How to Automate Server Updates on Ubuntu Server 24.04

Automating server updates on Ubuntu Server 24.04 helps keep security patches installed without requiring manual maintenance every day. This is especially useful for production VPS servers that need regular security updates and stable uptime.

Most administrators enable automatic security updates on a Linux VPS server to reduce exposure to known vulnerabilities while keeping full control over major system upgrades.

Step 1: Connect to the Ubuntu Server

Access the server using SSH:

ssh root@your_server_ip

Step 2: Update Package Information

Refresh the package index before installing update tools:

apt update

Upgrade currently installed packages if needed:

apt upgrade -y

Step 3: Install unattended-upgrades

Install the package used for automatic updates:

apt install unattended-upgrades -y

On many Ubuntu Server installations, this package may already be installed by default.

Step 4: Enable Automatic Updates

Run the configuration command:

dpkg-reconfigure -plow unattended-upgrades

When prompted, select:

Yes

This enables automatic package updates using the unattended-upgrades service.

Step 5: Verify the Auto-Update Configuration

Open the automatic update configuration file:

nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades

Make sure it contains:

APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "1";

The value 1 means Ubuntu checks for updates and applies unattended upgrades daily.

Step 6: Configure Security Updates Only

Open the unattended-upgrades configuration file:

nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades

For most VPS servers, keeping automatic updates limited to security updates is safer than installing every available package update automatically.

Check that the allowed origins include the security repository:

Unattended-Upgrade::Allowed-Origins {
        "${distro_id}:${distro_codename}-security";
};

This keeps the automatic update process focused on security patches.

Step 7: Enable Automatic Reboot If Needed

Some updates, such as kernel updates, may require a reboot. To allow automatic reboot after required updates, add or update this line:

Unattended-Upgrade::Automatic-Reboot "true";

To schedule the reboot time, use:

Unattended-Upgrade::Automatic-Reboot-Time "03:00";

Use a low-traffic time to avoid interrupting active users or running applications.

Step 8: Remove Unused Dependencies Automatically

To clean unused packages after updates, enable automatic removal:

Unattended-Upgrade::Remove-Unused-Dependencies "true";

This helps keep the server cleaner after package upgrades.

Step 9: Test the Configuration

Run a dry test without installing updates:

unattended-upgrade --dry-run --debug

This checks the configuration and shows what unattended-upgrades would do during an automatic run.

Step 10: Check Update Logs

View unattended-upgrades logs:

ls -lah /var/log/unattended-upgrades

Read the main log file:

cat /var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades.log

You can also check package installation details:

cat /var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades-dpkg.log

Step 11: Check If a Reboot Is Required

After automatic updates, check whether Ubuntu requires a reboot:

test -f /var/run/reboot-required && cat /var/run/reboot-required

If the file exists, restart the server during a safe maintenance window.

Step 12: Disable Automatic Updates If Needed

If you need to disable unattended upgrades later, edit:

nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades

Set both values to 0:

APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "0";
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "0";

This stops Ubuntu from automatically applying unattended package upgrades.

Automatic updates on Ubuntu Server 24.04 help keep VPS environments secure by installing important security patches regularly. For production servers, security-only updates with controlled reboot settings provide a safer balance between protection and stability.