How to check your Ubuntu version

Knowing which version of Ubuntu you are running is essential for system maintenance and managing your VPS effectively. Your version number determines which software packages you can install, which security patches you need and how you troubleshoot problems.

You will check your Ubuntu version using either the graphical interface or the command line. The command line method works on all Ubuntu systems including remote servers, while the GUI method applies only to desktop installations.

Before you begin

For remote servers, you need SSH access to your VPS.
GUI methods require Ubuntu Desktop. Most VPS installations run Ubuntu Server without a graphical interface.

Check Ubuntu version using the GUI

The graphical interface provides a visual way to find your Ubuntu version. This method only works on Ubuntu Desktop installations. Most VPS servers run without a GUI, so you will need to use the command line method instead.

Open the Activities menu.
Click Activities or Applications in the bottom left corner of your screen.
Search for Settings.
Type “Settings” in the search box and click the Settings application when it appears.
Navigate to About.
Scroll down the left sidebar and click About. Your Ubuntu version appears under the OS Name section.

Alternatively, you can search for System Information directly from the Activities menu. Open it and find the Operating System section to view your Ubuntu version.

Check Ubuntu version using the command line

The command line method works on all Ubuntu installations including remote servers. You will run commands that query system files containing version information. This approach is faster than the GUI and works identically whether you are sitting at the machine or connected via SSH.

Open a terminal window on your local system. For remote servers, connect using your SSH client. The following commands provide different levels of detail about your Ubuntu version.

Run the lsb_release command to display detailed version information:

lsb_release -a

Look at the Description or Release line for your version number and codename. This command provides the most complete information including the distributor ID and release date.

Check the /etc/os-release file for version details:

cat /etc/os-release

Find the line beginning with VERSION= or VERSION_ID= to identify your release. This file contains structured data that scripts and applications use to detect the operating system.

Display the issue file for a quick version check:

cat /etc/issue

The first line typically displays the Ubuntu version and codename. This file shows the message that appears on the login screen.

Wrapping up

You now know how to check your Ubuntu version using both graphical and command line methods. The command line approach works on all Ubuntu systems and provides the most reliable results for server administration.

Record your Ubuntu version number and codename for future reference. You will need this information when installing software packages, applying security updates or requesting technical support. Our guide on managing your VPS covers additional system administration tasks.

Our VPS hosting includes full root access and support for all major Linux distributions.