As with the previous backport of plasma 5.25, 5.27 is provided in the backports-extra PPA

This PPA is intended to be used in combination with our standard backports PPA, but should also work standalone.

As usual with our PPAs, there is the caveat that the PPA may receive additional updates and new releases of KDE Plasma, Gear (Apps) and Frameworks, plus other apps and required libraries. Users should always review proposed updates to decide whether they wish to receive them.

While we feel these backports will be beneficial to enthusiastic adopters, users wanting to use a more tested Plasma release on the 22.04 base may find it advisable to stay with Plasma 5.24 as included in the original 22.04 (Jammy) release.

To add the PPA and upgrade, do:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports-extra && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

We hope keen adopters enjoy using Plasma 5.27

Providing backports of new Plasma versions to a LTS release always must be an ‘opt-in’ process, however we are aware that many of our users now are accustomed to adding our backports PPA as a matter of course, so for a LTS release some additional caution is required in what we make available there.

Therefore, at least for the time being, Plasma 5.25 will be available via an additional ‘backports-extra’ PPA, so users can make a positive informed choice to upgrade.

This PPA is intended to be used in combination with our standard backports PPA, but should also work standalone.

As usual with our PPAs, there is the caveat that the PPA may receive additional updates and new releases of KDE Plasma, Gear (Apps) and Frameworks, plus other apps and required libraries. Users should always review proposed updates to decide whether they wish to receive them.

To add the PPA and upgrade, do:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports-extra && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

We hope keen adopters enjoy using Plasma 5.25

We currently have Plasma 5.24.90 (Plasma 5.25 Beta)  available in our Beta PPA for Kubuntu 22.04, and in the Ubuntu archive and daily ISO build for the 22.10 development series.

However this is a beta release, and we should re-iterate the disclaimer from the upstream release announcement:

DISCLAIMER: Today we are bringing you the preview version of KDE’s Plasma 5.25 desktop release. Plasma 5.25 Beta is aimed at testers, developers, and bug-hunters. To help KDE developers iron out bugs and solve issues, install Plasma 5.25 Beta and test run the features listed below. Please report bugs to our bug tracker. We will be holding a Plasma 5.25 beta review day on May 26 (details will be published on our social media) and you can join us for a day of bug-hunting, triaging and solving alongside the Plasma devs! The final version of Plasma 5.25 will become available for the general public on the 14th of June. DISCLAIMER: This release contains untested and unstable software. It is highly recommended you do not use this version in a production environment and do not use it as your daily work environment. You risk crashes and loss of data.

https://kde.org/announcements/plasma/5/5.24.90

Testers of the Kubuntu 22.10 Kinetic Kudu development series:

Testers with a current install can simply upgrade their packages to install the 5.25 Beta.

Alternatively, a live/install image is available at: http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/daily-live/current/

Users on Kubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish:

5.25 Beta packages and required dependencies are available in our Beta PPA.

The PPA should work whether you are currently using our backports PPA or not.

If you are prepared to test via the PPA, then…..

Add the beta PPA and then upgrade:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/beta && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

Then reboot.

In case of issues, testers should be prepared to use ppa-purge to remove the PPA and revert/downgrade packages.

Kubuntu is part of the KDE community, so this testing will benefit both Kubuntu as well as upstream KDE Plasma software, which is used by many other distributions too.

• If you believe you might have found a packaging bug, you can use launchpad.net to post testing feedback to the Kubuntu team as a bug, or give feedback on IRC [1], or mailing lists [2].
• If you believe you have found a bug in the underlying software, then bugs.kde.org is the best place to file your bug report.

Please review the release announcement and changelog.

[Test Case]
* General tests:
– Does plasma desktop start as normal with no apparent regressions over 5.24?
– General workflow – testers should carry out their normal tasks, using the plasma features they normally do, and test common subsystems such as audio, settings changes, compositing, desktop affects, suspend etc.
* Specific tests:
– Check the changelog:
– Identify items with front/user facing changes capable of specific testing.
– Test the ‘fixed’ functionality or ‘new’ feature.

Testing may involve some technical set up to do, so while you do not need to be a highly advanced K/Ubuntu user, some proficiently in apt-based package management is advisable.

Testing is very important to the quality of the software Ubuntu and Kubuntu developers package and release.

We need your help to get this important beta release in shape for Kubuntu and the KDE community as a whole.

Thanks!

Please stop by the Kubuntu-devel IRC channel on libera.chat if you need clarification of any of the steps to follow.

