Update manager never popping up

gfmichaud · July 10, 2026, 8:06pm

Ubuntu Version:
Example: 26.04 LTS

Desktop Environment (if applicable):
GNOME

Problem Description:
I’ve done a bit of research and still don’t understand how updates work on 26.04.

I get that security updates are handled by unattended-upgrades and can see them applied in both /var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades.log and /var/log/apt/history.log

But update-manager never shows up to prompt me to install regular updates.

I have a gsettings value for “com.ubuntu.update-manager launch-time” that is 1782193306 so that’s quite a few days ago.
And a value of 0 for “com.ubuntu.update-notifier regular-auto-launch-interval” so I should be prompted immediately when updates are available.

But that is not the case…

Is there something wrong? How are we (standard desktop users) supposed to be notified of regular updates?

celticwarrior · July 10, 2026, 9:24pm

I typically run sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade daily, as well as sudo snap refresh and flatpak upgrade (because I have a few).

gfmichaud · July 10, 2026, 9:39pm

Well I know I can do that, but I’m questioning the default behaviour.
How is it supposed to work out-of-the-box? for users not proficient with command line? Especially on a LTS version.

peterwhite23 · July 10, 2026, 10:12pm

Perhaps there haven’t been any non-security updates yet? While I pretty much do how @celticwarrior does, you’re absolutely right, nobody should have to do it that way.

You can check, if there are updates pending, by opening App Center → Manage; it handles both Snaps and Debs^[1]. You can also check by running apt list --upgradable. Or perhaps this is an issue with notifications? Have you checked (GNOME) Settings → Notifications?

updates only ↩︎

gfmichaud · July 10, 2026, 10:41pm

Well apt list --upgradable shows me quite a few packages and cat /var/lib/update-notifier/updates-available tells me there are 34 of them.

Every notification type in (GNOME) Settings → Notifications is enabled, especially “App Updates”.

App Center → Manage shows me there are 7 updates pending (I guess it’s counting differently…).

peterwhite23 · July 10, 2026, 10:58pm

Looks like there’s a bug somewhere in the works, then. What happens when you reboot? Soon after the update notifier should inform you. The question is, if it’s even running. You can check with the Resources app.

Curious, can you make a screenshot and provide the output of apt list --upgradable?

Please put all log and other console/terminal output in pre-formatted code blocks (open a new line and click the </> icon in the editor first, then paste into the new element), ideally wrapped in a “Hide Details” element, if it’s more than just a few lines. See items 4 and 5 in the Posting Guide.

Optional helper script

If you are so inclined, I took it upon myself to provide a little helper script for that.

ian-weisser · July 11, 2026, 3:57am

Review the output of:
journalctl --grep update-notifier

Look for crashes, errors, or other clues.

gfmichaud · July 11, 2026, 5:11am

Thanks! It doesn’t show anything special

gfmichaud · July 11, 2026, 5:18am

I just rebooted and got a Gnome notification telling me about 37 updates.

App Center still tells me about 7

Heres the output of apt list --upgradable

Résumé

guillaume@arx:~$ apt list --upgradable
at-spi2-common/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
at-spi2-core/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
bluez-cups/resolute-updates 5.85-4ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 5.85-4]
bluez-obexd/resolute-updates 5.85-4ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 5.85-4]
bluez/resolute-updates 5.85-4ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 5.85-4]
build-essential/resolute-updates 12.12ubuntu2.26.04.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 12.12ubuntu2]
cups-filters-core-drivers/resolute-updates 2.0.1-0ubuntu4.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.0.1-0ubuntu4]
cups-filters/resolute-updates 2.0.1-0ubuntu4.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.0.1-0ubuntu4]
fwupd/resolute-updates 2.1.1-1ubuntu3.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.1.1-1ubuntu3]
gir1.2-atk-1.0/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
gir1.2-atspi-2.0/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0/resolute-updates 1.3.4-3ubuntu1.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.3.4-3ubuntu1]
gnome-shell-common/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 50.1-0ubuntu1.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 50.1-0ubuntu1]
gnome-shell/resolute-updates 50.1-0ubuntu1.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 50.1-0ubuntu1]
gstreamer1.0-packagekit/resolute-updates 1.3.4-3ubuntu1.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.3.4-3ubuntu1]
iproute2/resolute-updates 6.19.0-1ubuntu1.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 6.19.0-1ubuntu1]
libatk-adaptor/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
libatk-bridge2.0-0t64/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
libatk-bridge2.0-0t64/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 i386 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
libatk1.0-0t64/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
libatk1.0-0t64/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 i386 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
libatspi2.0-0t64/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
libatspi2.0-0t64/resolute-updates 2.60.4-0ubuntu0.1 i386 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.60.0-1]
libbluetooth3/resolute-updates 5.85-4ubuntu0.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 5.85-4]
libfwupd3/resolute-updates 2.1.1-1ubuntu3.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2.1.1-1ubuntu3]
libgcrypt20/resolute-updates 1.12.0-2ubuntu1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.12.0-2ubuntu0.1]
libinput-bin/resolute-updates 1.31.1-1ubuntu1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.31.1-1]
libinput10/resolute-updates 1.31.1-1ubuntu1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.31.1-1]
libpackagekit-glib2-18/resolute-updates 1.3.4-3ubuntu1.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.3.4-3ubuntu1]
linux-firmware-amd-misc/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1]
linux-firmware-broadcom-wireless/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1]
linux-firmware-intel-graphics/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu2.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu2]
linux-firmware-intel-wireless/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu2.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu2]
linux-firmware-marvell-wireless/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1]
linux-firmware-mellanox-spectrum/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1]
linux-firmware-netronome/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1]
linux-firmware-nvidia-graphics/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1]
linux-firmware-qlogic/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1]
linux-firmware-qualcomm-graphics/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1]
linux-firmware-qualcomm-misc/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu2.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu2]
linux-firmware-realtek/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1.2 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 20260319.git217ca6e4-0ubuntu1]
orca/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 50.2-0ubuntu0.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 50.1.2-1ubuntu1]
packagekit/resolute-updates 1.3.4-3ubuntu1.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.3.4-3ubuntu1]
python3-software-properties/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 0.120.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 0.120]
software-properties-common/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 0.120.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 0.120]
tzdata/resolute-updates,resolute-updates 2026b-0ubuntu0.26.04.1 all [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 2026a-3ubuntu1]
ubuntu-desktop-minimal/resolute-updates 1.570.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.570]
ubuntu-kernel-accessories/resolute-updates 1.570.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.570]
ubuntu-minimal/resolute-updates 1.570.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.570]
ubuntu-standard/resolute-updates 1.570.1 amd64 [pouvant être mis à jour depuis : 1.570]

