Canonical's release cycle page lists Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with standard security maintenance until May 2027, and 24.04 LTS until May 2029. So a 22.04 image is inside support today, but the window is about seven months, which is enough time to plan a move without a scramble.
Dates to work from
The table below comes from Canonical's page when we fetched it. The extra columns cover Ubuntu Pro, which is a subscription that extends maintenance. We list them for completeness, not as advice to buy anything.
| Release | Released | Standard security maintenance | Expanded maintenance (Pro) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20.04 LTS | Apr 2020 | May 2025 | May 2030 |
| 22.04 LTS | Apr 2022 | May 2027 | May 2032 |
| 24.04 LTS | Apr 2024 | May 2029 | May 2034 |
| 26.04 LTS | Apr 2026 | May 2031 | May 2036 |
Anything on 20.04 is already beyond standard maintenance. Anything on 22.04 has until May 2027.
What "supported" does and does not mean for an image
Support dates describe the operating system packages. They do not tell you whether your image has been rebuilt. A base tag such as ubuntu:22.04 points to the publisher's latest build of that release. Docker's own guidance notes that the tag can resolve to different underlying versions over time as the publisher rebuilds with security patches, and that you need to rebuild to pick them up.
So the safe question has two halves. Is the release supported, and when did we last rebuild?
A planning timeline for 22.04 images
- Now: list images on 22.04 and mark which are internet facing.
- Next quarter: move one internal service to 24.04 and compare the package list before and after.
- Following quarter: move the internet facing services.
- Before the end of standard maintenance: finish the rest or record exceptions with owners.
Starting several months early matters because base image moves surface small differences, such as library versions and default configuration.
Choosing between 24.04 and 26.04
Both are LTS releases. 24.04 has been out longer, so more third party packages and vendor guides target it. 26.04 gives you the longest runway. Pick by what your dependencies officially support, and test the choice on one service first.
What to test when you move
Moves between Ubuntu releases change library versions and some defaults. Before you roll out, check four things on the pilot service: native extensions still load, TLS and certificate behaviour is unchanged, any package you install by name still exists under that name, and the container starts as the same non root user. Compare package lists with an SBOM diff, and look at major version jumps, not only counts.
Write down the result and the date in the pull request. If a service cannot move yet, record an exception with an owner and an end date, so the work does not disappear into May.
Try it yourself
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen. Look at how the scan names the operating system release of the image.
Where Safeguard fits
Safeguard's container image scan and SBOM record the operating system release of each image, so you can list every image still on 22.04 and track the count falling. The free scan at https://gold.safeguard.sh/scan covers a single image.
Quick check
Do I need a paid subscription to keep a 22.04 image supported?
Not before May 2027, based on Canonical's page. After that, the options are to move to a newer release or look at the expanded maintenance Canonical lists. Moving is usually the cheaper path in effort over time.
Does pulling ubuntu:22.04 again give me the newest patches?
Only if the publisher has rebuilt the tag and you rebuild your own image on top. Rebuild from a fresh pull and redeploy.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
