--- title: "Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus)\n | Ubuntu" description: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS has reached end of standard support. Get continued support with Ubuntu Pro or move to a supported LTS release. url: https://ubuntu.com/16-04?format=md keywords: index, follow --- # Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus) Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus) was released on April 21, 2016 and introduced us to snaps, a more secure app format, with faster and simpler updates, as well as LXD, the pure-container hypervisor and OpenStack Mitaka. Ubuntu 16.04 is out of ESM support. In order to get support, please activate the Legacy add-on. --- ## Is Ubuntu 16.04 LTS still supported? Yes, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS is supported until 2031 through Canonical's Legacy add-on with Ubuntu Pro. Ubuntu 16.04 entered its Legacy period in April 2026, and will receive security patches for five additional years through the Legacy add-on. [Contact us to get Legacy for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS](https://ubuntu.com/contact-us/form?product=pro) --- | | Released | End of Life | Expanded security maintenance | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Ubuntu 22.04 LTS** | April 2022 | April 2027 | | | Ubuntu 21.10 | October 2021 | July 2022 | | | Ubuntu 21.04 | April 2021 | January 2022 | | | Ubuntu 20.10 | October 2020 | July 2021 | | | **Ubuntu 20.04 LTS** | April 2020 | April 2025 | April 2030 | | Ubuntu 19.10 | October 2019 | July 2020 | | | Ubuntu 19.04 | April 2019 | January 2020 | | | Ubuntu 18.10 | October 2018 | July 2019 | | | **Ubuntu 18.04 LTS** | April 2018 | April 2023 | April 2028 | | **Ubuntu 16.04 LTS** | April 2016 | April 2021 | April 2026 | | **Ubuntu 14.04 LTS** | April 2014 | April 2019 | April 2022 | | **Ubuntu 12.04 LTS** | April 2012 | April 2017 | April 2019 | | **Ubuntu 10.04 LTS** | April 2010 | April 2015 | | --- ## Ubuntu 16.04 LTS security updates The Ubuntu Security Team continues its dedication to securing Ubuntu 16.04 LTS. After providing five years of standard support followed by five years of Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM), we are now extending this commitment through the Legacy add-on, ensuring your systems remain protected for a total of 15 years. --- 2.9k+ [Security notices](https://ubuntu.com/security/notices?release=xenial) issued\* --- 5.7k+ [CVEs](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves?version=xenial) addressed\* --- \* Since the start of the ESM phase --- ## Ubuntu 16.04 LTS Legacy add-on ### What is Ubuntu Legacy add-on? Legacy add-on is the specialized extension phase for Ubuntu LTS releases that have completed their initial 10-year lifecycle (5 years Standard + 5 years ESM). For Ubuntu 16.04, this provides a critical bridge from 2026 through April 2031, offering continued security patches for the Linux kernel, critical infrastructure, and thousands of popular open source packages. The Legacy add-on is available as an add-on to an Ubuntu Pro subscription. It ensures that legacy environments, especially those involving specialized hardware or older proprietary stacks, remain compliant and protected against vulnerabilities without requiring a full OS migration. --- ## What is covered by Ubuntu 16.04 Legacy add-on? The Legacy add-on covers years 10 to 15 of an Ubuntu LTS release’s life cycle, maximizing the lifespan, usability, and security of popular past LTSes. During the Legacy period, Canonical provides security maintenance for binary packages across both the 'main' and 'universe' repositories for 64-bit x86 AMD/Intel architectures. ### Supported kernels For continued Linux kernel security, ESM for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS includes support for amd64 (AMD/Intel kernels). --- ### Application packages Canonical provides application expanded security maintenance to the binary packages that reside in main. A few commonly-used packages include: | Application | 16.04 LTS version | | --- | --- | | MySQL | 5.7 | | Python | 2.7 | | PostgreSQL | 9.5 | | Ruby | 2.3 | | nodejs | 4.2.6 | | PHP | 7.0 | | NGINX | 1.10 | | ROS | Kinetic | --- ### Infrastructure packages For Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, where technically feasible, Canonical provides the Legacy add-on to all binary packages that reside in the Ubuntu Main Repository. OpenStack Mitaka packages are supported in Ubuntu 16.04 ESM for those with an Ubuntu Advantage for Infrastructure subscription. --- ## Get Legacy add-on for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS [Get in touch with us](https://ubuntu.com/contact-us/form?product=pro) --- ## Upgrade from Ubuntu 16.04 LTS ### Upgrading to Ubuntu 18.04 LTS/20.04 LTS/22.04 LTS/24.04 LTS/26.04 LTS You might want to consider upgrading to a new LTS release. If you are currently using Ubuntu 16.04 LTS you can upgrade to Ubuntu 18.04 LTS or freshly install Ubuntu 20.04 LTS/22.04 LTS/24.04 LTS/26.04 LTS. There is no direct upgrade path from 16.04 LTS to Ubuntu 20.04 LTS/22.04 LTS/24.04 LTS/26.04 LTS. In order to upgrade, you can either move to Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, or directly install Ubuntu 20.04 LTS/22.04 LTS/24.04 LTS/26.04 LTS. --- * [Ubuntu Server upgrade guide ›](https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/upgrade-introduction) * [Ubuntu Desktop upgrade guide ›](https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/upgrading-ubuntu-desktop#1-before-you-start) --- ### Upgrading Ubuntu 16.04 LTS on Azure, AWS, Google Cloud If you are looking to upgrade your Ubuntu 16.04 LTS public cloud instance, it is recommended to launch new Ubuntu Pro images. Ubuntu Pro for [Azure](https://ubuntu.com/azure/pro) and Ubuntu Pro for [AWS](https://ubuntu.com/aws/pro) are premium images with security and compliance features built-in, and optimized for the public cloud. Ubuntu Pro includes security coverage for the entire collection of software packages shipped with Ubuntu, tracking high and critical CVEs. It is ideal for companies that have embraced open source for their new products. --- * [Launch Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS on Azure](https://azuremarketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/marketplace/apps/canonical.0001-com-ubuntu-pro-xenial) * [Launch Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS on AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-vmuff4yhmwfna) * [Launch Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS on Google Cloud](https://console.cloud.google.com/marketplace/product/canonical-public/ubuntu-pro-1604-xenial) While Ubuntu Pro images provide coverage through the ESM phase (until April 2026), Legacy Support for years 11–15 is available on public clouds as a specialized add-on. To enable Legacy Support for your cloud instances and extend coverage through 2031, please [get in touch with us](https://ubuntu.com/contact-us/form?product=pro). --- ## Watch the 20.04 migration webinar Learn how to migrate to Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. This webinar explores all of the factors that should be taken into account to deliver successful migration at the right pace, covering the most popular infrastructure components such as OpenStack, Kubernetes and Ceph. [Watch the webinar](https://ubuntu.com/engage/migrating-to-20.04)