How to Upgrade Mesa Drivers on Ubuntu

Mesa is an open-source graphics driver collection that provides OpenGL, Vulkan, and other graphics APIs for Linux systems. Upgrading Mesa drivers improves hardware compatibility, fixes rendering bugs, and often delivers better performance in games and 3D applications. For Ubuntu users running Intel, AMD, or other GPU hardware that relies on open-source drivers, keeping Mesa current ensures you get the latest fixes and optimizations without waiting for the next Ubuntu release.

This guide walks through upgrading Mesa drivers on Ubuntu using the Kisak-Mesa PPAs, which provide newer Mesa versions for LTS releases. By the end, you will have upgraded Mesa drivers with verification steps to confirm the installation succeeded. The guide also covers how to revert to Ubuntu’s default Mesa packages if needed.

Choose Your Mesa PPA

The Kisak-Mesa project maintains two PPAs with different update philosophies. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right option for your system and use case.

PPA	Ubuntu Support	Update Frequency	Best For
kisak-mesa fresh	24.04 LTS only	Latest point releases	Users who want the newest Mesa features and fixes
kisak/turtle (stable)	22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS	Slower, stability-focused	Users who prioritize stability over new features

For most users on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, the kisak-mesa fresh PPA is recommended because it provides the latest Mesa point releases while remaining more stable than bleeding-edge alternatives. If you run Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or prefer maximum stability, use the kisak/turtle stable PPA instead.

These PPAs currently support Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS support is not yet available as of this writing; the PPA maintainer typically adds support for new LTS releases after Mesa packages are tested against that release. Until then, Ubuntu 26.04 users should use the default Mesa packages from Ubuntu’s repositories.

Install Prerequisites

Before checking your current Mesa version or adding the PPA, install the mesa-utils package. This provides the glxinfo command needed to verify your Mesa driver version. Most desktop Ubuntu installations include this package, but minimal or server installations may not have it.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mesa-utils -y

The apt update refreshes your package index, ensuring you install the current version of mesa-utils. After installation, the glxinfo command becomes available for checking your OpenGL and Mesa version.

Check Your Current Mesa Version

Before upgrading, note your current Mesa version so you can verify the upgrade succeeded and have a reference point if you need to troubleshoot later. Run the following command to display your OpenGL and Mesa driver information:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

This command filters the OpenGL version string from the full glxinfo output. You should see output similar to:

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 24.0.9-0ubuntu0.2

The version number after “Mesa” indicates your current driver version. Record this value before proceeding, as you will compare it against the upgraded version to confirm the PPA packages installed correctly.

Update Your System

Before adding external PPAs, update your existing packages to prevent dependency conflicts. Mesa upgrades pull in multiple related packages (libdrm, LLVM components), and starting from a fully updated system reduces the chance of package version mismatches.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

If this upgrade includes kernel updates, reboot before continuing. Some Mesa features depend on kernel driver versions, and running a newer Mesa with an older kernel can cause unexpected behavior.

Method 1: Install Kisak-Mesa Fresh PPA (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS)

The kisak-mesa fresh PPA provides the latest Mesa point releases for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. This method gives you access to new features and bug fixes shortly after upstream Mesa releases them.

Add the Fresh PPA

First, add the PPA repository to your system. The -y flag automatically confirms the addition without prompting:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa -y

This command adds the PPA to your APT sources and imports the signing key. You can view the kisak-mesa fresh PPA on Launchpad to check the current Mesa version and supported Ubuntu releases.

Upgrade Mesa Packages

After adding the PPA, update your package cache to include the new Mesa packages, then upgrade your system to install the newer driver versions:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

APT will show a list of packages to upgrade, including mesa-related libraries like libgl1-mesa-dri, libglx-mesa0, and related LLVM components. The upgrade may take several minutes depending on your internet connection and the number of packages.

Verify the Upgrade

Once the upgrade completes, verify that the new Mesa version installed correctly:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

The Mesa version number should now be higher than your original version. For example:

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 25.3.2~kisak1~n

The kisak suffix indicates the package came from the Kisak-Mesa PPA rather than Ubuntu’s default repositories. If the version number increased and includes this suffix, the upgrade succeeded.

