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Post-Installation Setup

Tip

This article is a detailed post-installation configuration tutorial. If you just need a quick checklist, refer to the Post-Installation Checklist.

Congratulations on successfully installing Ubuntu 26.04 LTS! After your first boot, there are some basic configurations to complete to get your system in optimal shape.

Tip

Recommended priority for initial configuration: system updates -> driver installation -> configure software mirrors -> install Timeshift and create a system snapshot. Complete these before installing other software, so you can quickly roll back if something goes wrong.

System Updates

The most important thing to do after the first boot is to update the system to get the latest security patches and bug fixes.

GUI Method

The system may automatically pop up a “Software Updater” notification — follow the prompts to install updates.

Command Line Method

# Update the software source list
sudo apt update
 
# Upgrade all installed packages
sudo apt upgrade -y
 
# Full upgrade (handles dependency changes)
sudo apt full-upgrade -y
 
# Clean up unnecessary old packages
sudo apt autoremove -y

After updates are complete, it’s recommended to restart:

sudo reboot

Driver Installation

Using the ubuntu-drivers Tool

Ubuntu 26.04 new installs no longer include the Software & Updates / Additional Drivers graphical tool by default. Start with the command-line detector instead:

# Check recommended proprietary drivers
ubuntu-drivers devices
 
# Automatically install recommended drivers
sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

If you still need the legacy graphical driver-management entry point, install Software & Updates:

sudo apt install software-properties-gtk

NVIDIA GPU Drivers

If you have an NVIDIA discrete GPU, installing the proprietary driver is strongly recommended:

# Check the recommended driver version
ubuntu-drivers devices
 
# Auto-install the recommended driver
sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall
 
# Or manually specify the version reported by ubuntu-drivers devices
sudo apt install nvidia-driver-XXX

A restart is required after installation.

Other Common Drivers

  • Wi-Fi drivers: Most are built-in. If your wireless adapter doesn’t work, first run ubuntu-drivers devices to check for recommended drivers
  • Printer drivers: Ubuntu includes the CUPS printing system; most printers work plug-and-play
  • Bluetooth: Usually needs no additional drivers

Language and Input Method

Completing Language Packs

If the network wasn’t connected during installation, language packs may be incomplete:

# Install complete Chinese language packs
sudo apt install language-pack-zh-hans language-pack-gnome-zh-hans

Or via the GUI: Settings -> System -> Region & Language -> Manage Installed Languages -> click “Install / Remove Languages.”

Installing a Chinese Input Method

Ubuntu 26.04 uses the iBus input method framework by default, with a Chinese Pinyin input method pre-installed. For more options:

# Install Fcitx5 and Chinese input method
sudo apt install fcitx5 fcitx5-chinese-addons fcitx5-config-qt
 
# Set Fcitx5 as the default input method
im-config -n fcitx5

Log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.

Configuring Software Mirrors

Using local mirror sources can significantly improve software installation and update speeds:

# Back up the original source list
sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu.sources /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu.sources.bak
 
# Use the Tsinghua mirror (you can also choose Alibaba Cloud, USTC, etc.)
# Only the hostname is replaced; (cn\.)? matches cn.archive.ubuntu.com, and the http/https protocol is left unchanged
sudo sed -i -E 's|(cn\.)?archive.ubuntu.com|mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn|g' /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu.sources
sudo sed -i -E 's|security.ubuntu.com|mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn|g' /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu.sources
 
# Update the index
sudo apt update

Installing Multimedia Codecs

If you didn’t check the multimedia codecs option during installation, you can install them manually:

sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras

This package includes decoders for common formats like MP3, MP4, and AVI, as well as Microsoft core fonts.

Browser

Ubuntu 26.04 comes with Firefox pre-installed. If you need Chrome:

# Download and install Google Chrome
wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo apt install -f  # Fix dependencies

Office Suite

LibreOffice is usually pre-installed. If you need WPS Office:

# Download the Linux version from the WPS website, then install
sudo dpkg -i wps-office_*.deb
sudo apt install -f

Development Tools

# Git
sudo apt install git
 
# Visual Studio Code
sudo snap install code --classic
 
# Basic compilation toolchain
sudo apt install build-essential

System Utilities

# System monitor
sudo apt install htop
 
# Disk usage analyzer
sudo apt install baobab
 
# Clipboard manager
sudo apt install gpaste
 
# Screenshot tool (GNOME has a built-in one: Ctrl+Shift+Print)
 
# Timeshift system backup (strongly recommended)
sudo apt install timeshift

Snap and Flatpak

Ubuntu 26.04 uses the Snap app store by default. If you want to use Flatpak:

# Install Flatpak
sudo apt install flatpak gnome-software-plugin-flatpak
 
# Add the Flathub repository
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Restart, and you’ll be able to browse Flatpak apps in the Software Center.

Enable the Firewall

Ubuntu includes UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall), which is disabled by default:

# Enable the firewall
sudo ufw enable
 
# Check status
sudo ufw status
 
# Allow SSH (if remote access is needed)
sudo ufw allow ssh

Create a System Snapshot

After completing all basic configuration, it’s recommended to create your first system snapshot with Timeshift:

sudo timeshift --create --comments "Initial configuration after installation complete"

This way, if the system encounters problems in the future, you can quickly roll back to this clean state.

Your Ubuntu 26.04 system is now ready for daily use!

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