As a Linux user, you certainly don't want to miss out on any updates keeping you secure and on the cutting edge. To make that easy, we'll learn today how to update Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Elementary OS without messing around in the terminal.

Why Update via the Desktop

If you've used Windows and macOS before, then you're probably used to their desktop apps that make performing updates easy and comfortable.

Ubuntu can be updated via the command line, but you may want a more comfortable experience, or you may not want to have to memorize the commands. Rest assured a desktop-based updating app, like Ubuntu's Software Updater, will do the same thing for you in an easy-to-understand format.

Remember to reboot as soon as possible after applying updates if these updating apps prompt you to do so.

Update Ubuntu in the Desktop

Launch Software Updater from your application menu, and the app will automatically find updates for you. If updates are available, click Install Now, and you'll be prompted for your password before the download and installation begins.

Software Updater Prepared to Install on Ubuntu Desktop

If you're curious about the purpose of the packages being updated, you can click Technical Description before updating to view the details of each package.

Related: Things That Ubuntu Does Better Than Windows

Update Linux Mint in the Desktop

Linux Mint's desktop updater is called Update Manager. It should appear in the status bar of your taskbar, as a little shield with a red dot, when updates are available.

Otherwise, you can launch it by finding Update Manager in your application menu.

Update Manager in Linux Mint 19.3

Click Refresh to make sure all available updates have been found. If you'd like to know the details of the incoming updates, click on each one and click the Description, Packages, and Changelog tabs.

Once you're ready, click Install Updates. You'll be prompted for your password, and then the updater will do its work.

Update Elementary OS

Unlike the above distros, Elementary OS combines the software updater with the software manager in one app called AppStore.

All you have to do is find and launch AppStore in your application menu and then click Installed at the top of the window.

Updating Apps in Elementary OS's AppCenter

AppStore will automatically look for updates for your installed packages at launch. Once it's finished searching, the updates will be listed with expandable info on the update purpose.

Click the Update All button to apply the updates. Alternatively, you can click Update on individual packages you want to update. Either way, you'll be prompted for your password before installation begins.

Stay Updated in Ubuntu Linux

With your system completely updated, you're ready to move forward as a Linux user with greater security and the latest and greatest features.

Sometimes you'll see a "kernel upgrade" among your updates, and there's often a lot of talk about kernels in Linux discussions. If you want to learn what it is and how it's important to your system, we break it down for you in our explainer guide on the Linux kernel.