If you are using Ubuntu as a desktop, you don’t have to go to terminal just for updating the system. You can still use the command line but it’s optional for you.
In the menu, look for ‘Software Updater’ and run it.
![Run Software Updater in Ubuntu][8]
It will check if there are updates available for your system.
![Checking if updates are available for Ubuntu][9]
If there are updates available, it will give provide you with options to install the updates.
![Install Updates via Update Manager in Ubuntu][10]
Click on Install Now, it may ask for your password.
![Installing Updates in Ubuntu Linux via GUI][11]
Once you enter your password, it will start installing the updates.
![Updating Ubuntu via GUI][12]
In some cases, you may need to reboot the system for the installed updates to work properly. You’ll be notified at the end of the update if you need to restart the system.
![Updating Ubuntu via GUI][12]
You can choose to restart later if you don’t want to reboot your system straightaway.
![Installing updates via GUI in Ubuntu][13]
Tip: If the software updater returns an error, you should use the command ‘sudo apt update’ in the terminal. The last few lines of the output will contain the actual error message. You can search on the internet for that error and fix the problem.
Your system will have some unnecessary packages that won’t be required after the updates. You can remove such packages and [free up some space][14] using this command:
In case of a Linux kernel updates, you’ll have to restart the system after the update. This is an issue when you don’t want downtime for your server.
[Live patching][15] feature allows the patching of Linux kernel while the kernel is still running. In other words, you don’t have to reboot your system.
If you manage servers, you may want to [enable live patching in Ubuntu][16].
The updates discussed here is to keep your Ubuntu install fresh and updated. It doesn’t cover the [version upgrades][17] (for example upgrading Ubuntu 16.04 to 18.04).
[Ubuntu version][18] upgrades are entirely a different thing. It updates the entire operating system core. You need to make proper backups before starting this lengthy process.
I hope you liked this tutorial on updating the Ubuntu system and you learned a few new things.
If you have any questions, please fee free to ask. If you are an experienced Linux users and have some tip that can make this tutorial more useful, please share it with the rest of us.
