How to Upgrade Mesa Drivers on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04 and 22.04

Upgrading Mesa drivers on Ubuntu is useful when AMD or Intel graphics hardware needs newer OpenGL or Vulkan support than the default LTS packages provide. Ubuntu 26.04 ships Mesa 26.0.x, Ubuntu 24.04 ships Mesa 25.2.x, and Ubuntu 22.04 ships Mesa 23.2.x through the normal repositories. The Kisak Mesa PPAs give Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04 a package-managed upgrade path without replacing the rest of the graphics stack by hand.

Mesa mainly affects open-source AMD and Intel GPU drivers. If you use the proprietary NVIDIA driver, follow our guide to install NVIDIA drivers on Ubuntu instead, because Mesa updates do not replace NVIDIA’s proprietary kernel driver.

Upgrade Mesa Drivers on Ubuntu

Most Ubuntu desktop installs already include Mesa runtime packages, so this workflow upgrades packages such as libgl1-mesa-dri and mesa-vulkan-drivers rather than installing a separate vendor driver from scratch. Start with a version check, then choose one Kisak PPA that matches your Ubuntu release. Do not enable both Kisak tracks on the same system.

Check Your Current Mesa Version on Ubuntu

For a package-level check that works over SSH and in a desktop session, inspect the installed and candidate versions of the OpenGL and Vulkan Mesa packages:

apt-cache policy libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-vulkan-drivers

Current default Ubuntu repository branches are:

Ubuntu Release	Default Mesa Branch	Default Package Source
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS	Mesa 26.0.x	`resolute/main`
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Mesa 25.2.x	`noble-updates/main`
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	Mesa 23.2.x	`jammy-updates/main`

For the active runtime version in a graphical session, install mesa-utils if glxinfo is missing:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mesa-utils

These commands use sudo when root privileges are required. If your user is not in the sudoers file yet, follow our guide on how to add a new user to sudoers on Ubuntu before continuing.

The mesa-utils package comes from Ubuntu’s Universe component. If APT cannot find it on a minimal or customized install, enable Universe first with the steps in our Ubuntu Universe and Multiverse repository guide.

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

The grep filter keeps the output focused on the OpenGL version string. On Ubuntu 24.04 before the PPA upgrade, a trimmed line can look like this. For more pattern-filtering examples, see our grep command guide for Linux.

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 25.2.8-0ubuntu0.24.04.1

glxinfo reports the active runtime Mesa version, while apt-cache policy reports installed and available package versions. Use both after the upgrade if you want to confirm that APT changed the packages and your desktop session is using the new stack.

Choose a Kisak Mesa PPA for Ubuntu

The Kisak project publishes two Mesa PPA tracks. Choose the track that matches your Ubuntu release and risk tolerance:

PPA	Ubuntu Releases with Current Packages	Current Mesa Branch	Best Fit
kisak-mesa fresh	Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04	Mesa 26.0.x	Newest Mesa point releases with higher regression risk than Ubuntu defaults
kisak/turtle stable	Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04	Mesa 25.3.x on 24.04, Mesa 25.0.x on 22.04	Slower Mesa updates for users who want a more conservative PPA track

Ubuntu 26.04: Use ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa. The turtle PPA does not publish a resolute suite.
Ubuntu 24.04: Use ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa for the newest point releases, or ppa:kisak/turtle for a slower update pace.
Ubuntu 22.04: Use ppa:kisak/turtle. The fresh PPA’s Jammy line is discontinued and does not provide a newer Mesa candidate.

Use only one Mesa PPA at a time. Mixing ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa, ppa:kisak/turtle, or more aggressive sources such as ppa:oibaf/graphics-drivers can leave APT choosing graphics packages from different tracks.

Update Ubuntu Before Adding a Mesa PPA

Refresh package metadata and apply pending Ubuntu updates before you change Mesa sources. Review the upgrade list before accepting it, especially on desktops with active graphics, kernel, or firmware updates:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

If the upgrade installs a new kernel, reboot before adding the PPA. Mesa userspace libraries and kernel graphics drivers work together, and testing a new Mesa stack against an old running kernel can make graphics issues harder to diagnose. For broader APT maintenance, use our guide to update packages via the Ubuntu command line.

