Keep your software up to date

Ubuntu developers often issue updates to the Ubuntu software. These updates may improve security or fix other problems.

When updates are available, the update icon (an orange star) appears in the panel, usually near the top right of the screen. To install updates you must be an administrator and the computer must be connected to the Internet.

  1. Click the update icon, and enter your password when asked.

  2. In the Update Manager window, click Install Updates.

The update process may take a while if many updates need to be installed.

If a pair of blue arrows appears in the panel when the updates have finished, you need to restart the computer to complete the installation.

To check for updates yourself, choose System → Administration → Update Manager and press Check.

To change how often Ubuntu checks for updates, or to set updates to install or download automatically, choose System → Administration → Software Sources, and then Internet Updates.