Discover Ubuntu 24.04: What's New in 2025

Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS (Noble Numbat) introduces a series of significant updates that enhance performance, usability, and system stability for both desktop and server environments. As a point release in the long-term support (LTS) cycle, 24.04.2 delivers critical bug fixes, updated hardware enablement stacks, and refined user experience improvements over the initial 24.04 release 1. This update includes an upgraded Linux kernel to version 6.8, newer GNOME desktop components, improved Wayland session reliability, enhanced cloud integration, and extended security patches designed to support enterprise deployments through 2029. For users seeking a stable, future-ready Linux distribution, Ubuntu 24.04.2 represents a mature evolution of Canonical’s flagship OS with tangible gains in responsiveness, compatibility, and maintainability 2.

Updated Kernel and Hardware Enablement Stack

One of the most impactful changes in Ubuntu 24.04.2 is the inclusion of the Linux kernel 6.8, which brings substantial improvements in hardware support, power efficiency, and filesystem performance. The updated kernel enhances compatibility with newer CPUs from Intel, AMD, and ARM architectures, particularly improving support for hybrid processors like Intel’s 13th and 14th Gen Core series and AMD Ryzen 7000 desktop chips 3. This ensures smoother operation on modern laptops and workstations, especially those relying on dynamic core switching and integrated graphics.

The HWE (Hardware Enablement) stack has also been refreshed to align with the latest upstream developments. Systems installed with Ubuntu 24.04 will automatically receive these kernel and graphics stack updates via standard package management, ensuring long-term viability without requiring reinstallation 4. Notably, the updated Mesa graphics library (version 24.0+) improves OpenGL and Vulkan performance, benefiting creative professionals and developers working with GPU-intensive applications such as Blender or machine learning frameworks.

From a technical standpoint, kernel 6.8 introduces better memory management under high I/O loads, reduced latency in real-time tasks, and enhanced Btrfs snapshot handling—making it ideal for virtualized environments and container hosts. Additionally, USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 device detection have become more reliable, reducing peripheral connectivity issues reported in earlier versions 5. These backend improvements collectively contribute to a more responsive and resilient operating system.

GNOME Desktop Enhancements and User Experience Refinements

Ubuntu 24.04.2 ships with GNOME 46, offering a refined desktop experience built on top of the already polished interface introduced in 24.04. While Ubuntu maintains its signature look using the Yaru theme, this update incorporates several upstream GNOME improvements focused on accessibility, multitasking, and visual clarity 6.

A key enhancement is the redesigned overview mode, which now provides quicker access to running applications and workspaces. Users can navigate between windows with smoother animations and reduced input lag, thanks to optimizations in Mutter, GNOME’s window and compositing manager. Furthermore, the Activities view integrates better with search functionality, allowing faster launching of apps and documents directly from the overview.

Accessibility features have seen meaningful upgrades. High-contrast themes are now more consistent across third-party applications, and screen reader support via Orca has been strengthened with improved navigation cues and braille display compatibility. Keyboard shortcuts have been standardized system-wide, reducing inconsistencies that previously affected productivity 7.

Another notable change is the improved handling of fractional scaling in multi-monitor setups. Previously a pain point for high-DPI displays, GNOME 46 offers more predictable behavior when mixing screens with different DPIs, minimizing UI stretching and font rendering issues—a major benefit for developers and designers using external monitors 8.

Wayland Session Stability and Security Advantages

Ubuntu continues its transition toward making Wayland the default display server, and 24.04.2 marks a milestone in stability and driver maturity for the protocol. Unlike X11, Wayland offers superior security by isolating application rendering and reducing attack surface areas related to input interception and screen scraping 9.

In this release, NVIDIA proprietary drivers now offer significantly improved compatibility with Wayland sessions. Earlier versions faced limitations with fullscreen applications and multi-GPU configurations, but driver version 550+ resolves many of these issues, enabling full compositor acceleration and proper HDR support 10. This makes Ubuntu 24.04.2 viable for gaming and professional multimedia workflows on NVIDIA-equipped systems.

Additionally, clipboard management has been secured against unauthorized access. Applications must now explicitly request permission to read from or write to the clipboard, mitigating potential data leakage risks. Input method frameworks like IBus and Fcitx also perform more reliably under Wayland, particularly for non-Latin scripts used in Asian languages.

For enterprises concerned about endpoint security, the move to Wayland reduces vulnerabilities associated with legacy X11 extensions. Combined with secure boot enforcement and app sandboxing via Flatpak and Snap, Ubuntu 24.04.2 strengthens the overall defense-in-depth posture of the desktop environment 11.