Upgrade Ubuntu 26.04 or 24.04 with the Kisak-Mesa Fresh PPA

The kisak-mesa fresh PPA is the newest Kisak track and currently provides Mesa 26.0.x packages for Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04. The release guard prevents Ubuntu 22.04 users from adding a PPA that no longer upgrades their Mesa packages:

. /etc/os-release

case "$VERSION_CODENAME" in
  resolute|noble)
    sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa
    ;;
  jammy)
    echo "Ubuntu 22.04 should use ppa:kisak/turtle instead."
    exit 1
    ;;
  *)
    echo "This article covers Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04."
    exit 1
    ;;
esac

Refresh APT metadata and confirm that the Mesa candidate now comes from the fresh PPA:

sudo apt update
apt-cache policy libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-vulkan-drivers

Continue only when the candidate version includes a ~kisak suffix and the source URL matches your release, such as ppa.launchpadcontent.net/kisak/kisak-mesa/ubuntu resolute/main on Ubuntu 26.04 or noble/main on Ubuntu 24.04. If the candidate stays on Ubuntu’s archive package, stop and re-check the PPA choice before upgrading.

Upgrade Mesa and the related graphics packages after the candidate check passes. Depending on the release and PPA track, APT may also upgrade supporting packages such as libdrm, libllvm, xwayland, or mesa-libgallium:

sudo apt upgrade

Mesa 26 packages merge some older driver split packages into the main Mesa packages. If APT keeps Mesa packages back, nudge the main packages explicitly and review the proposed dependency changes before accepting:

sudo apt install libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-vulkan-drivers

Systems that use 32-bit graphics libraries for Steam or Wine may also need the matching :i386 Mesa packages if those packages were already installed.

Upgrade Ubuntu 24.04 or 22.04 with the Kisak/Turtle Stable PPA

The kisak/turtle PPA moves slower than the fresh PPA. Use it on Ubuntu 24.04 if you want a more conservative Mesa track, or on Ubuntu 22.04 when you need a newer Mesa branch than Jammy’s default packages provide:

. /etc/os-release

case "$VERSION_CODENAME" in
  noble|jammy)
    sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:kisak/turtle
    ;;
  resolute)
    echo "Ubuntu 26.04 should use ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa instead."
    exit 1
    ;;
  *)
    echo "This article covers Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04."
    exit 1
    ;;
esac

Refresh package metadata and verify the candidate source before upgrading:

sudo apt update
apt-cache policy libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-vulkan-drivers

The candidate should include ~kisak and point to ppa.launchpadcontent.net/kisak/turtle/ubuntu noble/main on Ubuntu 24.04 or jammy/main on Ubuntu 22.04.

sudo apt upgrade

Verify the Mesa Upgrade on Ubuntu

After the upgrade and a reboot when required, verify both the package source and the active runtime version.

Check Mesa Package Sources After the Upgrade

apt-cache policy libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-vulkan-drivers

The installed and candidate versions should include ~kisak. The source line should match the PPA you chose, either kisak-mesa for the fresh track or turtle for the stable track.

Check the Active OpenGL Mesa Version

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

On Ubuntu 24.04 with the fresh PPA, a trimmed runtime line can look like this:

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 26.0.6~kisak1~n

The suffix changes by release: ~r indicates Ubuntu 26.04, ~n indicates Ubuntu 24.04, and ~j indicates Ubuntu 22.04. The important part is the ~kisak marker, which confirms the active runtime Mesa stack came from the PPA.

