Upgrade Fedora 44: A Complete How-To Guide

Tue, 07/04/2026 - 08:00

If you're looking for a clear guide on how to upgrade Fedora 44, you've come to the right place. In this article, you'll learn how to prepare for the upgrade, which commands to use, and what steps to take to ensure the process goes smoothly and securely.

By following these simple steps, you can update your distribution. If you need assistance with a production server or want to optimize your configuration, don’t hesitate to contact us. One of our Linux consultants is ready to help you.

Requirements and What's New in This Version

Fedora 44 Minimum System Requirements

Processor: 2 GHz dual-core x86 (from Ubuntu)
RAM: 2 GiB
Disk Space: 15 GiB

Fedora 44 Recommended Requirements

Processor: 2 GHz dual-core x86 (from Ubuntu)
RAM: 4 GiB
Disk space: 20 GiB
Graphics Card: 3D video acceleration, 1280x1024 resolution, 256 MiB of memory

What's New in the Release

Fedora 44 (scheduled for April 14, 2026) introduces significant updates, including GNOME 50, KDE Plasma 6.6, and the Linux kernel 6.19. Highlights include faster package management with DNF5, native support for Windows on ARM laptops, improved support for Wayland/emoji via IBus, and enhanced gaming capabilities thanks to NTSYNC support.

Details on what's new in Fedora 44:

Desktop Environments: Includes the latest versions of GNOME 50 and KDE Plasma 6.6; the KDE spin switches to the Plasma Login Manager (PLM).
Package Management: Switch to DNF 5.4, which offers faster and more modern package management.
ARM Support: Introduces automatic Device Tree Blob (DTB) selection for improved out-of-the-box support on Windows on ARM laptops.
Gaming: The NTSYNC kernel module is enabled to improve gaming performance via Wine, along with a modernized Games Lab.
System and Security:
- Ruby 4.0: Updated from version 3.4 for advanced development.
- Budgie 10.10: Latest version with improvements to Wayland support.
- Reproducible Builds: Aims for 99% reproducibility in packages.
- Installer Changes: Reduces unnecessary creation of default network profiles.
- Persistent Overlays: Adds support for persistent data on live USB drives.

1. Preparing for the Update

Before beginning the upgrade to Fedora 44, follow these steps to ensure the process is safe and smooth:

Backup: Perform a full backup of your data to prevent the loss of important files.
Check Disk Space: Make sure you have enough free disk space to complete the upgrade.
Update Existing Packages: Open the terminal and type sudo dnf update to update all packages to the latest version.

2. Upgrade Procedure

Fedora allows you to perform updates safely. Here’s how to proceed:

Perform a full system update:
```
sudo dnf upgrade --refresh
```
Install the system update tool if you haven’t already
```
sudo dnf install dnf-plugin-system-upgrade
```

Download the necessary packages for Fedora 44

sudo dnf system-upgrade download --releasever=44

Importing OpenPGP key 0x6D9F90A6:
 UserID     : "Fedora (44) "
 Fingerprint: 36F612DCF27F7D1A48A835E4DBFCF71C6D9F90A6
 From       : file:///etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-fedora-44-x86_64
Is this ok [y/N]: Y

Transaction stored to be performed offline. Run `dnf5 offline reboot` to reboot and run the transaction. To cancel the transaction and delete the downloaded files, use `dnf5 offline clean`.
Complete!

Reboot to start the update:
```
dnf5 offline reboot
```

During the reboot, the system will complete the update and restart Fedora 44.

Upgrading from Fedora to Red Hat Enterprise Linux in Production?

Fedora is the fantastic "upstream" of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). The procedures you’ve read are perfect for a test or desktop environment, but in a RHEL production environment, the upgrade is only 1% of the work.

The real challenge lies in stability, security, and lifecycle management. Don’t take risks with your critical servers.

Discover our Red Hat Management service

3. Post-Update

Updating system configuration files
```
sudo dnf install rpmconf
```
```
sudo rpmconf -a
```

Removing Deprecated Packages

sudo dnf install remove-retired-packages

remove-retired-packages

Removal of old and duplicate packages

sudo dnf repoquery --duplicates

sudo dnf remove --duplicates

sudo dnf autoremove

4. Updating via the Graphical Interface

If you prefer to use a graphical interface, Fedora offers the option to update via the Software tool:

Open the "Software" application from the main menu.
Go to the "System Updates" section.
Follow the instructions to download and install the update to Fedora 44.

5. Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter problems during the update, consider these suggestions:

Conflicting packages: Use the sudo dnf system-upgrade download --releasever=44 --allowerasing to remove any conflicting packages.
Connection error: Check your internet connection and try running the download command again.

Talk to a Red Hat Consultant

This guide solves a problem. A Red Hat Consultant solves your business challenges: performance optimization, security hardening, automation with Ansible, and management of complex RHEL infrastructures.

Stop searching for solutions; find a strategic partner.

Request 30 minutes of Free Red Hat Consulting

6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How long does it take to upgrade to Fedora 44?

The time varies depending on your internet connection speed and system resources, but it usually takes 20 to 40 minutes.

2. Can I cancel the update halfway through the process?

Once started, it is recommended to complete the update to avoid system issues. Always make a backup before beginning.

3. What advantages does Fedora 44 offer over the previous version?

Fedora 44 introduces performance improvements, enhanced security, and support for new technologies. See the official documentation for a complete list of new features.

4. Rebuilding the RPM database

If you encounter an error regarding corruption of the package database RPM or DNF you can recreate the database with

sudo rpm --rebuilddb

Business hour