This guide walks you through installing Ubuntu from a blank machine to a fully booted system, covering both the Desktop edition (graphical installer, ideal for workstations and personal machines) and the Server edition (text-based installer optimized for headless, production environments). The core steps — downloading an ISO, writing it to USB, and following the installer — are the same for both, but the specific prompts and post-install defaults differ. Read through the tab that matches your target environment before you begin.
Disk partitioning during installation is destructive and irreversible. Any existing data on the target drive will be permanently erased. Back up everything important before proceeding.
The Ubuntu Desktop installer is a fully graphical experience that guides you through each step. It suits developers, students, and anyone who wants a full GUI environment out of the box.What you need:
- A USB drive (8 GB or larger)
- A machine with at least 4 GB RAM and 25 GB of disk space
- The Ubuntu Desktop ISO from ubuntu.com
Download the Ubuntu Desktop ISO
Go to ubuntu.com/download/desktop and download the latest LTS .iso file. Verify the checksum before proceeding.# Verify the SHA256 checksum (replace filename as needed)
sha256sum ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso
Create a bootable USB drive
Use Balena Etcher (cross-platform GUI tool) for the easiest experience, or use dd on Linux/macOS. Replace /dev/sdX with your actual USB device — double-check with lsblk first.# Find your USB device
lsblk
# Write the ISO to USB (CAUTION: verify /dev/sdX is correct)
sudo dd if=ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync
Balena Etcher is a safer option for beginners — it validates the drive selection and verifies the write automatically. Boot from the USB drive
Insert the USB drive into the target machine and restart. Enter your BIOS/UEFI firmware (typically by pressing F2, F12, Del, or Esc during POST) and set the USB drive as the first boot device. Save and exit to boot into the Ubuntu live environment.
Follow the graphical installer
Once the live environment loads, click Install Ubuntu. Work through the prompts:
- Language & keyboard layout — select your locale
- Installation type — choose “Normal installation” for a standard setup; select “Erase disk and install Ubuntu” for a clean install on the target drive
- Disk partitioning — use automatic partitioning unless you have specific requirements
- Time zone — detected automatically or set manually
Configure your user account and hostname
The installer prompts you to create your first user account:
- Your name — display name
- Computer name — the system hostname (e.g.,
my-desktop)
- Username — your login name (lowercase, no spaces)
- Password — choose a strong password; enable “Require password to log in”
Complete installation and reboot
The installer copies files and configures the system. When prompted, click Restart Now and remove the USB drive when instructed. The system boots into your new Ubuntu Desktop installation.
The Ubuntu Server installer is a text-based, keyboard-driven interface designed for machines without a GPU or display. It installs a minimal system with no desktop environment.What you need:
- A USB drive (4 GB or larger)
- A machine with at least 1 GB RAM and 10 GB of disk space
- The Ubuntu Server ISO from ubuntu.com
Download the Ubuntu Server ISO
Go to ubuntu.com/download/server and download the latest LTS server .iso. Verify the checksum after downloading.sha256sum ubuntu-24.04-live-server-amd64.iso
Create a bootable USB drive
Write the ISO to a USB drive using dd or Balena Etcher.# Identify your USB device
lsblk
# Write the ISO (verify /dev/sdX before running)
sudo dd if=ubuntu-24.04-live-server-amd64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync
Boot from the USB drive
Insert the USB into the server and power it on. Use the BIOS/UEFI boot menu (usually F11 or F12) to select the USB drive as the boot device.
Follow the text installer
Navigate the text-based installer using arrow keys and Enter:
- Language — select your preferred language
- Network — configure a static IP if needed (DHCP is used by default)
- Storage — use the entire disk or configure custom partitions; enable LVM if you want flexible volume management
- Profile setup — set your name, hostname, username, and password
- SSH — select “Install OpenSSH server” to enable remote access immediately
- Snaps — optionally install featured server snaps (you can skip this)
Configure your user account and hostname
Enter a hostname that identifies this server on your network (e.g., web-prod-01), then set a username and a strong password. The first user is created with sudo privileges automatically.
Complete installation and reboot
The installer downloads any pending updates and finalizes the setup. Select Reboot Now, remove the USB drive when prompted, and the server boots into the new installation.
Post-Installation Steps
After your system boots for the first time, bring it fully up to date and — if you’re on a server — enable SSH for remote access.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y # update package index and upgrade all packages
sudo apt install openssh-server # enable SSH (server installs only)
Always prefer LTS (Long-Term Support) versions of Ubuntu for production servers and any environment where you need guaranteed long-term security patches. LTS releases are supported for five years by default, versus nine months for standard releases.