Ubuntu 26.04 LTS “Resolute Raccoon” brings GNOME 50, Wayland by default, and NVIDIA CUDA

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS “Resolute Raccoon” arrives powered by the [Linux 7.0 kernel], providing the baseline for improved hardware support and performance. Incorporating GNOME 50, the release also finalizes the migration to Wayland as the default display server, moving away from X.org and offering a refreshed desktop experience with modernized default applications.

Alongside these core updates, Ubuntu introduces a unified software management experience through a new App Center, which offers enhanced Debian package support. Canonical’s Livepatch feature now brings rebootless kernel patching to Arm64 hardware, which can reduce downtime for organizations running Ubuntu on servers and edge devices.

In terms of hardware and AI capabilities, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS becomes the first version to natively include NVIDIA CUDA libraries in its repositories. It also provides access to AMD ROCm and NVIDIA DOCA-OFED support, improving compatibility for high-performance computing and networking tasks.

Following the platform improvements, the release delivers enhanced confidential computing for both guest and host systems on Intel Trust Domain Extensions and AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization. A suite of accessibility improvements covers the GNOME Shell and bundled applications, while network support expands with the integration of the IgH EtherCAT Master module and a Generic Ethernet driver.

Further updates include general availability of TPM-backed full-disk encryption, streamlined enterprise provisioning through Landscape, and the debut of user-friendly application permissions prompts in preview mode.