How to Enable Extended Security Maintenance (ESM) in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS for Continued Updates

Time is nearly up on support for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, with standard software, bug fix, and security updates coming to an end on May 29, 2025.

Users of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS should consider upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (or newer) if possible. However, for those who cannot upgrade, enabling Extended Support Maintenance (ESM) is a crucial step to ensure continued access to critical security patches.

ESM for Ubuntu offers 10 years of vulnerability management for critical, high, and selected medium security issues for all software packages shipped with Ubuntu. It’s free for regular users on up to five devices, with extended options for Ubuntu Community Members. While enabling ESM requires a bit of setup, it’s a straightforward process and vital for keeping older installations secure.

How to Enable ESM on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

To enable ESM (also referred to as Ubuntu Pro), start by signing into your Ubuntu SSO account on their website. If you don’t have one, you can create one for free. Navigate to the Ubuntu Pro page and subscribe, selecting ‘Myself’ to take advantage of the free option.

Once registered, go to the “Ubuntu Pro Dashboard,” click on “Your Subscriptions,” and copy your unique token from the ‘Free Personal Token’ section.

You can choose to enable ESM via the GUI or terminal:

Enable ESM using a GUI

Launch Software & Updates on your Ubuntu desktop.
Select the Ubuntu Pro tab.
Click on the ‘enable Ubuntu Pro’ button.
Paste your token into the field and click ‘confirm.’
Enable or disable updates as needed.

Enable ESM using the Terminal

Open a new Terminal window.
Type the following command, replacing placeholder text with your unique token:
```
sudo pro attach Y0uR-toK3n-GoE5-hErE
```
Use Shift + Ctrl + V to paste the token, then hit enter. If prompted that the ubuntu-advantage-tools package is not installed, install it and re-run the command.
Refresh your list of software sources to ensure eligibility for ESM packages and install any updates.

Additional Notes

It’s important to note that while ESM provides backported security patches, it likely will not include new versions of Mozilla Firefox. Users relying on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS beyond its support deadline will need to switch to the official Firefox Snap, Flatpak, or set up the official Mozilla APT repository to continue receiving new Firefox feature releases.

For more details on the end of support and enabling ESM, check the links provided for further guidance: