Ubuntu is a popular open-source operating system that is widely used in many applications. Knowing which version of Ubuntu you have installed can be important for a number of reasons, such as determining whether your system is up-to-date or checking compatibility with specific software.
In this article, we will cover how to find the Ubuntu version from both the GUI and the Terminal.
Finding the Ubuntu version from GUI:
The GUI (Graphical User Interface) is the most commonly used method for finding the Ubuntu version. Here are the steps to find your Ubuntu version from the GUI:
Step 1: In your local Ubuntu desktop, navigate to the "Applications" option in the left-side corner. Click on it.
Step 2: You will see the option "About Xfce" in opened menu. Open it.
Step 3: It will open the below prompt which shows your system information like Device name, OS name, CPU, memory, GPU, etc.
Here. you will see the version of ubuntu you have installed in your system.
Find the Ubuntu Version via Terminal and GUI Combined
You can also use the command below in the Terminal to open the "About" window which shows your Ubuntu version:
gnome-control-center info
Once you run this commnad, you will see the below window which shows the information like your Device name, Hardware model, Memory, Processor, Disk capacity, OS name etc.
If you have Linux VPS server with Ubuntu OS and you have installed any Gnome or Control panel with it, you can also check the Ubuntu version from there.
Finding Ubuntu version from Terminal:
Method 1: lsb_release Command
The Terminal is a powerful tool for users who prefer the command line. To find your Ubuntu version from the Terminal, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Open the Terminal application. This can be done by pressing "Ctrl+Alt+T" on the keyboard or by searching for "Terminal" in the Applications menu.
Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter:
lsb_release -a
Step 3: The version of Ubuntu you have installed will be displayed in the output.
The output will look something like this:
In this example, we have installed the Ubuntu version "22.04.2 LTS" in our local system.
However, you can view only the description line without printing all the information. To do this, execute the following command:
lsb_release -d
Method 2: cat Command:
Alternatively, you can use cat command to verify your Ubuntu version. The "cat /etc/os-release" or "cat /etc/lsb-release" commands provide additional information, including the version number, release name, and website links in the case of the former. On the other hand, the "cat /etc/issue" command is the simplest and displays only the Ubuntu release.
Here is the syntax for the commands that you can use in the Terminal:
$cat /etc/lsb-release
or $cat /etc/os-release
Or $cat /etc/issue
Method 3: Hostnamectl
The hostnamectl command is primarily used for managing the system hostname, and it also offers a convenient method to acquire information about the operating system and other essential statistics, such as system architecture, hardware, and Kernel details. It's worth trying. Enter the command with no parameters and doesn't require root privileges. Here's the command for reference:
hostnamectl
Here are the details from the system on which we executed the command. Your system's details will vary accordingly:
To find the Ubuntu version from of your Linux VPS hosting:
If you have Linux VPS hosting with Ubuntu OS and you are connecting it remotely via SSH, you can also find the Ubuntu version from there.
Here are the steps to find the Ubuntu version from SSH:
Step 1: Open a terminal or command prompt on your local computer.
Step 2: Connect your Linux VPS using the SSH command and enter the password of your VPS when prompted.
Step 3: Once you are logged in, type the following command and press Enter:
lsb_release -a
Step 4: The version of Ubuntu you have installed will be displayed in the output.
The output will look something like this:
In this example, we have installed Ubuntu version 16.04.4 LTS in Linux VPS hosting.
Conclusion:
Knowing which version of Ubuntu you have installed is essential for maintaining the security and stability of your system. Whether you prefer the graphical interface or the command line, both methods outlined in this article will help you quickly and easily find your Ubuntu version.