Security and Long-Term Support Commitments

As an LTS release, Ubuntu 24.04.2 receives guaranteed security updates and maintenance until April 2029. This extended lifecycle is crucial for organizations deploying Ubuntu in production servers, cloud instances, or embedded systems where stability and compliance are paramount 12.

This point release includes backported security fixes for critical components such as systemd, OpenSSH, and the Linux kernel itself. All packages undergo rigorous testing through Canonical’s Livepatch service, which allows kernel patching without rebooting—minimizing downtime in mission-critical environments 13. CVE tracking is integrated into the Ubuntu Security Notices (USNs) database, providing transparent reporting and remediation guidance.

New cryptographic defaults have been adopted: TLS 1.3 is enforced by default in most services, and SSH configurations now disable weaker cipher suites unless manually re-enabled. AppArmor profiles have been tightened across core system binaries, limiting privilege escalation risks. Additionally, full disk encryption during installation uses LUKS2 by default, offering stronger integrity protection and metadata resilience compared to LUKS1 14.

For regulated industries, Ubuntu 24.04.2 supports CIS (Center for Internet Security) benchmarks and STIG (Security Technical Implementation Guide) profiles through automated hardening tools like Ansible playbooks and Landscape, Canonical’s systems management platform 15.

Cloud, Container, and Developer Tooling Improvements

Ubuntu 24.04.2 reinforces its position as a leading platform for cloud-native development and deployment. The release includes updated versions of Docker, Podman, and Kubernetes client tools (kubectl v1.29), enabling seamless interaction with modern container orchestration platforms 16.

Cloud-init has been optimized for faster instance boot times across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and private OpenStack deployments. Metadata retrieval and network configuration are now more resilient to transient failures, reducing first-boot errors in auto-scaling groups. Integration with Terraform and Pulumi is well-documented, supporting Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) practices 17.

Developers benefit from pre-installed toolchains including GCC 13, Python 3.12, Rust 1.76, and Node.js 20—all stabilized and tested for production use. IDEs like Visual Studio Code and JetBrains distributions run efficiently out-of-the-box, with hardware acceleration enabled via updated GPU drivers. Snap packages continue to evolve, offering automatic updates and strict confinement for applications like Discord, Slack, and Postman 18.

For AI and machine learning workflows, CUDA 12.4 support is available for compatible NVIDIA GPUs, facilitating deep learning model training within containers. PyTorch and TensorFlow installations via pip or conda perform reliably on this release, benefiting from optimized BLAS libraries (OpenBLAS and Intel MKL) included in the base system 19.

Feature	Version in Ubuntu 24.04.2	Improvement Over 24.04
Linux Kernel	6.8	Better power management, USB4 support
GNOME Desktop	46	Fractional scaling, overview optimization
Mesa Graphics	24.0+	Vulkan 1.3 support, AMD/NVIDIA performance
Python	3.12	Faster execution, improved error messages
OpenSSH Server	9.6	Deprecation of SSH-RSA by default

Upgrade Path and Compatibility Considerations

Upgrading to Ubuntu 24.04.2 is straightforward for existing 24.04 users. Running sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade followed by sudo do-release-upgrade -d (if applicable) applies all pending updates, including the HWE stack. Most configurations remain intact, though administrators should review deprecated PPA repositories and custom kernel modules that may require recompilation 20.

For older LTS releases like 20.04 or 22.04, direct upgrade paths are supported through the Update Manager. However, it is recommended to perform a fresh installation in production environments to avoid configuration drift and ensure optimal performance. Backup strategies should include /home, /etc, and any custom scripts before initiating migration.

Hardware requirements remain unchanged: a minimum of 2 GHz dual-core processor, 4 GB RAM, 25 GB free disk space, and UEFI firmware (recommended). Systems with Secure Boot enabled will continue to function without disruption, as all official kernels are signed and verified.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Ubuntu 24.04.2 a long-term support release?

Yes, Ubuntu 24.04.2 is part of the 24.04 LTS series and will be supported with security updates until April 2029 12.

Does Ubuntu 24.04.2 use Wayland by default?

Yes, the default session uses Wayland with GNOME on compatible hardware. Users can select X11 at login if needed, but Wayland is recommended for better security and performance 21.

Can I upgrade from Ubuntu 22.04 to 24.04.2?

Yes, a direct upgrade path exists. It is advised to back up data first and ensure third-party repositories are compatible before upgrading 22.

What’s new in the installer for Ubuntu 24.04.2?

The Calamares-based installer now supports ZFS encryption setup and clearer partitioning options. NVMe and RAID configurations are detected more reliably during installation 23.

Are there any known issues with Ubuntu 24.04.2?

Some users report minor Wi-Fi power management bugs with certain Intel AX211 cards. These can typically be resolved with a kernel parameter tweak or firmware update 24.