- Ubuntu kernel lifecycle and enablement stack
- Installation
- Check your support status
- Kernel release schedule
- Active kernel releases
- Distribution kernels
- Releases FAQ
- When is the next mainline kernel version going to be released?
- What is the next longterm release going to be?
- Why are some longterm versions supported longer than others?
- Does the major version number (4.x vs 5.x) mean anything?
- Does the odd-even number still mean anything?
- Other resources
- Social
Ubuntu kernel lifecycle and enablement stack
The Ubuntu LTS enablement, or Hardware Enablement (HWE), stack provides the newer kernel and X support for existing Ubuntu LTS releases. That stack can be enabled manually, but may also be pre-enabled with an Ubuntu LTS release.
The HWE stack can be used by desktop and server systems, as well as cloud or virtual images.
Installation
Ubuntu 14.04 LTS — Trusty Tahr
sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-lts-xenial xserver-xorg-core-lts-xenial xserver-xorg-lts-xenial xserver-xorg-video-all-lts-xenial xserver-xorg-input-all-lts-xenial libwayland-egl1-mesa-lts-xenialsudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-lts-xenialThe 14.04.2 and newer point releases ship with an updated kernel and X stack by default. If you have installed with older media, you can use these instructions to install the newer HWE kernel derived from 16.04 (Xenial).
If you run a multiarch desktop (for example, i386 and amd64 on amd64, for gaming or Wine), you may find you need a slightly more involved command:
sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-lts-xenial xserver-xorg-core-lts-xenial xserver-xorg-lts-xenial xserver-xorg-video-all-lts-xenial xserver-xorg-input-all-lts-xenial libwayland-egl1-mesa-lts-xenial libgl1-mesa-glx-lts-xenial libgl1-mesa-glx-lts-xenial:i386 libglapi-mesa-lts-xenial:i386Ubuntu 16.04 LTS — Xenial Xerus
sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-16.04 xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-16.04The 16.04.2 and newer point releases ship with an updated kernel and X stack by default for the desktop. Server installations default to the GA kernel and provide the enablement kernel as optional.The 16.04 HWE stacks follow the Rolling Update Model.
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS — Bionic Beaver
sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-18.04 xserver-xorg-hwe-18.04sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-18.04The 18.04.2 and newer point releases will ship with an updated kernel and X stack by default for the desktop. Server installations will default to the GA kernel and provide the enablement kernel as optional.
The 18.04 HWE stacks follow the Rolling Update Model.
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS — Focal Fossa
sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-20.04sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-20.04Desktop installations of 20.04 default to tracking the HWE stack. Server installations will default to the GA kernel and provide the enablement kernel as optional.
Note that certain desktop machines may be on a separate «OEM» track. To determine if the machine is eligible for this, run the command ubuntu-drivers list-oem from a terminal. If this is non-empty, the machine is running the OEM cadence instead of HWE.
The 20.04 HWE stack follows the Rolling Update Model.
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS — Jammy Jellyfish
sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-22.04sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-22.04Desktop installations of 22.04 default to tracking the HWE stack. Server installations will default to the GA kernel and provide the enablement kernel as optional.
Note that certain desktop machines may be on a separate “OEM” track. To determine if the machine is eligible for this, run the command ubuntu-drivers list-oem from a terminal. If this is non-empty, the machine is running the OEM cadence instead of HWE.
The 22.04 HWE stack follows the Rolling Update Model.