[1] – #kubuntu-devel on libera.chat
[2] – https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/kubuntu-devel

We currently have Plasma 5.22.90 (Plasma 5.23 Anniversary Edition Beta)  available in our Beta PPA for Kubuntu 21.04, and 21.10 development series.

However this is a beta release, and we should re-iterate the disclaimer from the upstream release announcement:

DISCLAIMER: This is beta software and is released for testing purposes. You are advised to NOT use Plasma 25th Anniversary Edition Beta in a production environment or as your daily desktop. If you do install Plasma 25th Anniversary Edition Beta, you must be prepared to encounter (and report to the creators) bugs that may interfere with your day-to-day use of your computer.

https://kde.org/announcements/plasma/5/5.22.90

Note: Users of 21.04 Hirsute Hippo who have installed packages from the BETA PPA should run ‘sudo ppa-purge kubuntu-ppa/beta’ once they have finished testing, and before attempting to upgrade to 21.10 when it is released. Failure to do so is likely to break upgrades.

The PPA should work whether you are currently using our backports PPA or not.

Also Impish Indri 21.10 will ship with Plasma 5.22.5 by default. However we aim to make 5.23 available in the backports PPA soon after release. This testing will help that aim.

If you are prepared to test, then…..

Add the beta PPA and then upgrade:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/beta && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

Then reboot.

In case of issues, testers should be prepared to use ppa-purge to remove the PPA and revert/downgrade packages.

Kubuntu is part of the KDE community, so this testing will benefit both Kubuntu as well as upstream KDE Plasma software, which is used by many other distributions too.

• If you believe you might have found a packaging bug, you can use a launchpad.net to post testing feedback to the Kubuntu team as a bug, or give feedback on IRC [1], or mailing lists [2].
• If you believe you have found a bug in the underlying software, then bugs.kde.org is the best place to file your bug report.

Please review the release announcement and changelog.

[Test Case]
* General tests:
– Does plasma desktop start as normal with no apparent regressions over 5.21 or 5.22?
– General workflow – testers should carry out their normal tasks, using the plasma features they normally do, and test common subsystems such as audio, settings changes, compositing, desktop affects, suspend etc.
* Specific tests:
– Check the changelog:
– Identify items with front/user facing changes capable of specific testing.
– Test the ‘fixed’ functionality or ‘new’ feature.

Testing may involve some technical set up to do, so while you do not need to be a highly advanced K/Ubuntu user, some proficiently in apt-based package management is advisable.

Testing is very important to the quality of the software Ubuntu and Kubuntu developers package and release.

We need your help to get this important beta release in shape for Kubuntu and the KDE community as a whole.

Thanks!

Please stop by the Kubuntu-devel IRC channel on libera.chat if you need clarification of any of the steps to follow.

[1] – #kubuntu-devel on libera.chat
[2] – https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/kubuntu-devel

As of July 22nd, 2021, 20.10 reached ‘end of life’.

No more package updates will be accepted to 20.10, and it will be archived to old-releases.ubuntu.com in the coming weeks.

The official end of life announcement for Ubuntu as a whole can be found here [1].

Kubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa and 21.04 Hirsute Hippo continue to be supported.

Users of 20.10 can follow the Kubuntu 20.10 to 21.04 Upgrade [2] instructions.

Should for some reason your upgrade be delayed, and you find that the 20.10 repositories have been archived to old-releases.ubuntu.com, instructions to perform a EOL Upgrade can be found on the Ubuntu wiki [3].

Thank you for using Kubuntu 20.10 Groovy Gorilla.

The Kubuntu team.

[1] – https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-announce/2021-July/000270.html
[2] – https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HirsuteUpgrades/Kubuntu
[3] – https://help.ubuntu.com/community/EOLUpgrades

The release announcement detailing the new features and improvements in Plasma 5.22 can be found here.

To upgrade:

Add the following repository to your software sources list:

ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

or if it is already added, the updates should become available via your preferred update method.

The PPA can be added manually in the Konsole terminal with the command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

and packages then updated with

sudo apt full-upgrade

IMPORTANT

Please note that more bugfix releases are scheduled by KDE for Plasma 5.22, so while we feel these backports will be beneficial to enthusiastic adopters, users wanting to use a Plasma release with more rounds of stabilisation/bugfixes ‘baked in’ may find it advisable to stay with Plasma 5.21 as included in the original 21.04 (Hirsute) release.

