Install Ubuntu Desktop

Learn how to install Ubuntu Desktop from a bootable USB, configure UEFI or BIOS, choose disk options, create a user account, and complete first-boot tasks safely.

Ubuntu Desktop is the desktop edition of the Ubuntu Linux distribution. You can install it from a bootable USB drive, or start a temporary live session to test Ubuntu before changing the computer's internal storage.

The exact screens, wording, and available choices can vary between Ubuntu releases, computer manufacturers, firmware versions, and hardware. Treat disk-selection screens carefully: a mistaken choice can permanently remove data.

Plan the Installation

There are two common installation approaches:

Clean installation: Ubuntu replaces an existing operating system, partitions, and data on the selected disk.
Dual boot: Ubuntu is installed alongside another operating system. At startup, you choose which system to use.

A live session runs from the USB drive without installing Ubuntu to internal storage. It is useful for checking the display, keyboard, Wi-Fi, sound, touchpad, and external storage. Testing hardware first is especially useful on laptops and computers with unusual graphics or wireless hardware.

Pre-Installation Checklist

Item	Why it matters	How to verify
Backups	Partition changes and clean installations can destroy data.	Open important files from a separate backup and save recovery keys securely.
Ubuntu ISO	The ISO image is the downloadable disk image used to create installation media.	Download the appropriate Ubuntu Desktop ISO from the official Ubuntu website.
Bootable USB	The computer needs prepared media to start the installer.	Create it with a USB imaging utility and test that it appears in the boot menu.
Power connection	A power loss during partitioning or installation can leave the system unusable.	Connect a laptop to AC power.
Available disk space	Ubuntu needs enough space for the system, applications, updates, and personal files.	Check Ubuntu's current hardware and storage requirements for your release.
Network access	Internet access can provide updates and hardware or media support during setup.	Prepare Wi-Fi credentials or use Ethernet.
UEFI or BIOS mode	The installation should normally use the same boot mode as an existing operating system.	Check firmware setup or the existing system's boot information.
BitLocker, device encryption, RAID, or Intel RST	These storage and security features can prevent detection or safe resizing.	Record recovery keys and review the computer manufacturer's guidance before changing settings.

Check the Computer and Installation Target

Review the current Ubuntu Desktop hardware and storage requirements before starting. The practical requirements depend on the release, desktop workload, graphics hardware, and the amount of data you plan to store.

On a computer with multiple drives, identify the intended disk by its manufacturer, model, capacity, and existing partition layout. If practical, disconnect nonessential drives during a clean installation. This reduces the chance of selecting the wrong disk, but you must still verify the destination in the installer.

UEFI is modern firmware that initializes hardware and manages booting. BIOS is the older firmware interface used for startup and boot configuration. A UEFI installation normally requires an EFI System Partition (ESP), a small FAT-based partition containing UEFI boot files. For dual boot, start the Ubuntu USB in the same mode used by the existing operating system.

Create and Verify the Bootable USB

Use a suitable USB imaging utility to write the Ubuntu ISO image to a USB drive. Writing an image is different from copying the ISO file: an imaging utility creates the boot structures and filesystem layout required by firmware.

Back up anything stored on the USB drive. Creating boot media erases its contents.
Download the correct Ubuntu Desktop ISO from the official Ubuntu website.
Open the imaging utility, select the ISO, select the correct USB device, and start the write operation.
Wait for the utility to finish validating or writing the image. Do not unplug the drive during this process.
Optionally calculate the ISO's checksum and compare it with the official published value:

sha256sum <ubuntu-iso-file>

A checksum is a value used to detect a corrupted or unexpectedly changed download. Verification is optional, but useful when an installation fails or the download was interrupted.

Safely eject the USB drive after the imaging utility reports completion. Use a USB drive with sufficient capacity for the ISO and leave it connected when you are ready to start the computer.

Open the Boot Menu or Firmware Setup

Restart the computer and press the manufacturer's startup key repeatedly as it begins to power on. The key varies; common possibilities include a function key, the Escape key, or Delete. Consult the computer's own documentation or the text displayed during startup.

A one-time boot menu is a temporary menu for selecting a startup device without permanently changing firmware settings. Choose the USB device from this menu when possible. Changing the permanent boot order, the priority sequence used to select startup devices, is usually unnecessary.

If the USB does not appear, open UEFI or BIOS setup and check whether USB boot is enabled. You can temporarily place the USB ahead of the internal disk in the boot order. After installation, ensure the Ubuntu boot entry or internal drive is the preferred startup target.

Secure Boot is a UEFI security feature that validates trusted boot components. Standard Ubuntu installation media normally supports Secure Boot, so do not disable it unless a specific hardware or compatibility problem requires that step and you understand the consequences.