Check Vulkan Mesa Packages After the Upgrade

Mesa provides OpenGL and Vulkan through separate packages. Confirm the Vulkan package moved to the same PPA track:

apt-cache policy mesa-vulkan-drivers

If mesa-vulkan-drivers is not installed on a desktop used for games or Vulkan applications, install it after the PPA is enabled:

sudo apt install mesa-vulkan-drivers

Troubleshoot Mesa Upgrades on Ubuntu

Fix glxinfo Command Not Found on Ubuntu

If glxinfo is missing, install mesa-utils. The package provides the user-facing symlinks for glxinfo, glxgears, eglinfo, es2_info, and related Mesa diagnostic tools:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mesa-utils
command -v glxinfo

/usr/bin/glxinfo

Fix mesa-utils-extra or eglinfo Package Confusion

Older references may mention mesa-utils-extra. On Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04, install mesa-utils instead. It depends on mesa-utils-bin and provides the old mesa-utils-extra name for compatibility:

apt-cache policy mesa-utils-extra mesa-utils mesa-utils-bin

If you specifically need eglinfo, vkgears, or OpenGL ES tools, the normal mesa-utils install is still the right reader-facing command because it creates the unversioned command symlinks.

Fix Kisak-Mesa Fresh PPA Not Upgrading Mesa on Ubuntu 22.04

On Ubuntu 22.04, the fresh PPA may add successfully because Jammy metadata still exists, but the Mesa packages do not become newer than jammy-updates. Check the candidate source:

apt-cache policy libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-vulkan-drivers

If the candidate stays on the Ubuntu archive package and no ~kisak Mesa candidate appears, remove the fresh PPA and use ppa:kisak/turtle instead.

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

Fix Kisak/Turtle PPA Not Available on Ubuntu 26.04

The turtle PPA does not currently publish a resolute suite. Ubuntu 26.04 users should use ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa or stay on Ubuntu’s default Mesa packages:

Error: The repository 'https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/kisak/turtle/ubuntu resolute Release' does not have a Release file.

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

Fix Graphics Issues After a Mesa Upgrade on Ubuntu

If you see screen corruption, game crashes, or rendering problems after upgrading Mesa, revert to Ubuntu’s packages with ppa-purge. Use the PPA name you enabled:

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

Replace ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa with ppa:kisak/turtle if you used the stable track. For more repository cleanup context, use our guide to remove a PPA from Ubuntu after the Mesa packages are restored.

Fix Kernel Compatibility Issues After a Mesa Upgrade

Newer Mesa releases can expose kernel-side graphics issues on older kernels. Check your running kernel, install pending Ubuntu updates, and reboot before assuming the PPA itself is broken:

uname -r
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

If the issue happens on an older Ubuntu 22.04 hardware stack, compare the turtle PPA against Ubuntu defaults before filing upstream Mesa bug reports. If the kernel branch is part of the issue, review our guide to install the HWE kernel on Ubuntu before retesting Mesa behavior.

Remove Kisak Mesa PPA and Restore Ubuntu Packages

Use ppa-purge to remove the Kisak PPA and downgrade Mesa packages back to Ubuntu’s versions. This is safer than deleting the source file manually because it also asks APT to restore package versions from Ubuntu’s repositories.

Install ppa-purge on Ubuntu

ppa-purge comes from Ubuntu’s Universe component. Enable Universe first if APT cannot find the package:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ppa-purge

Remove the kisak-mesa Fresh PPA from Ubuntu

sudo ppa-purge ppa:kisak/kisak-mesa

Remove the kisak/turtle Stable PPA from Ubuntu

sudo ppa-purge ppa:kisak/turtle

Clean Up Unused Packages After Mesa Rollback

Preview unused packages before removing them. Continue only if the list contains packages you are comfortable removing:

sudo apt autoremove --dry-run

If the preview is clean, run the real cleanup and refresh package metadata:

sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt update

For more cleanup examples, see our guide to remove packages on the Ubuntu command line.

Verify Mesa Packages Were Restored

Confirm the candidate and active runtime version no longer show a ~kisak suffix:

apt-cache policy libgl1-mesa-dri mesa-vulkan-drivers
glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"

The Kisak PPA maintainer recommends removing the Mesa PPA before a full Ubuntu release upgrade. Running ppa-purge first reduces package conflicts and keeps the distribution upgrade path cleaner.

Conclusion

After you upgrade Mesa drivers on Ubuntu, verify the OpenGL and Vulkan package sources, reboot when kernel or graphics libraries changed, and keep ppa-purge available for rollback. For gaming workloads, newer Mesa packages pair naturally with Steam on Ubuntu and Wine on Ubuntu. For a graphical hardware overview beyond package versions, install GPU Viewer on Ubuntu.