How to Install Liquorix Kernel on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04 and 22.04

Audio dropouts, frame-time spikes, and sluggish input usually mean Ubuntu’s stock kernel is tuned for broad stability instead of desktop latency. The Launchpad PPA lets you install Liquorix kernel on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04 with package-managed updates for gaming, multimedia work, and other interactive desktop loads.

Liquorix is a desktop-focused kernel build with aggressive preemption, PDS scheduler tuning, a 1000 Hz timer, and desktop-oriented I/O defaults. The packages install from any shell, but the kernel itself is for x86_64 systems, does not ship with Secure Boot signing, and makes more sense on workstations than on production servers. For upstream details, see the Liquorix website and the Liquorix Launchpad PPA.

Install Liquorix Kernel on Ubuntu

The Liquorix packages install with the same package names on all supported Ubuntu LTS releases, so the workflow stays simple once the PPA is in place.

These steps work on Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04. Liquorix publishes amd64 packages only, and Secure Boot must be disabled unless you plan to sign the Liquorix kernel and related modules yourself.

Update Ubuntu and Confirm x86_64 Support for Liquorix

Refresh package metadata first so the PPA and kernel dependencies resolve cleanly.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

These commands use sudo because they change system packages. If your account does not have sudo access yet, follow the guide on how to add a new user to sudoers on Ubuntu.

Liquorix supports 64-bit x86 hardware only, so check the architecture before you add the PPA.

uname -m

x86_64

Continue only when the output is x86_64. ARM and other architectures are outside the Liquorix Ubuntu package scope.

Add the Liquorix PPA on Ubuntu

Most Ubuntu desktop installs already include add-apt-repository, but minimal or server images may need the software-properties-common package first.

sudo apt install software-properties-common

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:damentz/liquorix -y

The -y flag accepts the repository prompt automatically. Ubuntu imports the Launchpad signing key and refreshes package metadata as part of the same step.

Run one explicit refresh after that step so you can see APT pull metadata from the Liquorix source, then confirm the metapackage candidate.

sudo apt update

The refresh should read metadata from ppa.launchpadcontent.net/damentz/liquorix. Instead of relying on variable Hit: or Get: line numbers from apt update, check the metapackage candidate before installing the kernel.

apt-cache policy linux-image-liquorix-amd64

linux-image-liquorix-amd64:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute
  Version table:
     7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute 500
        500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/damentz/liquorix/ubuntu resolute/main amd64 Packages

Ubuntu 24.04 shows the same package with a ~noble suffix, and Ubuntu 22.04 shows ~jammy. The important part is that Candidate is populated and the source points at the Liquorix Launchpad PPA.

Install Liquorix Kernel Packages on Ubuntu

Install the Liquorix image and header metapackages together so future updates keep the running kernel and DKMS rebuilds aligned.

sudo apt install linux-image-liquorix-amd64 linux-headers-liquorix-amd64

Before you reboot, confirm that Ubuntu installed both the versioned Liquorix packages and the metapackages that track future releases.

dpkg -l | grep liquorix

ii  linux-headers-7.0.5-1-liquorix-amd64       7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute                      amd64        Header files for Linux 7.0.5-1-liquorix-amd64
ii  linux-headers-liquorix-amd64               7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute                      amd64        Linux headers for liquorix on 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-7.0.5-1-liquorix-amd64         7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute                      amd64        Linux 7.0 for 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-liquorix-amd64                 7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute                      amd64        Linux image for liquorix on 64-bit PCs

The header tree should also exist under /usr/src, which matters for NVIDIA, VirtualBox, and other DKMS-managed modules.

ls -d /usr/src/linux-headers-*liquorix*

/usr/src/linux-headers-7.0.5-1-liquorix-amd64

Reboot and Verify Liquorix on Ubuntu

Reboot so GRUB can load the new kernel, then check the running kernel version from the next session.

Keep at least one Ubuntu generic kernel installed and make sure you can reach the GRUB menu or your provider’s recovery console before rebooting a remote system. If Liquorix does not boot cleanly, choose an Ubuntu generic kernel from GRUB and use the removal section to roll back.

sudo reboot

uname -r

7.0.5-1-liquorix-amd64

If the output ends with liquorix-amd64, the Liquorix kernel is active. If it still ends with generic, use the troubleshooting section to check the GRUB entries before changing boot defaults.

