Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, codenamed Resolute Raccoon, is the 11th long-term supported Ubuntu release, shipping with Linux Kernel 7.0 and a wide refresh of toolchains, runtimes, and databases.
Highlights for Azure customers
AuthD with Microsoft Entra ID
AuthD, Ubuntu’s cloud authentication framework, has been updated with many fixes and improvements to the Microsoft Entra ID provider, and now also includes a new Google IAM provider and support for device registration with Entra ID. authctl is a new command line tool to manage authd. The authd package ships in the Ubuntu archive, with dedicated provider snaps for Microsoft Entra ID, Google IAM, and OIDC (Keycloak and other standards-compliant identity providers). New authd documentation has also been published.
Kernel Livepatch on Arm64
Canonical Livepatch, which applies kernel patches without rebooting, now extends to Arm64 for the first time. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS images are published on Azure in both x64 and Arm64 variants, and Ubuntu Pro subscribers can apply Livepatch on both.
Post-quantum cryptography by default
OpenSSH now defaults to the hybrid post-quantum key exchange mlkem768x25519-sha256, helping mitigate “harvest now, decrypt later” risks.
Chrony as the default time daemon
Chrony replaces systemd-timesyncd as the default time daemon for new installations.
Memory-safe system components
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is the first LTS to expand the number of memory-safe system components, with new kernel drivers and subsystems written in Rust, plus sudo-rs and rust-coreutils shipped as memory-safe reimplementations of sudo and core system utilities.
The Microsoft stack on 26.04
- .NET has been updated to .NET 10.
- PowerShell snap support has been expanded to include
arm64, aligning with the Arm64 Ubuntu images now available on Azure. - WSL gets an updated experience that integrates cloud-init and Ubuntu Pro for WSL, enabling large-scale management and security compliance through Landscape.
- ADSys, the Active Directory Group Policy client for Ubuntu, has been updated with Polkit support and improvements to certificate enrollment.
Silicon and AI
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is the first Ubuntu release to natively distribute NVIDIA CUDA from its software repositories. In addition, users can install NVIDIA DOCA-OFED for high-performance networking through an official PPA starting with this Ubuntu release.
The AMD ROCm software platform is now available in Ubuntu’s repositories as well, an open software ecosystem for hardware-accelerated AI, machine learning, and HPC workloads on AMD Instinct and AMD Radeon GPUs.
Toolchains, runtimes, and databases
- Languages: Python 3.14, Rust 1.93, Go 1.26 (with 1.25 also available), OpenJDK 25 (TCK certified), PHP 8.5
- Web / app: Django 5.2
- Databases: PostgreSQL 18, MySQL 8.4 LTS, Valkey 9, and DocumentDB (
postgresql-18-documentdb) making its Ubuntu debut
See From Jammy to Resolute: how Ubuntu’s toolchains have evolved for the full picture.
Ubuntu Pro on Azure
Ubuntu Pro 26.04 LTS extends Ubuntu Server with:
- Kernel Livepatch for run-time kernel patching without reboots
- Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) providing up to 10 years of security updates, extendable to 15 years with the Legacy add-on
- Expanded package coverage across thousands of open source packages, including Apache Kafka, NGINX, MongoDB, Redis, and PostgreSQL
- Landscape for systems management automation
- Compliance and hardening through certified automation tools for hardening and compliance profiles, including FIPS 140 certified components, with optional CIS hardening profile and DISA STIG. These features will be added as they become available.
Running instances of Ubuntu Server can also be upgraded in place to Ubuntu Pro without redeployment or downtime.
Marketplace plans and images
Both Marketplace offers are live:
- Ubuntu Pro 26.04 LTS (
Canonical:ubuntu-pro-26_04-lts) — Ubuntu Pro plans - Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (
Canonical:ubuntu-26_04-lts) — unified offer containing free Ubuntu Server and Minimal plans alongside their Ubuntu Pro counterparts
Both offers publish SKUs for Server and Minimal across Gen2 (default), Arm64, and Gen1 (legacy BIOS) variants. Example URNs:
Canonical:ubuntu-pro-26_04-lts:server:latest
Canonical:ubuntu-pro-26_04-lts:server-arm64:latest
Canonical:ubuntu-pro-26_04-lts:server-cvm:latest
Canonical:ubuntu-26_04-lts:server:latest
Canonical:ubuntu-26_04-lts:minimal-arm64:latest
For CLI, ARM, Bicep, or Terraform workflows, see Finding Ubuntu images on Azure in the Ubuntu on Azure documentation.