I finally clicked on the notification. It opened update-manager and I installed all updates.

I set com.ubuntu.update-notifier regular-auto-launch-interval to 1, to see if this makes any difference.

cartergray · July 11, 2026, 5:47am

It looks like the update detection itself may be working, but the notification part is not triggering. Try running update-manager manually from the terminal to confirm it can see available updates. If it works, then the issue is likely with the notifier service or a change in Ubuntu 26.04’s update notification behavior rather than the update system itself.

peterwhite23 · July 11, 2026, 5:58am

So you are not using App Center (snap-store) then? I can’t tell from just that screenshot. Software Center is gnome-software. This could be relevant, because, IIRC, there are settings for what type of update is shown — security only vs. all. Or just click the refresh button and see what that does.

Wait, wasn’t the initial problem that there never were update notifications? Why do you want to change the interval? It seems there was no issue to begin with. Plus, one should never have to resort to that way of configuring things; not for this.

Again, please use CODE (</>) blocks for such output. You can still wrap them inside a Details block, but that is the bonus. Console output is geard towards monospace font display and line wrapping destroys alignment entirely on to of that.

gfmichaud · July 11, 2026, 6:14am

Sorry you’re right that’s App Center!

That was the first notification I’ve seen in months (across several reboots) and it just popped when I reboot as you told me to.

peterwhite23 · July 11, 2026, 6:14am

https://www.mail-archive.com/ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com/msg6290356.html

BTW, why didn’t you mention this? Cross posting is frowned upon.

gfmichaud · July 11, 2026, 6:15am

Right, I’ll try that when apt list --upgradable shows me there are updates pending.

gfmichaud · July 11, 2026, 6:16am

Sorry, I didn’t know. Just found out about Discourse afterwards and thought help would be quicker to come here (and it has).

peterwhite23 · July 11, 2026, 6:19am

Please familiarize yourself with the posting guide.

rubi1200 · July 11, 2026, 6:23am

I think 5 days without an answer and then posting here is perfectly reasonable.

@gfmichaud however, the point made about mentioning if you posted somewhere else is also valid, so please make an effort next time to mention this.

peterwhite23 · July 11, 2026, 6:24am

FWIW, where is the documentation on what this does, exactly?

I get the feeling that a value of 0 might not mean what you think it means. But all I could find so far included your mailing list post, so that’s somewhat circular.

gfmichaud · July 11, 2026, 8:29am

@rubi1200 : Got it, thanks!
@peterwhite23 : I couldn’t find any documentation but this is what dconf displays

peterwhite23 · July 11, 2026, 8:52am

Thanks! That text says “as soon as they become available”. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but that could mean that it only happens when the list of available updates changes. Say you got the initial notification after a reboot about those 37 updates but decided that you were not in the mood at that very moment, so you dismissed the notification. If nothing changes, i.e. no additional updates become available and thus the message is the same as well, notification policy could be to not bother the user again, or do so at a lower frequency, because at some point notifying becomes nagging.

Seeing that GNOME has extensions and/or builtin functionality to make the user take a break and reduce overall stress, the above does not seem all that unreasonable. Perhaps there will be reminders, like daily or weekly.