Compare Liquorix With Other Ubuntu Kernel Choices

Liquorix is not the only way to move off Ubuntu’s stock kernel, so it helps to match the kernel track to the kind of system you actually run.

Kernel Option	Primary Focus	Best For	Trade-offs
Install HWE Kernel on Ubuntu	Newer hardware support on Ubuntu’s supported stack	Desktops that need newer drivers without leaving Ubuntu defaults	More conservative tuning than Liquorix
Install Zabbly Kernel on Ubuntu	Mainline-style kernel tracking	Testing newer upstream kernels and hardware support quickly	Faster update cadence and less Ubuntu-style conservatism
Install XanMod Kernel on Ubuntu	Performance tuning for gaming and desktop workloads	Users who want another custom desktop kernel track	Different patch choices, same Secure Boot caveat class
Liquorix Kernel	Low-latency desktop responsiveness	Audio work, gaming, and interactive desktop systems	Unsigned for Secure Boot and limited to amd64

• Choose Liquorix when input latency and desktop responsiveness matter more than staying close to Ubuntu’s stock kernel behavior.
• Choose HWE when you mainly want newer drivers and hardware support with Ubuntu-managed defaults.
• Choose Zabbly when you want a mainline-style tracking kernel for newer upstream code paths.
• Choose XanMod when you want another desktop performance kernel and prefer its patch mix over Liquorix.

Update or Remove Liquorix Kernel on Ubuntu

Update Liquorix Kernel on Ubuntu

Liquorix updates through APT, so refresh package metadata and upgrade the Liquorix metapackages when new builds land in the PPA.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade linux-image-liquorix-amd64 linux-headers-liquorix-amd64

After an update run, the metapackage should show the same installed and candidate version unless a newer kernel is waiting for the next upgrade.

apt-cache policy linux-image-liquorix-amd64

linux-image-liquorix-amd64:
  Installed: 7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute
  Candidate: 7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute
  Version table:
 *** 7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute 500
        500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/damentz/liquorix/ubuntu resolute/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Install an Ubuntu Fallback Kernel Before Removing Liquorix

Make sure an Ubuntu kernel track is available before you remove Liquorix, otherwise the next reboot can leave you without the kernel you expect.

sudo apt install linux-image-generic linux-headers-generic

That command restores Ubuntu’s GA kernel track. If you prefer the Hardware Enablement stack instead, use Install HWE Kernel on Ubuntu and keep that kernel family in place before removing Liquorix. Systems that already use HWE can continue booting the HWE generic kernel after Liquorix is removed.

Check the active kernel before continuing. If the output still ends with liquorix-amd64, reboot and choose an Ubuntu generic entry from GRUB’s Advanced options first. Continue with package removal only after uname -r reports a generic kernel.

uname -r

Reboot only if you are still running Liquorix, then check the active kernel again after reconnecting.

sudo reboot

Remove Liquorix Kernel Packages on Ubuntu

List the installed Liquorix packages first so you can see exactly what the removal step is about to purge.

dpkg -l | grep liquorix

ii  linux-headers-7.0.5-1-liquorix-amd64       7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute                      amd64        Header files for Linux 7.0.5-1-liquorix-amd64
ii  linux-headers-liquorix-amd64               7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute                      amd64        Linux headers for liquorix on 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-7.0.5-1-liquorix-amd64         7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute                      amd64        Linux 7.0 for 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-liquorix-amd64                 7.0-4ubuntu1~resolute                      amd64        Linux image for liquorix on 64-bit PCs

Remove the Liquorix packages first, then review any leftover automatic dependencies in a separate cleanup step.

sudo apt remove --purge 'linux-*liquorix*'

APT can remove the Liquorix image cleanly once Ubuntu is running from a generic kernel. Ubuntu 26.04 uses APT 3 summary wording such as REMOVING:, while Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04 keep the older The following packages will be REMOVED: style. Use a separate cleanup pass for orphaned dependencies so you can review what else APT wants to remove.

