Kubuntu Focus: Clean Install Guided Solution

Clean Install

Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS

Support for Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS ended in May 2025. It has been superseded by Clean Install Kubuntu 24.04 LTS with KFS which is recommended for most users. Only use this guide if you need to install the older, 22.04 image, and understand that it is no longer supported.

Perform a clean install if you want to run the OS on a computer or virtual machine; or to restore a system that has been corrupted; or to upgrade the OS from a prior LTS.

Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS
Install from the ISO
Known Issues
Revisions
Footnotes
Disclaimer

Get convenience, performance, and reliability.
Validated on Kubuntu Focus hardware.

Please read the disclaimer before proceeding. We review and update guided solutions regularly. If you have suggestions or requests, please write support@kfocus.org.

Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS

The Focus ISO provides Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS (Kubuntu Focus Suite). KFS includes Focus Tools, Curated Apps, UX preferences, and hardware optimizations that are impractical to Kubuntu directly. This is the default, highly supported OS image installed on all Kubuntu Focus hardware.

You don't need to own a Focus to try or use Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS. You can download the ISO for free. The 22.04 image is tested on these models: Ir14 GEN 1, M1, M2 GEN 5 and earlier, NX GEN 2 and earlier, and XE GEN 2 and earlier. It also works well on VMs, on other Intel + Nvidia systems,^[1], and users have reported success with AMD systems as well.

Test Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS before install.

Install from the ISO

Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS is designed, tested, and supported on Kubuntu Focus devices.

Back up any existing data first.
Download the latest ISO image to get the latest installation features and minimize the need for package updates.
Install the ISO image to a USB flash drive (>= 8 GB) using Ubuntu (or flavor thereof), Windows, or macOS. All Kubuntu Focus computers ship with a blank USB flash drive that can be used for this purpose.
Power-off the computer. Insert the USB flash drive into a USB type A port, and remove any other flash drives.
Power-on the computer and immediately and repeatedly tap [F7] to see the BIOS list of bootable disks. If this doesn't work, you might tap [F2] or [ESC] and select the boot drive in the BIOS. In either case, boot from the USB flash drive. The name of this drive will depend on the brand of drive you use.
Within 5 seconds after booting, the system will present you with a black-and-white boot menu. Allow the system to proceed with the default Start Kubuntu option.
After about a minute, the system should present you with a graphical menu to Try or Install Kubuntu. If this does not occur after 2 minutes, try again with the Start Kubuntu (safe graphics) option.
Click Try Kubuntu.
The Live Boot environment will start with a full Kubuntu desktop. Especially if you are not using Kubuntu Focus hardware, check that WiFi, displays, and other key capabilities work as expected.
If everything is working as expected^[2], double-click on Install Kubuntu. Follow the instructions on the screen.
When presented with the Updates and other software screen, select Normal installation and Download updates while installing Kubuntu, and leave other options unchecked (see screenshot). The system will later guide you to install third-party drivers for the GPU if needed.
When presented with the Installation Type, choose your preferred method. We use Guided - use entire disk for unencrypted disks and Guided - use entire disk and set up encrypted LVM for full-disk encryption. If you choose the latter, DO NOT FORGET THE PASSPHRASE YOU CREATE, as it cannot be recovered!
If installing inside VirtualBox, do not set up encrypted LVM as this has historically not worked. You may use VirtualBox to encrypt disks by using VM Settings > General > Disk Encryption.
Sign-in to the freshly installed operating system. On the first boot, your system will reconfigure for the hardware and ask you to reboot.
After reboot, sign-in again. The Welcome Wizard will help you install useful restricted and optional software.
Remember to update software regularly, as discussed here.

Install Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS.

Known Issues

All software has bugs and limitations. Before you proceed, you may find it helpful to review the following known issues. Please run a live session before committing to an installation, and always back up your data.

Support for Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS ended in May 2025. It has been superseded by Clean Install Kubuntu 24.04 LTS with KFS which is recommended for most users. Only use this guide if you need to install the older, 22.04 image, and understand that it is no longer supported.

Revisions

This is a partial revision history. See the git repository for all entries.

2025-06-04 fbfac979 Clarify Kubuntu 24.04 LTS with KFS
2025-04-19 274c0ff1 Update grammar and content per audit
2025-02-25 2eaebe3b Normalize KFocus app names
2024-12-06 b1f9e405 Normalize Hints Widget name and keyboard shortcut format, add caption under top images, improve explanations
2024-11-13 e6b6729d Improve usb flash drive boot instructions
2024-08-19 57a2389d Add white theme
2024-07-28 ee7b4601 Update metadata content, collapsable sections, lightbox
2024-07-26 7814a97d Sync primary images between guided solutions slideshow and articles
2024-07-19 14b82268 Create iso-verify article
2024-07-16 57a2389d Update for Noble ISO release, update explanations, deprecate in favor of 24.04
2023-11-18 e770b1c6 Add search and help bar
2023-04-25 19f0fa02 Update Ir14g1, M2g5
2022-12-14 984993c4 Add Link to clean-install backup advice
2022-07-11 19b39e5a Add 22.04 Known Issues
2022-06-20 abff0762 Add 22.04 LTS details
2022-01-24 e6c509c6 Add option details and images to ISO guide
2021-10-25 7bf9f4a5 Remove VM and use ISO exclusively
2021-10-10 5728326e Reformat to 2-column
2021-09-22 dc862884 Update link and headline colors
2021-08-23 681261b4 Review and update codeblocks
2021-06-09 ef3ea572 Open external links in new tabs
2021-04-22 5109fae2 Update to use ISO for this solution
2021-01-11 dcc9c438 Add install-focal.sh script
2020-06-10 c4ed9299 Restructure layout
2020-05-20 f776dc20 Remove proprietary install option
2020-04-20 8959836b Use apt-get, streamline process
2020-04-20 7b06252b First publication
2020-04-14 5a096eb3 Clarify VM use

Footnotes

[1] The Kubuntu Focus team uses the Suite regularly on over a dozen different hardware configurations. These include the official models (Ir14, M1, M2, NX, XE), other laptops, and desktop systems.

[2] The Live environment does not have the NVIDIA drivers installed and, as such, cannot perform advanced GPU-intensive tasks, such as machine learning and AI development. To use these features, Kubuntu 22.04 LTS with KFS and the kfocus-nvidia package must be installed on a Kubuntu Focus M1 or M2 system.

Disclaimer

We try hard to provide a useful solution validated by professionals. However, we cannot anticipate every situation, and therefore cannot guarantee this procedure will work for your needs. Always backup your data and test the solution to determine the correct procedure for you.

THIS SOLUTION IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS “AS IS” AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOLUTION, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.