Canonical to introduce Ubuntu firmware HWE package

Canonical is restructuring its Ubuntu Long-Term Support (LTS) distribution strategy by planning a dedicated ‘linux-firmware-hwe’ package. This change aims to prevent modern firmware backports, intended for newer Hardware Enablement (HWE) kernels, from causing driver regressions on systems utilizing standard General Availability (GA) kernels.

Currently, both GA and HWE kernels share a single, monolithic ‘linux-firmware’ package. Because microcode is tightly coupled with kernel device drivers, updates designed for bleeding-edge HWE kernels can overwrite firmware used by conservative GA kernels. This issue was highlighted during Ubuntu 24.04 LTS development, where a firmware backport intended for the Linux 7.0 HWE kernel caused two AMD regressions for users on the Linux 6.9 GA kernel.

The new approach will allow HWE kernels to pull in specific HWE versions of firmware subpackages, while GA kernel users continue using the standard set. Both tracks will still receive targeted fixes from Canonical. While systems running both kernels on a single device may require workarounds due to the limitation of only one firmware package being installed at a time, the transition is underway. Firmware packages in Ubuntu 26.10 are currently being prepared as ‘hwe’ versions ahead of a planned backport to Ubuntu 26.04 in early 2027.