The Kubuntu Backports PPA for 21.04 also currently contains newer versions of KDE Frameworks, Applications, and other KDE software. The PPA will also continue to receive updates of KDE packages other than Plasma.

Issues with Plasma itself can be reported on the KDE bugtracker [1]. In the case of packaging or other issues, please provide feedback on our mailing list [2], IRC [3], and/or file a bug against our PPA packages [4].

1. KDE bugtracker: https://bugs.kde.org
2. Kubuntu-devel mailing list: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/kubuntu-devel
3. Kubuntu IRC channels: #kubuntu & #kubuntu-devel on irc.libera.chat
4. Kubuntu ppa bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/kubuntu-ppa

We currently have Plasma 5.21.90 (Plasma 5.22 Beta)  available in our Beta PPA for Kubuntu 21.04, and 21.10 development series.

However this is a beta release, and we should re-iterate the disclaimer from the upstream release announcement:

DISCLAIMER: This is beta software and is released for testing purposes. You are advised to NOT use Plasma 5.22 Beta in a production environment or as your daily desktop. If you do install Plasma 5.22 Beta, you must be prepared to encounter (and report to the creators) bugs that may interfere with your day-to-day use of your computer.

https://kde.org/announcements/plasma/5/5.21.90

If you are prepared to test, then…..

Add the beta PPA and then upgrade:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/beta && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

Then reboot.

In case of issues, testers should be prepared to use ppa-purge to remove the PPA and revert/downgrade packages.

Kubuntu is part of the KDE community, so this testing will benefit both Kubuntu as well as upstream KDE Plasma software, which is used by many other distributions too.

• If you believe you might have found a packaging bug, you can use a launchpad.net to post testing feedback to the Kubuntu team as a bug, or give feedback on IRC [1], or mailing lists [2].
• If you believe you have found a bug in the underlying software, then bugs.kde.org is the best place to file your bug report.

Please review the release announcement and changelog.

[Test Case]
* General tests:
– Does plasma desktop start as normal with no apparent regressions over 5.21?
– General workflow – testers should carry out their normal tasks, using the plasma features they normally do, and test common subsystems such as audio, settings changes, compositing, desktop affects, suspend etc.
* Specific tests:
– Check the changelog:
– Identify items with front/user facing changes capable of specific testing.
– Test the ‘fixed’ functionality or ‘new’ feature.

Testing may involve some technical set up to do, so while you do not need to be a highly advanced K/Ubuntu user, some proficiently in apt-based package management is advisable.

Testing is very important to the quality of the software Ubuntu and Kubuntu developers package and release.

We need your help to get this important beta release in shape for Kubuntu and the KDE community as a whole.

Thanks!

Please stop by the Kubuntu-devel IRC channel if you need clarification of any of the steps to follow.

[1] – irc://irc.freenode.net/kubuntu-devel
[2] – https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/kubuntu-devel

Kubuntu 18.04 LTS was released in April 2018, and reached ‘End of Life’ for its 3 years of flavour support on 1st May 2021. All Kubuntu users should therefore switch to a newer supported release.

Download a supported release or upgrade from 18.04 to 20.04 LTS.

The Kubuntu team would thank users of all releases, especially for the amazing additional community support on IRC, forums, mailing lists, and elsewhere.

Frameworks releases are a mixture of bugfixes, new features, and general improvements to the KDE base libraries.

As such, keen adopters who might like to install this backport can check the changelog to what has been fixed/changed/enhanced.

To upgrade:

Add the following repository to your software sources list:

ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

or if it is already added, the updates should become available via your preferred update method.

The PPA can be added manually in the Konsole terminal with the command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

and packages then updated with

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade

Codenamed “Hirsute Hippo”, Kubuntu 21.04 continues our tradition of giving you Friendly Computing by integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution.

The team has been hard at work through this cycle, introducing new features and fixing bugs.

Under the hood, there have been updates to many core packages, including a new 5.11-based kernel, KDE Frameworks 5.80, KDE Plasma 5.21 and KDE Release Service Applications 20.12.3

Kubuntu has seen many updates for other applications, both in our default install, and installable from the Ubuntu archive.

Krita, Kdevelop, Yakuake, and many many more applications are updated.

Applications for core day to day usage are included and updated, such as Firefox, VLC and Libreoffice.

For a list of other application updates, and known bugs be sure to read our release notes.

Download Kubuntu 21.04, or learn how to upgrade from 20.10.

Note: From 20.10, there may a delay of a few hrs to days between the official release announcements and the Ubuntu Release Team enabling upgrades.