Check your support status
To determine if your install is still supported, use this terminal command:
Kernel release schedule
- All releases
- All LTS releases
- 22.04 LTS
- 20.04 LTS
- 18.04 LTS
- 16.04 LTS
- 14.04 LTS
| Released | End of Life | Expanded security maintenance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 22.04.0 LTS (v5.15) | Apr 2022 | Apr 2027 | Apr 2032 |
| Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (v5.15) | Aug 2022 | Apr 2027 | Apr 2032 |
| Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS (v5.19) | Feb 2023 | Jul 2023 |
| Released | End of Life | Expanded security maintenance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS (v5.15) | Aug 2022 | Apr 2025 | Apr 2030 |
| Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS (v5.13) | Feb 2022 | Aug 2022 | |
| Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS (v5.11) | Aug 2021 | Feb 2022 | |
| Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS (v5.8) | Feb 2021 | Aug 2021 | |
| Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS (v5.4) | Jul 2020 | Apr 2025 | Apr 2030 |
| Ubuntu 20.04.0 LTS (v5.4) | Apr 2020 | Apr 2025 | Apr 2030 |
| Released | End of Life | Expanded security maintenance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 18.04.5 LTS (v5.4) | Aug 2020 | Apr 2023 | Apr 2028 |
| Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS (v5.3) | Feb 2020 | Aug 2020 | |
| Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS (v5.0) | Aug 2019 | Feb 2020 | |
| Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS (v4.18) | Feb 2019 | Aug 2019 | |
| Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS (v4.15) | Jul 2018 | Apr 2023 | Apr 2028 |
| Ubuntu 18.04.0 LTS (v4.15) | Apr 2018 | Apr 2023 | Apr 2028 |
| Released | End of Life | Expanded security maintenance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04.5 LTS (v4.15) | Aug 2018 | Apr 2021 | Apr 2024 |
| Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS (v4.13) | Feb 2018 | Jul 2018 | |
| Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS (v4.10) | Aug 2017 | Jan 2018 | |
| Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS (v4.8) | Feb 2017 | Jul 2017 | |
| Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS (v4.4) | Aug 2016 | Apr 2021 | Apr 2024 |
| Ubuntu 16.04.0 LTS (v4.4) | Apr 2016 | Apr 2021 | Apr 2024 |
| Released | End of Life | Expanded security maintenance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 14.04.5 LTS (v4.4) | Aug 2016 | Apr 2019 | Apr 2022 |
| Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS (v4.2) | Feb 2016 | Jul 2016 | |
| Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS (v3.19) | Aug 2015 | Jul 2016 | |
| Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS (v3.16) | Feb 2015 | Jul 2016 | |
| Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS (v3.13) | Aug 2014 | Apr 2019 | Apr 2022 |
| Ubuntu 14.04.0 LTS (v3.13) | Apr 2014 | Apr 2019 | Apr 2022 |
| Released | CVE/Critical fixes only | End of Life | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 14.04.0 LTS (v3.13) | Apr 2014 | Apr 2016 | Apr 2019 |
| Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS (v3.13) | Aug 2014 | Apr 2016 | Apr 2019 |
| Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS (v3.16) | Feb 2015 | May 2015 | Jul 2016 |
| Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS (v3.19) | Aug 2015 | Jul 2016 | |
| Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS (v4.2) | Feb 2016 | Jul 2016 | |
| Ubuntu 16.04.0 LTS (v4.4) | Apr 2016 | Apr 2018 | Mar 2023 |
| Ubuntu 14.04.5 LTS (v4.4) | Aug 2016 | Apr 2018 | Apr 2019 |
| Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS (v4.4) | Aug 2016 | Apr 2018 | Apr 2021 |
| Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS (v4.8) | Feb 2017 | Jul 2017 | |
| Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS (v4.10) | Aug 2017 | Jan 2018 | |
| Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS (v4.13) | Feb 2018 | Jul 2018 | |
| Ubuntu 18.04.0 LTS (v4.15) | Apr 2018 | Apr 2020 | Mar 2025 |
| Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS (v4.15) | Jul 2018 | Apr 2020 | Apr 2023 |
| Ubuntu 16.04.5 LTS (v4.15) | Aug 2018 | Apr 2020 | Apr 2021 |
| Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS (v4.18) | Feb 2019 | Jul 2019 | |
| Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS (v5.0) | Aug 2019 | Jan 2020 | |
| Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS (v5.3) | Feb 2020 | Jul 2020 | |
| Ubuntu 20.04.0 LTS (v5.4) | Apr 2020 | Apr 2022 | Apr 2025 |
| Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS (v5.4) | Jul 2020 | Apr 2022 | Apr 2025 |
| Ubuntu 18.04.5 LTS (v5.4) | Aug 2020 | Apr 2022 | Apr 2023 |
| Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS (v5.8) | Feb 2021 | Aug 2021 | |
| Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS (v5.11) | Aug 2021 | Feb 2022 | |
| Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS (v5.13) | Feb 2022 | Jul 2022 | |
| Ubuntu 22.04.0 LTS (v5.15) | Apr 2022 | Apr 2024 | Apr 2027 |
| Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS (v5.15) | Aug 2022 | Aug 2024 | Apr 2025 |
| Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (v5.15) | Aug 2022 | Apr 2024 | Apr 2027 |
| Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS (v5.19) | Feb 2023 | Jul 2023 |
| Early preview | Released | End of Life | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 14.04.0 LTS (v3.13) | Jan 2014 | Apr 2014 | Apr 2019 |
| Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS (v3.13) | May 2014 | Aug 2014 | Apr 2019 |
| Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS (v3.16) | Feb 2015 | Jul 2016 | |
| Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS (v3.19) | Aug 2015 | Jul 2016 | |
| Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS (v4.2) | Feb 2016 | Jul 2016 | |
| Ubuntu 16.04.0 LTS (v4.4) | Jan 2016 | Apr 2016 | Apr 2021 |
| Ubuntu 14.04.5 LTS (v4.4) | May 2016 | Aug 2016 | Apr 2019 |
| Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS (v4.4) | May 2016 | Aug 2016 | Apr 2021 |
| Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS (v4.8) | Feb 2017 | Jul 2017 | |
| Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS (v4.10) | Aug 2017 | Jan 2018 | |
| Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS (v4.13) | Feb 2018 | Jul 2018 | |
| Ubuntu 18.04.0 LTS (v4.15) | Jan 2018 | Apr 2018 | Apr 2023 |
| Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS (v4.15) | Apr 2018 | Jul 2018 | Apr 2023 |
| Ubuntu 16.04.5 LTS (v4.15) | May 2018 | Aug 2018 | Apr 2021 |
| Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS (v4.18) | Feb 2019 | Aug 2019 | |
| Ubuntu 19.04 (v5.0) | Apr 2019 | Jan 2020 | |
| Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS (v5.0) | Aug 2019 | Feb 2020 | |
| Ubuntu 19.10 (v5.3) | Oct 2019 | Jul 2020 | |
| Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS (v5.3) | Feb 2020 | Jul 2020 | |
| Ubuntu 20.04.0 LTS (v5.4) | Jan 2020 | Apr 2020 | Apr 2025 |
| Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS (v5.4) | Apr 2020 | Jul 2020 | Apr 2025 |
| Ubuntu 18.04.5 LTS (v5.4) | May 2020 | Aug 2020 | Apr 2023 |
| Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS (v5.8) | Feb 2021 | Aug 2021 | |
| Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS (v5.11) | Aug 2021 | Feb 2022 | |
| Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS (v5.13) | Feb 2022 | Aug 2022 | |
| Ubuntu 22.04.0 LTS (v5.15) | Jan 2022 | Apr 2022 | Apr 2027 |
| Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS (v5.15) | May 2022 | Aug 2022 | Apr 2025 |
| Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (v5.15) | Aug 2022 | Apr 2027 | |
| Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS (v5.19) | Feb 2023 | Jul 2023 |
© 2023 Canonical Ltd. Ubuntu and Canonical are registered trademarks of Canonical Ltd.