Confirm the Liquorix packages are no longer installed before you clean up the PPA.

dpkg -l | grep liquorix || echo "No Liquorix packages remain installed"

No Liquorix packages remain installed

Preview automatic cleanup before you remove anything else. APT may list unrelated old kernels, desktop helpers, or packages from earlier system history, so continue only when the preview contains packages you actually want to remove.

sudo apt autoremove --dry-run

sudo apt autoremove

Remove the Liquorix PPA on Ubuntu

Remove the PPA after the package purge so future APT refreshes stop pulling Liquorix metadata.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:damentz/liquorix -y
sudo apt update

Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 currently write this PPA as a .sources file, while Ubuntu 22.04 typically uses a .list file. The extension matters less than confirming that no damentz source file remains after removal. For broader repository cleanup patterns, use the full guide to remove a PPA from Ubuntu.

find /etc/apt/sources.list.d -maxdepth 1 -name '*damentz*' -print | sort | grep . || echo "No Liquorix source files remain"

No Liquorix source files remain

Ubuntu 22.04 can also leave the Launchpad PPA trust file and backup after the source file is gone. Check for those exact Liquorix key files before calling the PPA cleanup complete.

find /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d -maxdepth 1 -name 'damentz-ubuntu-liquorix.gpg*' -print | sort

Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04 usually return no output. On Ubuntu 22.04, leftover output can look like this:

/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/damentz-ubuntu-liquorix.gpg
/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/damentz-ubuntu-liquorix.gpg~

Remove only those Liquorix PPA key files after the source file has already been removed.

sudo rm -f /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/damentz-ubuntu-liquorix.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/damentz-ubuntu-liquorix.gpg~

find /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d -maxdepth 1 -name 'damentz-ubuntu-liquorix.gpg*' -print | sort | grep . || echo "No Liquorix trusted key files remain"

No Liquorix trusted key files remain

Reboot and Verify the Restored Ubuntu Kernel After Removing Liquorix

Reboot one more time so Ubuntu comes back on the restored kernel track instead of the removed Liquorix image.

sudo reboot

uname -r

Example output from a restored Ubuntu generic kernel looks like this:

7.0.0-15-generic

A restored Ubuntu kernel usually ends with generic, although the exact version depends on whether you kept the GA or HWE track.

Troubleshoot Liquorix on Ubuntu

Most Liquorix problems on Ubuntu come down to boot selection, Secure Boot, or third-party modules that need to rebuild against the new headers.

Ubuntu Still Boots the Generic Kernel After Liquorix Installation

If Ubuntu comes back on a generic kernel after installation, confirm that GRUB actually has a Liquorix entry before you change anything else.

sudo grep -o "Ubuntu, with Linux [^']*liquorix-amd64" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | sort -u

Ubuntu, with Linux 7.0.5-1-liquorix-amd64

If the entry exists, choose it once from GRUB on the next boot. For a persistent GUI workflow, Install GRUB Customizer on Ubuntu and set the Liquorix entry as the default only after you confirm it boots cleanly.

Secure Boot Blocks Liquorix on Ubuntu

Liquorix packages from the Launchpad PPA are not signed for Secure Boot, so a Secure Boot-enabled system can refuse to load them. Disable Secure Boot in UEFI firmware, or keep Ubuntu’s signed kernel track if you do not want to manage your own signing workflow.

NVIDIA or VirtualBox Modules Fail After a Liquorix Boot on Ubuntu

DKMS-managed modules need the Liquorix headers to rebuild cleanly after the new kernel installs. If a driver breaks after the switch, boot an Ubuntu kernel that still works, reinstall or rebuild the affected DKMS package, and then retry the Liquorix boot. For header recovery, use Install Linux Kernel Headers on Ubuntu. For the NVIDIA path, use Install NVIDIA Drivers on Ubuntu to rebuild the driver stack against the active headers.

Conclusion

Liquorix is running on Ubuntu with a lower-latency kernel once uname -r reports the Liquorix build instead of generic. If Ubuntu’s own kernel track is a better fit later, Install HWE Kernel on Ubuntu for newer hardware support. If boot-order changes are the real problem, Install GRUB Customizer on Ubuntu to manage the default entry from the desktop.