Ubuntu End of Life Dates 2026 — Which Vendors Offer Extended Security Support?
Ubuntu LTS releases come with 5 years of standard support from Canonical — but what happens after? This guide covers the EOL date for every Ubuntu LTS version, and which vendors (including Canonical itself) provide extended security patching for organizations that cannot immediately migrate.
Key Dates at a Glance
- Ubuntu 26.04 (Resolute Raccoon): standard support ends 2031-05-29; Expanded Security Maintenance ends 2036-05-31
- Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble Numbat): standard support ends 2029-05-31; Expanded Security Maintenance ends 2034-05-31
- Ubuntu 22.04 (Jammy Jellyfish): standard support ends 2027-05-31; Expanded Security Maintenance ends 2032-05-31
- Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal Fossa): standard support ends 2025-05-31; Expanded Security Maintenance ends 2030-05-31
- Ubuntu 18.04 (Bionic Beaver): standard support ends 2023-05-31; Expanded Security Maintenance ends 2028-05-31
- Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial Xerus): standard support ends 2021-04-02; Expanded Security Maintenance ends 2026-04-02
Ubuntu EOL dates — all versions (2026)
| Version | Codename | Standard EOL | ESM / Extended | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | Resolute Raccoon | May 29, 2031 | May 31, 2036 | Active support |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | Noble Numbat | May 31, 2029 | May 31, 2034 | Active support |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | Jammy Jellyfish | May 31, 2027 | May 31, 2032 | Active support |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | Focal Fossa | May 31, 2025 | May 31, 2030 | EOL — ESM available |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | Bionic Beaver | May 31, 2023 | May 31, 2028 | EOL — 3rd party ELS |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | Xenial Xerus | April 2, 2021 | April 2, 2026 | Fully EOL |
Ubuntu 20.04 standard support ended on May 31, 2025. If you are running Ubuntu 20.04 in production, you are receiving zero free security patches. Every CVE disclosed against the Ubuntu 20.04 kernel, glibc, OpenSSL or any system package is now permanently unpatched unless you have paid ESM or commercial ELS.
Ubuntu 22.04: what happens when standard support ends?
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS has standard support until May 31, 2027. After that, Canonical stops providing free security updates for packages in the "main" repository. The server becomes exposed to any CVE disclosed against the 22.04 kernel or core packages.
Canonical's ESM program extends paid coverage through May 31, 2032 — a 5-year extension covering the kernel, apt packages, and the universe repository. ESM is free for up to 5 machines per Ubuntu One account; enterprise-scale use requires an Ubuntu Pro subscription.
Ubuntu 22.04 is still safe today. You have until May 31, 2027 to plan your migration or ESM enrollment. The time to act is now — not in the final month before that date.
Which vendors offer extended security support for Ubuntu after EOL?
Canonical ESM / Ubuntu Pro
OfficialCanonical's own Expanded Security Maintenance extends coverage 5 years past standard EOL. Free for up to 5 personal machines; paid via Ubuntu Pro for enterprise. Covers kernel, main, and universe packages.
Ubuntu EOL dates →Third-Party ELS Vendors
Extended Lifecycle SupportSpecialist ELS vendors provide kernel and userspace patching for EOL Ubuntu versions (18.04, 20.04), typically covering CVEs at CVSS 7+. Some offer live kernel patching — no reboots required for kernel security fixes.
View via endoflife.ai →ESM vs third-party ELS: which should you choose?
Canonical ESM is the natural default for most Ubuntu deployments — it extends the same trusted Ubuntu package infrastructure and patches the full stack including the kernel. If you already use Ubuntu Pro or have a Canonical support agreement, ESM is likely already included.
Third-party ELS vendors are worth evaluating when: you require live kernel patching (zero-reboot patching), you have mixed-OS environments where a single vendor covering multiple Linux distributions is more efficient, or you need extended support for software components beyond the OS layer (runtimes, languages, frameworks).
See Ubuntu EOL exposure alongside your full stack
Cross-reference Ubuntu versions with active CVEs from the CISA KEV catalog.
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The Monthly EOL Digest™
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