can stay on a supported LTS without following every interim release. After installation, check updates and prepare applications such as LibreOffice and VLC.
Official sources checked on 29 October 2026. Procedures are documented; no hardware installation test is claimed.