Ubuntu Desktop
Canonical's own download page for Ubuntu Desktop, why the image must come from the project's domain, and how it fits a reinstall-or-replace decision.
This site links to the vendor's own page and hosts no files. Check the hostname before you download anything.
Ubuntu Desktop is Canonical's own download page for the desktop distribution. It is the vendor source for the Ubuntu image, listed on this site's downloads page as one of the Linux options for machines that are not staying on Windows or macOS.
As with every entry here, the rule is provenance: get the image from Canonical's domain, then write it locally with a tool such as Etcher, Rufus or Ventoy. A mirror or a forum link is not the source this site will recommend, and it cannot be verified the way the project's own page can.
What the page provides
The download page offers the current Ubuntu Desktop image, with the edition and architecture Canonical currently ships. It is the starting point for both a try-it-live session and a full install, and it is maintained by the project rather than by a third party.
Ubuntu's long-term-support cadence is worth noting if the machine will be relied on: an LTS release receives updates for years, which matters more for a machine you intend to keep than for a quick test.
- Download the current Desktop image from Canonical.
- Prefer an LTS release for a machine you will keep.
- Verify the download through the project's own checksums when offered.
- Write it locally with Etcher, Rufus or Ventoy.
Where it fits a reinstall decision
For a machine that cannot meet the Windows 11 requirements, or for someone who prefers Linux, Ubuntu is one honest alternative to an unsupported Windows install. The reinstall-decision guides point here as a supported choice rather than toward a requirement bypass.
A live image is also a useful diagnostic: it boots without touching the internal disk, so you can check whether a fault exists outside the installed operating system before committing to any reinstall.
A supported alternative, not a workaround
If Windows 11 will not run on the hardware, Ubuntu is a legitimate path. It is not a way to force an unsupported Windows install.
Writing and verifying
After downloading from Canonical, write the image with one of the writers on this site's downloads page. The image's provenance is settled by downloading from the project; the writer only puts it on the stick.
If the project publishes checksums, comparing them is the practical verification step. A hash printed next to an unofficial download proves nothing; provenance from the vendor's own domain is the check that matters.
Mistakes to avoid
- Downloading Ubuntu from a mirror or forum instead of Canonical.
- Picking a non-LTS release for a machine meant to be kept.
- Skipping the project's own checksum when one is offered.
- Assuming a Linux live image modifies the internal disk (it does not, until you install).
- Using an unknown-source image and calling it Ubuntu.
Questions people ask
Where should I download Ubuntu?
From Canonical's own ubuntu.com download page, which is the project's vendor source.
Should I use LTS?
For a machine you intend to keep, yes: LTS releases are supported for years.
Does Ubuntu verify my download?
The project provides checksums; compare them if offered. The source domain is the primary provenance check.
Can I try it without installing?
Yes, the image boots as a live session that does not touch the internal disk until you choose to install.
Sources and further reading
- Ubuntu Desktop download Canonical · Distribution download page A supported alternative for hardware that cannot run a current Windows release.
- balenaEtcher balena · Open-source image writer — publisher's site The low-decision alternative for writing an ISO you already have.
Editorial note. This article describes decision logic and checks, not laboratory results. It quotes no benchmark, no test score and no screenshot. Screen labels are reproduced so you can find them on your own device; the sources listed below are the vendor documentation they were checked against.