Method 2: Install Kisak-Mesa Stable PPA (Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04 LTS)

The kisak/turtle stable PPA provides slower-moving Mesa updates with a focus on stability. This PPA supports both Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS, making it the only option for users still running Jammy Jellyfish who want upgraded Mesa drivers.

The stable PPA receives updates after the fresh PPA, giving more time for regressions to be identified and fixed. However, the PPA maintainer does not actively support bug reports for this PPA. If you encounter issues, use ppa-purge to revert and test with the fresh PPA before reporting upstream.

Add the Stable PPA

Add the turtle stable PPA to your system:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kisak/turtle -y

You can verify the available packages and supported releases on the kisak-mesa stable PPA Launchpad page.

Upgrade Mesa Packages

Update the package cache and install the upgraded Mesa packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Verify the Upgrade

Confirm the new Mesa version installed:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

The stable PPA version will typically be one minor release behind the fresh PPA, but still newer than Ubuntu’s default packages. For example:

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 25.2.8~kisak1~n

Troubleshooting

glxinfo Command Not Found

If the glxinfo command returns an error, the mesa-utils package is not installed:

glxinfo: command not found

Install the mesa-utils package to resolve this:

sudo apt install mesa-utils -y

PPA Not Available for Your Ubuntu Version

If you see an error when adding the PPA, your Ubuntu version is not yet supported:

E: The repository 'https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/kisak/kisak-mesa/ubuntu resolute Release' does not have a Release file.

This commonly occurs with very new Ubuntu releases. Check the Launchpad PPA pages to confirm which releases are supported, and use Ubuntu’s default Mesa packages until support is added.

Graphics Issues After Upgrade

If you experience screen corruption, crashes, or rendering problems after upgrading Mesa, revert to Ubuntu’s default packages using ppa-purge:

sudo apt install ppa-purge -y
sudo ppa-purge ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa

Replace ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa with ppa:kisak/turtle if you used the stable PPA. The ppa-purge command removes the PPA and downgrades all affected packages to their original Ubuntu versions.

Kernel Compatibility Issues

Newer Mesa drivers sometimes require features from newer kernels. If you experience unexplained crashes or missing functionality, ensure your kernel is up to date:

uname -r
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

If kernel updates are available, install them and reboot before testing again. On older Ubuntu LTS releases, the gap between Mesa and kernel versions increases over time, which can cause edge-case compatibility issues.

Remove Kisak-Mesa PPA

If you need to remove the Kisak-Mesa PPA and restore Ubuntu’s default Mesa drivers, use the ppa-purge utility. This cleanly removes the PPA and downgrades your Mesa packages to the versions provided by Ubuntu’s official repositories.

Install ppa-purge

First, install the ppa-purge package if not already present:

sudo apt install ppa-purge -y

Remove the Fresh PPA

To remove the kisak-mesa fresh PPA and revert packages:

sudo ppa-purge ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa

Remove the Stable PPA

To remove the kisak/turtle stable PPA and revert packages:

sudo ppa-purge ppa:kisak/turtle

Verify Restoration

After ppa-purge completes, verify that your Mesa version returned to Ubuntu’s default:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

The version string should no longer include the kisak suffix, indicating you are running Ubuntu’s packaged Mesa drivers:

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 24.0.9-0ubuntu0.2

The Kisak-Mesa PPA maintainer strongly recommends removing the PPA before upgrading to a newer Ubuntu release. Running ppa-purge before a distribution upgrade prevents package conflicts and ensures a clean transition.

Conclusion

Upgrading Mesa drivers through the Kisak-Mesa PPAs gives Ubuntu LTS users access to newer graphics driver versions without waiting for the next Ubuntu release. The fresh PPA serves Ubuntu 24.04 users who want the latest features, while the stable turtle PPA provides a conservative upgrade path for both 22.04 and 24.04 systems. With ppa-purge available as a safety net, you can test newer drivers with confidence and revert quickly if compatibility issues arise.

For related graphics and system maintenance topics, see our guides on installing NVIDIA drivers on Ubuntu for proprietary GPU support, installing Steam on Ubuntu for gaming with updated Mesa drivers, updating packages via the command line for general system maintenance, and removing a PPA from Ubuntu for alternative cleanup methods.