Canonical has announced an extended support period of up to 15 years for its Ubuntu Long Term Support (LTS) releases through the Ubuntu Pro service with an additional Legacy add-on. This extended support model includes 5 years of standard updates, 5 additional years of Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM), and an extra 5 years through the Legacy add-on.
The 15-year lifecycle is crafted to cater to enterprises, particularly in fields such as banking and healthcare, where stability, security, and compliance over long periods are crucial, and frequent system upgrades can be disruptive. The first release to benefit from this full support window is Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, which will receive updates until April 2029.
Canonical’s decision to expand support to 15 years positions it ahead of competitors like Red Hat, which offers 12 years, and SUSE, offering 13 years of extended support. The Legacy add-on incurs an additional cost—50% more than the standard Ubuntu Pro—targeting organizations with high dependency on long-lived systems.
Through this expanded support, Canonical aims to provide a comprehensive service which includes critical security updates via the Expanded Security Maintenance program, live kernel patching, and detailed vulnerability management throughout the extended period.
Future LTS releases such as Ubuntu 26.04 are also slated to feature the 15-year support model, ensuring continuity and reliability for organizations planning their long-term IT infrastructure.

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Canonical now offers 15-year support for Ubuntu LTS releases through Ubuntu Pro with a Legacy add-on, extending beyond competitors like Red Hat (12 years) and SUSE (13 years). The support includes 5 years of standard updates, 5 years of Expanded Security Maintenance, and 5 additional years via the paid Legacy add-on. This extended lifecycle targets enterprises in regulated industries like banking and healthcare that require long-term stability and security without frequent system upgrades. Ubuntu 14.04 LTS is the first release receiving this full support window, with updates continuing until April 2029.

Canonical Extends Ubuntu LTS Support to 15 Years with New Legacy Add-On