Official support for Ubuntu 23.04 ‘Lunar Lobster’ ends on January 25, 2024 — just under a month away at the time I’m writing this post.
As an interim/short-term support release, Ubuntu 23.04 receives 9 months of updates from release. Having been released in April of 2023, January 2024 is when the Lunar Lobster hits end of life (EOL).
Upgrade to Ubuntu 23.10 to continue receiving security patches
Still using Ubuntu 23.04? You should upgrade to Ubuntu 23.10. This will ensure you continue to receive security patches, critical bug fixes, and important updates to select software from Canonical.
Since you’re able to upgrade directly —no need to download an ISO and wipe your current system— there’s no real reason not to upgrade (unless you lack internet, I guess).
Ubuntu upgrades are speedy (<15 mins on a decent connection) and don’t interrupt you that much; just upgrade, wait, reboot when told, and it’s done. PPAs and 3rd-party repos are disabled during upgrade though, so remember to re-enable those after (if needed).
Why upgrade to Ubuntu 23.10?
Upgrading to Ubuntu 23.10 is necessary to keep getting core support, but there are more tangible, compelling reasons to do it besides bands-aids and patches.
Ubuntu 23.10 comes with the latest GNOME 45 release (which is stuffed with improvements), uses the Linux 6.5 kernel, has updated graphics drivers, and debuts 2 brand-new apps which are currently exclusive to this release: App Center and Firmware.
As a short-term release, Ubuntu 23.10 is supported until mid-July 2024, and you’ll be able to upgrade to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS from late April.
If you find the constant upgrade cycle jarring, consider sticking with Ubuntu LTS releases (fact: the vast majority of people who run Ubuntu desktop run an LTS version).
Ubuntu LTS releases get 5 years of updates, including new kernels and graphics stacks, plus a further 5 years of Expanded/Extended Support Maintenance (ESM) beyond that. A new LTS is released every 2 years, and you can upgrade from one LTS to the next, skipping interim releases.
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS release date is set for April 25th, 2024. If you upgrade to Ubuntu 23.10 you’ll be able to upgrade to the next LTS release in April, after which you won’t have to upgrade again until 2029, if you don’t want to.
Of course, you can continue using Ubuntu 23.04 for along as you like. Support for this version may end in January 2024 but your OS still work, and if you use Snap and Flatpak apps you’ll likely continue to get updates to apps for many years to come.
Still running 23.04? Let me know your upgrade plans down in the comments!
