Breaking: Ubuntu 26.10 Release Date Confirmed
London, UK — Canonical has officially announced that Ubuntu 26.10, codenamed 'Stonking Stingray', will be released on October 15, 2026. The date, along with a full schedule of milestones, was shared by the company today — though they caution that all dates remain subject to change during the development cycle.
Key Milestones in the 26.10 Schedule
The most critical date after the final release is the Feature Freeze, slated for August 10, 2026. From that point, no new features will be added, shifting focus entirely to bug fixing and stabilization.
A Canonical spokesperson told OMG! Ubuntu: While these dates are our current best estimates, the nature of open-source development means adjustments are always possible. We encourage users to treat the schedule as tentative.
Background: Ubuntu's Release Cycle
Ubuntu follows a predictable, twice-yearly release cadence — every April and October — with interim releases like Ubuntu 26.10 serving as a testbed for features destined for the next Long-Term Support (LTS) version.
The 'Stonking Stingray' codename continues Canonical's tradition of alliterative animal names, this time mixing a British slang adjective with a marine creature. The 26.10 release will be the final interim version before the next LTS, expected in April 2027.
What This Means for Users and Developers
For users: The October 2026 release brings an opportunity to test the latest software stack before the LTS. However, interim releases receive only nine months of support, so upgrades are mandatory.
For developers: Feature Freeze on August 10 marks the deadline for merging new code. After that, the kernel, desktop environment, and core applications will be hardened. Expect release candidates in September.
Canonical emphasizes that the schedule is a guide, not a guarantee. We always aim to ship on time, but quality takes precedence,
the spokesperson added.
- Feature Freeze: August 10, 2026
- Kernel Freeze: September 14, 2026
- Release Candidate: October 1, 2026
- Final Release: October 15, 2026
For the full original schedule, see the Ubuntu discourse announcement. Stay updated on release cycles and impact details above.
This article was adapted from a blog post on OMG! Ubuntu and is not reproduced elsewhere without permission.