Download Ubuntu ISO: Complete Guide to Install Linux

By Alex Rivera Jul 12, 2026 11 min read How-To Guides

Ubuntu is the gateway to Linux for most users. It is stable, has the largest community, supports a wide range of hardware, and is friendly enough for first-time Linux users. Canonical releases LTS (Long Term Support) versions every two years with 5 years of support.

Download Ubuntu ISO from Official Site

Go to ubuntu.com/download. The page detects your OS and suggests the right version. For desktop, select "Ubuntu Desktop". The page offers the latest LTS by default. The ISO is about 5.7 GB. No registration required. If downloads are slow, click "Alternative downloads" and select a mirror near your location.

Ubuntu also offers torrent downloads, which are often faster and automatically verify integrity. Choose this option if you have an unstable connection.

Verify the ISO

Ubuntu provides SHA-256 checksums on the download page. Download the SHA256SUMS file. In Windows, run Get-FileHash .\ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso and compare. Ubuntu also offers GPG signature verification for cryptographic guarantee that the ISO is authentic.

Create Bootable USB for Ubuntu

The easiest tool is balenaEtcher (etcher.balena.io). Select the ISO, select your USB, click Flash. Etcher verifies the write automatically. It works on Windows, Mac, and Linux with no configuration needed.

Rufus also works. Select the ISO and choose "DD Image" mode instead of "ISO Image" for the write method. Some Ubuntu versions require DD mode to boot correctly on UEFI systems.

Install Ubuntu Step by Step

Connect the USB and reboot. Enter BIOS (F2, F12, DEL), set USB as first boot device, save and restart. You will see the GRUB menu. Select "Try or Install Ubuntu". This boots the live environment so you can test before installing.

When ready, double-click "Install Ubuntu". Follow the wizard: choose language and keyboard layout, check "Install third-party software" for proprietary drivers. Choose installation type: "Erase disk and install Ubuntu" for a single OS, or "Install Ubuntu alongside Windows" for dual boot.

Dual boot is excellent for beginners. You choose between Windows and Ubuntu at every startup. Ubuntu creates partitions automatically and configures GRUB. If you ever want to remove Ubuntu later, you can delete its partitions from Windows.