Start the Ubuntu Installer

After booting from the USB, select the installation language if prompted. The welcome screen generally offers an option to try Ubuntu and an option to install Ubuntu.

Choose Try Ubuntu to enter the live session without changing the internal disk.
Choose Install Ubuntu to begin the installation wizard.

If you choose the live session first, test Wi-Fi, display resolution or scaling, sound, keyboard layout, touchpad behavior, and external storage. Start the installer from the live desktop when you are ready.

Network, Updates, and Software Choices

Connect to a wired or wireless network if available. If Wi-Fi does not work, you can usually continue offline and install updates or drivers after the first boot.

The installer may offer to download updates during installation. Enabling this creates a more current initial system, but it can make installation take longer and requires network access. Skipping it produces a quicker install; update the system immediately after the first successful boot.

Some releases offer optional third-party software or media-format support. These choices may differ by release and region. Such software can improve support for certain media formats or hardware, but review the description and licensing choice before enabling it.

If shown, choose between a standard installation and a minimal installation. Standard installation includes a broader set of desktop applications. Minimal installation includes fewer applications and is useful when you want to add software yourself.

Choose the Installation Type and Disk Layout

Installer choice	Best use case	Effect on existing data	Main caution
Try Ubuntu	Testing hardware or using a temporary desktop.	Does not install to internal storage by itself.	Do not confuse the live session with a completed installation.
Erase disk and install Ubuntu	A clean installation on a disk whose contents you no longer need.	Removes existing operating systems, user data, and partitions on the selected disk.	Confirm the physical disk by model, capacity, and partitions before accepting.
Install alongside an existing operating system	Creating a dual-boot computer.	Resizes or reallocates storage so both systems remain available.	Back up first and review the proposed allocation; encryption or unsupported layouts may prevent this option.
Manual partitioning	Custom layouts, existing Linux partitions, separate home storage, encryption arrangements, or multi-disk setups.	Depends entirely on the partitions and formatting you specify.	Use only when you understand the current layout and the intended mount points.

Clean Installation

For a computer with no data to keep, select the erase-disk option only after confirming the target disk's manufacturer, capacity, and partition layout. Read the final summary carefully. The installer will create the required partitions and format the selected storage.

Installation Alongside Another Operating System

Back up the existing system and save its BitLocker or device-encryption recovery key. Boot the Ubuntu USB in the same UEFI or legacy BIOS mode as the existing installation. If the installer detects the other operating system, choose the alongside option, review how much space each system will receive, and confirm that the existing system is not being removed.

After installation, a boot menu should let you choose Ubuntu or the other operating system. If the alongside option is missing, the existing system may use encryption, RAID, Intel RST, unsupported partitions, or insufficient free space. The installer may also have been started in the wrong boot mode.

Manual Partitioning Concepts

A partition is a defined section of a physical disk used for a filesystem, boot data, or another storage purpose. Basic installations generally do not require manual partitioning.

EFI System Partition: A small FAT-based partition containing UEFI boot files. UEFI installations need one; an existing ESP can often be shared by operating systems when configured correctly.
Root filesystem: The main Linux filesystem mounted at /. It contains Ubuntu and system files.
Swap: Disk-backed memory space used by Linux. Ubuntu may manage swap with a swapfile rather than a separate swap partition.
Home partition: An optional separate partition mounted at /home for user files and settings. It can be useful in a custom layout but is not required.

Manual partitioning is appropriate when you need a custom filesystem arrangement, existing Linux partitions, separate home storage, a particular encryption design, or a carefully planned multi-disk configuration. It is not a requirement for a normal desktop installation.

Configure Location, Keyboard, and User Account

Select your geographic location or time zone.
Choose the keyboard language and layout. Use the test field to confirm symbols, punctuation, and special keys work as expected.
Enter your full name.
Choose a short username. This is the account name used to sign in and identify you on the system.
Enter a computer hostname, the network-visible name assigned to the computer.
Create a strong account password and store it safely.
Choose whether to require the password at sign-in or enable automatic login.

The account created during installation is administrator-capable. It can use sudo, a mechanism that allows authorized users to run administrative commands. Requiring a password at sign-in provides better protection if other people can access the computer. Automatic login is more convenient but exposes the desktop to anyone who can start the computer.

Complete the Installation and Restart

After you confirm the choices, the installer copies files, creates or modifies partitions, and configures the system. Do not power off, close the laptop lid, or interrupt the computer while partitioning and installation are in progress.

Restart when prompted. Remove the USB drive at the appropriate time, usually when the installer requests it or after the computer begins restarting. If the computer boots back into the installer, remove the USB and select the internal disk or Ubuntu boot entry from the one-time boot menu.

