{"id":112367,"date":"2024-04-23T21:19:01","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T21:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/?p=112367"},"modified":"2025-04-15T20:44:24","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T20:44:24","slug":"how-to-upgrade-fedora-linux-to-latest-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/how-to-upgrade-fedora-linux-to-latest-release\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Upgrade to Fedora 42 from Fedora 41"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are you ready to upgrade your Fedora 41<\/a> to the new Fedora 42<\/a>? You\u2019re in the right place!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new release brings many updates, not just about aesthetic enhancements but also under-the-hood improvements that make your system more secure and efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this guide, I\u2019ll walk you through the upgrade process step-by-step, ensuring you can transition to Fedora 42 smoothly without any hiccups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backup Your Data<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, let\u2019s ensure all your important data is safe. Before doing anything else, I strongly recommend making a full system backup<\/a> so that if something goes wrong, you can restore your system with all the vital data to its previous state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you do not feel like taking the above approach, you can instead use a command like the one shown below, which will archive all of the more critical directories and their contents in a tar.gz archive<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

sudo tar czf \/fedora41-data.tar.gz \\\n     --exclude=\/fedora41-data.tar.gz \\\n     --exclude=\/dev \\\n     --exclude=\/mnt \\\n     --exclude=\/proc \\\n     --exclude=\/sys \\\n     --exclude=\/tmp \\\n     --exclude=\/media \\\n     --exclude=\/lost+found \\\n     \/<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Bash<\/span> (<\/span>bash<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Upgrade to Fedora 42 from Fedora 41 Using GUI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before proceeding, ensure your system is fully updated to guarantee a seamless upgrade. So, open the terminal and type:<\/p>\n\n\n
sudo dnf update --refresh<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Bash<\/span> (<\/span>bash<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
This command refreshes your repository and updates your software packages. Once it\u2019s done, reboot your system to apply any required updates. Then, you can proceed to the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Fedora, upgrades are immediately available from the previous version whenever a new one is released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Start the Software app by launching it from the GNOME dash, searching for \u201csoftware<\/em>,\u201d and clicking to run the same when its icon appears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Start<\/a>
Start the Software app on Fedora.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Next, hit the \u201cRefresh<\/em>\u201d button in the top left corner. Then, go to the \u201cUpdates<\/em>\u201d pane. You will see a notification that says, \u201cFedora Linux 42 Available<\/em>\u201d. Click the \u201cDownload<\/em>\u201d button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Start<\/a>
Start downloading the updates.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
All the packages required to upgrade to Fedora 42 from Fedora 41 will start downloading. Depending on your internet speed<\/a>, the entire process will take some time, so be patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Downloading<\/a>
Downloading updates.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
When the download is complete, click the \u201cRestart & Upgrade<\/em>\u201d button to start the upgrade process to Fedora 42.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Reboot<\/a>
Reboot to perform the upgrade to Fedora 42.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
A popup window will appear and prompt you to enter your user’s password. Enter it and confirm by clicking the “Authenticate<\/em>” button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Authentication<\/a>
Authentication required. Enter your credentials.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
A new popup will ask you for confirmation to restart your system and begin the upgrade from Fedora 41 to 42. Next, click on the \u201cRestart & Install<\/em>\u201d button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Restart<\/a>
Restart the system.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The system will restart to apply the downloaded system upgrades as shown below. This process will take some time, so please be patient and wait for it to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Upgrading<\/a>
Upgrading to Fedora 42 from Fedora 41.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Once the upgrade is completed, your system will boot into the newer Fedora 42.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
The system successfully upgraded to Fedora 42 from Fedora 41.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Upgrade to Fedora 42 from Fedora 41 Using Command Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Update Your Current System<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ensuring you have the latest packages for all currently installed software is vital. To do so, enter the following command in a terminal:<\/p>\n\n\n
sudo dnf upgrade --refresh<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Bash<\/span> (<\/span>bash<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
\"Check<\/a>
Check for pending updates, and if any, apply them.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
If you have any pending updates, install them and reboot the system if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Install the DNF Upgrade Plugin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Next, you’ll need the DNF Upgrade plugin. It\u2019s a tool that helps you manage your upgrade more effectively. You can install it (if it\u2019s not already installed) by running:<\/p>\n\n\n
sudo dnf install dnf-plugin-system-upgrade<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Bash<\/span> (<\/span>bash<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Step 3: Download Fedora 42 Packages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Now, you’re set to start downloading the Fedora 42 packages. Run the following command:<\/p>\n\n\n
sudo dnf system-upgrade download --releasever=42<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n
It tells DNF<\/a> to download the necessary packages for Fedora 42. If the package manager finds any issues (like conflicts or missing dependencies), it will let you know, and you might have to resolve these issues before proceeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the following three steps, you must manually approve the proposed system\u2019s modifications by typing \u201cY<\/em>\u201d and then confirming by pressing \u201cEnter<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After downloading all the packages required to upgrade the system from Fedora 41 to 42, you will see the screen below. It should be noted that the current system has not yet been upgraded. To start the process, execute:<\/p>\n\n\n
sudo dnf5 offline reboot<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Bash<\/span> (<\/span>bash<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
You will be prompted for confirmation that the system will reboot to begin the upgrade. Type “y<\/em>” and hit “Enter<\/em>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Approve<\/a>
Approve system modifications.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Step 4: Upgrading Fedora 41 to 42<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Once the system reboots, the upgrade process will automatically start. It will take some time, so be patient and let it finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Upgrading<\/a>
Upgrading to Fedora 42 from Fedora 41.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
When everything is complete, your system will reboot, and you can log in and enjoy your new Fedora 42 system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
The system successfully upgraded to Fedora 42 from Fedora 41 using a command line.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Step 5: Clean Up Post-Upgrade<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
After your system has successfully upgraded to Fedora 42, doing a little cleanup is a good idea. You can do this by running:<\/p>\n\n\n
sudo dnf clean all<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Bash<\/span> (<\/span>bash<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
This command removes cached packages and metadata that are no longer needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As you can see, with a little help, upgrading to Fedora 42 from version 41 is straightforward. Follow the steps outlined in this guide to complete the process, and you’ll be all set to enjoy the latest features and improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, I recommend thoroughly testing the system to ensure all applications and functionalities work as expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For additional help or useful information, check the official Fedora upgrade documentation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thanks for your time! I hope you find this guide helpful. Please let me know in the comments section below if you have any questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Need the newest Fedora Linux? Here\u2019s our step-by-step guide to smoothly transitioning from Fedora 41 to 42.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":112370,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,4417],"tags":[2040],"class_list":["post-112367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","category-linux-knowledge","tag-fedora"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112367\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/112370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linuxiac.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Feel free to add more \u201c\u2013exclude=<\/em>\u201d parameters if needed. Finally, the command creates a backup of all files in the \u201cfedora41-data.tar.gz<\/em>\u201d file located on the root partition (\/), which you should ideally transfer to another computer or drive, for example, using the SCP command<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n