Mitigate risks when an Ubuntu LTS version reaches end of mainstream support by subscribing to ESM or upgrading.
Ubuntu lifecycle
Ubuntu is a free, user-friendly Linux distribution maintained by Canonical. It is widely used by desktop users, developers, and server administrators, and well-suited for production environments due to its stability.
Ubuntu releases a Long Term Support (LTS) version roughly every two years. Each LTS version receives five years of security updates and technical support during the Mainstream Support (MS) phase. After MS ends, Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) provides an additional five years of security updates. A Legacy Support add-on extends coverage further. Once all support ends, the version reaches its end of life (EOL).
The following table lists the lifecycle of each Ubuntu LTS version. See the Ubuntu releases page for the full schedule.
|
Version |
Release date |
End of Mainstream Support (Standard Support) |
Extended Support phase |
|
|
End of Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) |
End of Ubuntu Pro with Legacy support add-on |
|||
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | 2026-04-23 | 2031-06 | 2036-04 | 2038-04 |
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS |
2024-04-25 |
2029-06 |
2034-04 |
2036-04 |
|
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS |
2022-04-21 |
2027-06 |
2032-04 |
2034-04 |
|
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS |
2020-04-23 |
2025-05 |
2030-04 |
2032-04 |
|
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS |
2018-04-26 |
2023-06 |
2028-04 |
2030-04 |
|
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS |
2016-04-21 |
2021-04 |
2026-04 |
2028-04 |
|
Ubuntu 14.04 LTS |
2014-04-17 |
2019-04 |
2024-04 |
2026-04 |
Impacts of Ubuntu EOL
After an Ubuntu LTS version exits mainstream support:
-
Ubuntu 14.04 LTS — no maintenance or support after April 2019, including bug fixes and feature updates.
-
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS — no maintenance or support after April 2021, including bug fixes and feature updates.
-
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS — no maintenance or support after June 2023, including bug fixes and feature updates.
-
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS — no maintenance or support after April 2025, including bug fixes and feature updates.
Alibaba Cloud public images and ECS are also affected:
-
ECS instances created from Ubuntu 14.04, 16.04, 18.04, or 20.04 LTS images continue to run normally.
-
Alibaba Cloud service support follows the official Ubuntu support lifecycle.
Take action on ECS instances running Ubuntu 14.04, 16.04, 18.04, or 20.04 LTS to maintain software updates and security patches.
Recommended solutions
Your response to an OS EOL event depends on your business needs. If the service is about to be decommissioned, you can ignore the event. For services accessible only over a private network, the risk is manageable. For Internet-facing services or those requiring high stability and security, assess risks and plan promptly.
For new services
Use Ubuntu LTS versions or compatible operating systems still in mainstream support. Do not create new ECS instances from EOL Ubuntu images.
For existing services
-
Short term: subscribe to ESM for an additional five years of security updates, reducing the risk of unpatched vulnerabilities.
-
Long term: upgrade to a newer version for continued stability.
Upgrade to a newer version
Ubuntu supports sequential LTS upgrades only. For example, to upgrade from Ubuntu 16.04 LTS to 20.04 LTS, first upgrade to 18.04 LTS, then to 20.04 LTS.
Use the do-release-upgrade command to upgrade. See the Ubuntu Server upgrade guide and the Ubuntu Desktop upgrade guide.
Subscribe to Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM)
ESM from Ubuntu Pro provides an additional five years of security updates for an Ubuntu LTS version. For example, Ubuntu 20.04 LTS mainstream support ends in April 2025. With Ubuntu Pro, support extends to April 2030. A Legacy Support add-on extends coverage further to April 2032, helping maintain system compliance with minimal impact on business continuity.
On the Ubuntu Subscription page, subscribe to the Enterprise or Personal edition of Ubuntu Pro. See Get started with Ubuntu Pro.
References
For OS lifecycle details, phase characteristics, and standard EOL solutions, see OS lifecycle overview.