Software Updater
Ubuntu package manager
title: "Software Updater" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["linux-package-management-related-software", "package-management-software-that-uses-gtk", "software-update-managers", "ubuntu"] description: "Ubuntu package manager" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_Updater" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Ubuntu package manager ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox software"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Software Updater |
| title | Software Updater |
| logo | Ubuntu software updater.svg |
| logo size | 100px |
| screenshot | Ubuntu 12.04 update manager.JPG |
| screenshot size | 275px |
| caption | Update Manager in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS showing updates that are available to install |
| developer | Canonical Ltd. |
| released | |
| latest release version | 0.156.14 |
| latest release date | |
| latest preview date | |
| programming language | Python |
| operating system | Linux |
| language count | |
| genre | Package Manager |
| license | GPL/LGPL |
| website | |
| :: |
| name = Software Updater | title = Software Updater | logo = Ubuntu software updater.svg | logo size = 100px | logo caption = | logo_alt = | screenshot = Ubuntu 12.04 update manager.JPG | screenshot size = 275px | caption = Update Manager in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS showing updates that are available to install | screenshot_alt = | collapsible = | author = | developer = Canonical Ltd. | released = | discontinued = | latest release version = 0.156.14 | latest release date = | latest preview version = | latest preview date = | programming language = Python | operating system = Linux | platform = | size = | language = | language count = | language footnote = | genre = Package Manager | license = GPL/LGPL | alexa = | website = | standard = | AsOf =
In several Linux operating systems, the Software Updater program updates installed software and their associated packages with important software updates for security or with recommended patches. It also informs users when updates are available, listing them in alphabetical order for users to choose which updates to install, if any. It was originally written for Ubuntu, although it is now part of other APT-based systems.
The application was originally called Update Manager; it was announced in May 2012 that starting with Ubuntu 12.10 the name would change to Software Updater to better describe its functions. Technically the rename only affected the GUI; the name of the APT package containing the application, the executable file itself, and internally the software itself, still use the name update-manager.
The Software Updater cannot uninstall updates, although this can be accomplished by other package managers such as Ubuntu Software Center and more technically advanced ones such as Synaptic.
In Ubuntu, the Software Updater can update the operating system to new versions which are released every six months for standard releases or every two years for Long Term Support releases. This functionality is included by default in the desktop version but needs to be added to the server version.
Distributions that use the Software Updater
References
References
- (28 April 2017). "Update Manager".
- Sneddon, Joey. (15 May 2012). "Ubuntu 12.10 Renaming 'Update Manager' to 'Software Updater'". OMG! Ubuntu!.
- "LucidUpgrade".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::