First Boot Checklist

Sign in with the account created during installation.
Check internet connectivity.
Verify display resolution, scaling, and monitor detection.
Test audio output, keyboard layout, touchpad, and other essential hardware.
Confirm the timezone, language, and keyboard settings.
Open the update tool or run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

sudo apt update refreshes package information. sudo apt upgrade installs available updates. Restart if an update requests it.

Open the Additional Drivers tool, or its equivalent in your Ubuntu release, to review available proprietary graphics, wireless, or other hardware drivers. Install a recommended driver when required by your hardware and restart if prompted.

Enable a backup solution and create an initial backup. If you selected full-disk encryption, record the recovery information in a secure location separate from the computer. Full-disk encryption protects disk contents but does not replace backups.

Practical Installation Examples

Clean Installation on a Computer with Nothing to Keep

Create and safely eject a bootable Ubuntu USB.
Restart and use the one-time boot menu to select the USB.
Choose the installation language and start the installer.
Connect to the network and choose whether to download updates.
Select the erase-disk option only after confirming the correct internal disk.
Set the timezone, keyboard, full name, username, hostname, password, and sign-in behavior.
Allow the installer to finish, restart, remove the USB, and boot from the internal disk.
Sign in and apply post-installation updates.

Install Alongside an Existing Operating System

Back up personal files and save the existing system's encryption recovery key.
Confirm whether the existing system uses UEFI or legacy BIOS.
Boot the Ubuntu USB in that same mode.
Choose the alongside option if it is detected.
Review the proposed disk allocation and confirm it does not remove the existing system.
Finish installation and use the startup boot menu to select Ubuntu or the other operating system.

Test Hardware Before Installing

Choose Try Ubuntu instead of immediately launching installation.
Test Wi-Fi, display scaling, audio, keyboard layout, touchpad, and external storage.
Proceed only after core hardware works as expected, or research a solution for any failed component.

Use a Specific Drive in a Multi-Drive Desktop

Identify the destination by manufacturer, capacity, model, and partition layout.
Disconnect nonessential storage where practical.
Review the selected disk immediately before accepting any destructive change.

Common Boot and Installer Problems

Symptom	Likely cause	Suggested action
USB does not appear in the boot menu	The image was copied rather than flashed, USB boot is disabled, or the port has a compatibility problem.	Recreate the USB with an imaging tool, try another USB port, and check UEFI or BIOS USB-boot settings.
Installer cannot see the internal drive	RAID or Intel RST storage mode, a driver or hardware issue, or firmware not detecting the disk.	Verify the disk in firmware. Review vendor storage-mode guidance and do not change RAID or RST settings without backups and a recovery plan.
No alongside option appears	Boot-mode mismatch, encryption, unsupported partitions, insufficient free space, or failed operating-system detection.	Boot the installer in the matching mode, prepare free space safely, and use manual partitioning only with a clear understanding of the layout.
Wi-Fi is unavailable	Missing wireless driver, incorrect credentials, or unavailable access point.	Continue offline, use Ethernet or a supported USB network adapter, and install updates or drivers after booting Ubuntu.
System boots back into the USB installer	The USB remains connected or firmware still prefers USB.	Remove the USB when prompted, select the internal disk or Ubuntu entry, and review boot priority.
Black screen or display issue	Graphics compatibility, an unsupported display mode, docking hardware, or a required proprietary driver.	Try another cable, port, or monitor; use a safe graphics option when offered; install a recommended driver after installation.

Recovery and Safety Guidance

If you select the wrong disk or installation type, cancel before the installer applies partition changes.
Do not change RAID, Intel RST, encryption, or other vendor storage modes casually. These changes can make an existing operating system unbootable or inaccessible.
Systems using BitLocker or device encryption require a saved recovery key before resizing or changing boot configuration.
Retain the bootable Ubuntu USB. It can help with repair, recovery, diagnostics, or a later reinstall.
When a computer has multiple drives, verify the selected physical disk more than once, immediately before confirming the operation.

Key Terms

ISO image: A downloadable disk image used to create bootable installation media.
Bootable USB: A USB drive prepared to start the Ubuntu live environment and installer.
Live session: A temporary Ubuntu environment that runs from installation media without installing to internal storage.
Dual boot: A configuration in which two operating systems are installed and one is selected at startup.
Partition: A defined section of a physical disk used for a filesystem, boot data, or another storage purpose.
Root filesystem: The main Linux filesystem mounted at /.
Swap: Disk-backed memory space used by Linux, often managed by Ubuntu with a swapfile.
Hostname: The network-visible name assigned to a computer.
Username: The short account name used to sign in and identify a user.
Full-disk encryption: Protection that encrypts disk contents and requires authentication to access them.

For related background, see Linux, GPT partitions, the Linux file structure, and Bourne Again Shell Bash.