Upgrading Fedora with dnf system-upgrade: A Complete Guide

Fedora upgrades are straightforward with dnf system-upgrade, the standard tool for network-based distribution upgrades. This replaces the older fedup tool and handles everything from downloading packages to managing the upgrade environment.

Pre-Upgrade Checklist

Before starting any upgrade:

Update your current system: sudo dnf upgrade
Back up critical data — especially /etc, home directories, and application configs
Check the release notes at https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/docs/
Review the Fedora wiki for known issues with your target release
Verify disk space: at least 2-3 GB free in /var and /usr
Ensure stable network connectivity — upgrades can be 1-2 GB depending on installed packages
Disable unnecessary services that might interfere (optional but recommended)

Handling Third-Party Repositories

Third-party repositories are a common source of upgrade failures. Before starting:

sudo dnf repolist

Identify any non-standard repositories. You have two options:

Option 1: Disable before upgrade

sudo dnf config-manager --set-disabled repo-id

Option 2: Remove entirely

sudo dnf remove @repo-id  # if using module-based repos

Common problem repositories include those for proprietary software (Chrome, Nvidia drivers, multimedia codecs). Check their documentation for compatibility with your target Fedora version — many need reinstallation after major upgrades anyway.

Preparation: Download Upgrade Packages

First, install the upgrade plugin if not present:

sudo dnf install dnf-plugin-system-upgrade

Then download all packages for your target version without applying changes:

sudo dnf system-upgrade download --releasever=42

Replace 42 with your target Fedora version. This step is safe to interrupt and resume — if your connection drops, just run the command again.

Watch for any dependency conflicts or unresolvable packages during download. Address these before proceeding. The download typically takes 10-30 minutes depending on your system and connection speed.

Execute the Upgrade

Once the download completes successfully:

sudo dnf system-upgrade reboot

Your system reboots into a special upgrade environment. The upgrade process runs automatically at boot and typically takes 15-30 minutes. Do not interrupt this process — a failed upgrade mid-transaction can leave your system in an inconsistent state.

Monitor progress by watching the boot messages. You’ll see package installation progress and any errors that occur.

Post-Upgrade Tasks

After your system reboots normally back into the new Fedora version, complete the upgrade:

sudo dnf distro-sync
sudo dnf autoremove

The distro-sync command ensures all installed packages match versions in your new release’s repositories. The autoremove command removes packages no longer needed by anything else on your system.

Verify the upgrade succeeded:

cat /etc/fedora-release
rpm -qa | wc -l

Re-enable any third-party repositories you disabled earlier, but be prepared to reinstall some packages:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled repo-id
sudo dnf check-update

For proprietary software that doesn’t auto-update:

sudo dnf remove google-chrome-*
sudo dnf install google-chrome-stable

Troubleshooting Failed Upgrades

If the upgrade fails or gets stuck:

sudo dnf system-upgrade clean

This cleans up partial downloads. Then retry:

sudo dnf system-upgrade download --releasever=42
sudo dnf system-upgrade reboot

For detailed failure information, check the upgrade logs from your previous boot:

sudo journalctl -b -1 -u dnf-system-upgrade
sudo journalctl -b -1 | grep -i error

Common issues and fixes:

Broken dependencies: Run sudo dnf install --best --allowerasing before retrying the upgrade
Stuck packages: Use sudo dnf remove <package> to uninstall problematic packages, then upgrade and reinstall them afterward
SELinux denials: Check /var/log/audit/audit.log if you have SELinux in enforcing mode

For persistent problems, file a bug at https://bugzilla.redhat.com/ with your logs attached. Include output from sudo dnf system-upgrade log if available.

Skipping Fedora Versions

You can technically skip multiple releases in one upgrade, but sequential upgrades are safer. Each Fedora release receives security updates for roughly 13 months. If you’re more than 2-3 releases behind, consider upgrading incrementally to catch any repository or package issues that might have been fixed in intermediate releases.