Not everyone wants to live in the terminal, and that’s perfectly okay. Click on Settings from your system menu, then scroll down to About. There it is—your Ubuntu version, right next to OS type and memory.
This is the tourist’s route, but it’s beautifully designed. You’ll see a friendly “Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS” label, and you can even click the logo to see a fun animation. It’s a gentle reminder that Linux doesn’t have to be all hacker chic.
A small cultural note: In the 1990s, checking your OS version meant digging through system.ini files in Windows 95. We’ve come a long way, and this GUI trick is a quiet celebration of user-friendliness.
How to Check OS Version in Linux - Itechguides
The Detective: hostnamectl
If you’re using systemd (which Ubuntu has since 15.04), try hostnamectl. This command is like a Swiss Army knife—it shows your hostname, machine ID, architecture, and yes, the Operating System version.
It’s particularly handy if you’re managing multiple servers or virtual machines. You’ll get a clean, structured output that includes the kernel version, which is chef’s kiss for troubleshooting.
Fun fact: The kernel version is often unrelated to your Ubuntu release. You could be on Ubuntu 20.04 with a kernel from 2026—it’s like having a 1990s house with a smart thermostat. Weird, but it works.
