How to try out Ubuntu 23.04 early
If you wish to try out Ubuntu 23.04 Lunar Lobster before its stable release in April 2023, you can. Each day, Ubuntu generates a “daily image” for 23.04. These images come with updates, fixes, and feature updates.
In this guide, we’ll show you how you can download, and install Ubuntu 23.04 Lunar Lobster to try it out early. However, be warned, this version of Ubuntu is highly unstable. Only download and install it if you are an expert, or if you’re confident you have your data backed up.
How to download Ubuntu 23.04
Ubuntu 23.04 isn’t out yet, however, it is under active development, which means there are daily images being generated. To get your hands on Ubuntu 23.04 to test it early, head over to the Ubuntu daily images website.
Once on the Ubuntu daily images website, find ” lunar-desktop-amd64.iso” and select it with the mouse. When you click on ” lunar-desktop-amd64.iso,” it will download the latest version of Ubuntu 23.04 via your browser.
Alternatively, if you use Linux, you can download the latest Ubuntu 23.04 ISO file via the terminal by pasting the following wget command in a terminal window.
wget http://www.cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/lunar-desktop-amd64.iso
How to create your Ubuntu 23.04 USB installer
You’ll need to create a USB installer for Ubuntu 23.04 if you wish to try it out early. Head over to Etcher.io, and download the official Etcher app. Etcher is cross-platform and works on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
Once you’ve downloaded the Etcher application, insert your USB flash drive. Then, follow the step-by-step instructions below to create your USB flash drive.
Note: if Etcher will not launch on Linux, try the following commands.
cd ~/Downloads/ ./balenaEtcher-*.AppImage --no-sandbox
- Find the “Flash from file” button, and click on it with the mouse. When you select this button, a pop-up window will appear. Browse for the Ubuntu ISO file you previously downloaded.
- After adding the Ubuntu ISO, find the “Select target” button, and click on it with the mouse. Then, select the USB flash drive you plugged into your computer previously.
- Find the “Flash!” button, and click on it with the mouse. Once you’ve selected this button, the Etcher app will begin creating your USB flash drive. This process will take a while to complete, so be patient.
When the Etcher application is done flashing, reboot your computer. Then log into your PC’s BIOS and configure it to boot from the USB flash drive. When it boots up, you’ll be presented with the Ubuntu 23.04 installer.
How to install Ubuntu 23.04 Lunar Lobster
To install Ubuntu 23.04 Lunar Lobster, start by selecting your keyboard layout. You can do this by selecting your keyboard layout from the list in the installer. Alternatively, you can allow Ubuntu to automatically choose your layout. Click “Continue” when done.
You must now choose what apps you’d like to install. By default, Ubuntu is configured to install a web browser, utilities, software, games, and media players. If you do not want this, select the “Minimal installation” option.
After choosing either “Normal installation” or “Minimal installation,” you’ll need to choose if you wish to install third-party software during the installation. If you do, find the “Install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware and additional media formats.” When done, click “Continue.”
You’ll now need to choose your “Installation Type.” By default, Ubuntu is set to automatically erase the disk. This is a good option if you are not an expert, or just wish to start fresh with a new release of Ubuntu. However, if you’re an experienced user, select the “Something else” option. When done, click on the “Install Now” button.
When you select the “Install Now” button, Ubuntu will ask you if you wish to “Write the changes to disks”. Click on the “Continue” button to confirm you wish to write the partition changes to the disk.
You’ll now need to set your time zone. On the “Where are you?” page, click on your geographical location. Once you’ve chosen your location, Ubuntu will automatically configure your time zone settings for the new installation. When done, click the “Continue” button to move to the next page.
With your time configured, you must set up your user account. Find the “Your name” box, and enter your full name. Then, click on the “your computer’s name” box, and enter your PC’s name. Finally, fill out your username and password in the appropriate boxes. When done, click on the “Continue” button.
When you’ve entered your user information, Ubuntu will finish up the installation. When it is complete, reboot your computer to enjoy your new version of Ubuntu 23.04 Lunar Lobster!