Active kernel releases
There are several main categories into which kernel releases may fall:
Prepatch Prepatch or «RC» kernels are mainline kernel pre-releases that are mostly aimed at other kernel developers and Linux enthusiasts. They must be compiled from source and usually contain new features that must be tested before they can be put into a stable release. Prepatch kernels are maintained and released by Linus Torvalds. Mainline Mainline tree is maintained by Linus Torvalds. It’s the tree where all new features are introduced and where all the exciting new development happens. New mainline kernels are released every 9-10 weeks. Stable After each mainline kernel is released, it is considered «stable.» Any bug fixes for a stable kernel are backported from the mainline tree and applied by a designated stable kernel maintainer. There are usually only a few bugfix kernel releases until next mainline kernel becomes available — unless it is designated a «longterm maintenance kernel.» Stable kernel updates are released on as-needed basis, usually once a week. Longterm There are usually several «longterm maintenance» kernel releases provided for the purposes of backporting bugfixes for older kernel trees. Only important bugfixes are applied to such kernels and they don’t usually see very frequent releases, especially for older trees.
| Version | Maintainer | Released | Projected EOL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | Greg Kroah-Hartman & Sasha Levin | 2022-12-11 | Dec, 2026 |
| 5.15 | Greg Kroah-Hartman & Sasha Levin | 2021-10-31 | Oct, 2026 |
| 5.10 | Greg Kroah-Hartman & Sasha Levin | 2020-12-13 | Dec, 2026 |
| 5.4 | Greg Kroah-Hartman & Sasha Levin | 2019-11-24 | Dec, 2025 |
| 4.19 | Greg Kroah-Hartman & Sasha Levin | 2018-10-22 | Dec, 2024 |
| 4.14 | Greg Kroah-Hartman & Sasha Levin | 2017-11-12 | Jan, 2024 |
Distribution kernels
Many Linux distributions provide their own «longterm maintenance» kernels that may or may not be based on those maintained by kernel developers. These kernel releases are not hosted at kernel.org and kernel developers can provide no support for them.
It is easy to tell if you are running a distribution kernel. Unless you downloaded, compiled and installed your own version of kernel from kernel.org, you are running a distribution kernel. To find out the version of your kernel, run uname -r :
# uname -r 5.6.19-300.fc32.x86_64
If you see anything at all after the dash, you are running a distribution kernel. Please use the support channels offered by your distribution vendor to obtain kernel support.
Releases FAQ
Here are some questions we routinely receive about kernel release versions. See also the main «FAQ» section for some other topics.
When is the next mainline kernel version going to be released?
Linux kernel follows a simple release cadence:
- after each mainline release, there is a 2-week «merge window» period during which new major features are introduced into the kernel
- after the merge window closes, there is a 7-week bugfix and stabilization period with weekly «release candidate» snapshots
- rc7 is usually the last release candidate, though occasionally there may be additional rc8+ releases if that is deemed necessary
So, to find the approximate date of the next mainline kernel release, take the date of the previous mainline release and add 9-10 weeks.
What is the next longterm release going to be?
Longterm kernels are picked based on various factors — major new features, popular commercial distribution needs, device manufacturer demand, maintainer workload and availability, etc. You can roughly estimate when the new longterm version will become available based on how much time has elapsed since the last longterm version was chosen.
Why are some longterm versions supported longer than others?
The «projected EOL» dates are not set in stone. Each new longterm kernel usually starts with only a 2-year projected EOL that can be extended further if there is enough interest from the industry at large to help support it for a longer period of time.
Does the major version number (4.x vs 5.x) mean anything?
No. The major version number is incremented when the number after the dot starts looking «too big.» There is literally no other reason.
Does the odd-even number still mean anything?
A long time ago Linux used a system where odd numbers after the first dot indicated pre-release, development kernels (e.g. 2.1, 2.3, 2.5). This scheme was abandoned after the release of kernel 2.6 and these days pre-release kernels are indicated with «-rc».
Other resources
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