Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish is the latest version of the popular open source operating system. Installing a fresh copy to a freshly wiped hard disk drive will give you a great computing experience.
However, if you’re upgrading from a previous version of Ubuntu, things might be a bit bumpier at first.
Here is a look at the five things you need to do after upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish
Do These 5 Things After Upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
After installing your new operating system, you’ll probably expect everything to work as well as it looks. Unfortunately, while Ubuntu 22.04 LTS works well out of the box with a fresh installation, upgrading from a previous Ubuntu release results in a few issues.
While the list of things that need ironing out is short, they’re all frustrating bugs that you’ll want to deal with sooner, rather than later.
Once you’ve upgraded to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish, you will need to:
- Remove old software
- Check for AppImage support
- Confirm your VPN still works
- Fix the Videos app
- Reinstall Mozilla Firefox (or switch browsers)
Below, I’ll explain each of these tweaks and fixes to you in more detail.
1. Remove Old Software from Your Linux Computer
Some preinstalled apps are deprecated in Ubuntu 22.04. Consequently, any software that the apps depend upon needs to be removed from your system. These dependencies take up valuable disk space, and can be removed as follows from the terminal with the autoremove command:
sudo apt autoremove
Enter your password when prompted, then Y to confirm removal.
2. Check for AppImage Compatibility
Some users (this one included) have noticed and reported issues with AppImage software.
Like Snaps and Flatpaks, AppImage files are platform-agnostic packages. Unlike Snaps and Flatpaks, however, AppImages (identified using the .AppImage file extension) are not installed. Instead, they simply run, ensuring portability.
However, some AppImages don’t appear to work correctly with Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. To improve the chances of them launching, run:
sudo apt install libfuse2
To ensure the best chance of the AppImage running, right-click the .AppImage file in question and select Permissions. Here, ensure Allow executing file as program is checked.
If the problem persists, try a different AppImage file. If this works, re-download the one you had trouble with.
3. Check Your VPN Still Works
Various applications might require updates after upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, but some of these are easier to do than others.
If you installed NordVPN on Linux, you will be aware that it isn’t a straightforward process. The upgrade to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS results in a directory change that renders NordVPN unusable.
To fix this, open a terminal and use the ln command to link these file paths:
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/resolvectl /usr/bin/systemd-resolve
This fix need only be run the once. You don’t even need to reboot your system---NordVPN should simply work again from this point.
4. Fix the Videos (Totem) App
A big problem with the Videos app (also known as Totem) occurs after upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. This can happen with Xorg and Wayland display servers, and isn’t particular to either.
When a video file (of any format, including MOV and MP4) is double-clicked in Ubuntu 22.04, Totem should launch and play the file. However, following the update to the latest Ubuntu, this doesn’t happen.
There are two possible fixes for this.
One option is to simply switch to a different app. VLC Player is an obvious alternative.
The other is to remove the gstreamer1.0-vaapi file. GStreamer is a multimedia framework for handling media files. In Ubuntu 22.04 LTS this appears surplus to requirements, and certainly hamstrings the Videos app.
To remove, open a terminal and enter
sudo apt remove gstreamer1.0-vaapi
Once complete, your video files should once again open in the Videos/Totem app.
5. Replace Snap Firefox With a Quicker Version
One of the biggest gripe with Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is the change to the Firefox browser. In previous releases, it was pre-installed in the standard way, much like other apps.
With the switch to support for Snap packages, Mozilla Firefox is more secure, running in its own snap-managed sandbox and auto-updating. However, this also makes the software slower.
Fortunately, there is a way to revert to running Mozilla Firefox the old way.
Start by removing the Snap version of Firefox in the Terminal with
sudo snap remove --purge firefox
To add the “real” Firefox, you’ll need to add the Mozilla Team PPA repository. Once this is added, you have a location from which to install Firefox. Again in the terminal enter
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/ppa
Input your password when prompted.
To install Mozilla Firefox with apt, use
sudo apt install -t 'o=LP-PPA-mozillateam' firefox
Note the use of -t 'o=LP-PPA-mozillateam'. This condition ensures that apt uses the PPA you added earlier as the source for the installation.
With that done, you can start using the “real” Firefox, rather than the Snap file.
Avoid Update Issues
It’s a good idea to ensure that the new version of Firefox isn’t replaced with the Snap version. This can happen when the system automatically updates, thanks to the PPA version having a lower priority than the Snap version.
You can avoid this by specifying a different priority for the PPA-installed Mozilla Firefox
In the terminal, open gedit
sudo gedit /etc/apt/preferences.d/mozillateamppa
In the empty text file, add the following:
Package: firefox*
Pin: release o=LP-PPA-mozillateam
Pin-Priority: 501
Save, then exit the file. In the terminal, run
sudo apt update
The PPA-installed Firefox will now be the main version for subsequent Ubuntu updates.
And if you want to revert to the Snap version of Firefox:
- Open Software & Updates
- Select Other Software
- Check the Mozilla Team PPA you added earlier
- Click Remove
- Open a Terminal and enter sudo apt update && sudo apt install firefox
Snap-managed Mozilla Firefox will then be reinstalled!
Enjoy Your Upgraded Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish PC
If you’re fortunate, you won’t have to do all five of these things. But if any of the issues above occur, the steps provided should resolve them.
In most cases, however, you’ll almost certainly want to replace Mozilla Firefox with the faster-launching version that you’re used to. It’s unfortunate that the Snap version has its current shortcomings, but it’s probably something that will be resolved over time.