Upgrading to Fedora Linux 44 on Silverblue: A Step-by-Step Rebase Guide

Introduction

Fedora Silverblue is an immutable desktop operating system based on Fedora Linux, designed for daily use, development, and containerized workflows. Its atomic update model offers robust rollback capabilities, making upgrades safer. If you're ready to move to Fedora Linux 44, this guide walks you through the process—whether you prefer graphical tools or the command line. We'll also cover how to revert if something goes wrong.

Prepare Your System

Before starting the rebase, ensure your current installation is fully up to date. Apply any pending updates using one of these methods:

• Terminal: Run rpm-ostree update to fetch and apply updates.
• Graphical: Use GNOME Software to install available updates, then reboot.

Note: rpm-ostree is the core technology behind all Fedora Atomic Desktops (including Kinoite, Sericea, etc.). The steps here for Silverblue apply with minor adjustments for other desktops.

Graphical Upgrade: Using GNOME Software

GNOME Software makes the rebase intuitive. When Fedora Linux 44 is available, you'll see a notification on the Updates screen.

1. Download the new image: Click the Download button. This may take some time depending on your internet speed.
2. Install the upgrade: Once downloaded, the button changes to Restart & Upgrade. Click it to initiate the rebase. The process completes quickly, and your system will reboot into Fedora Linux 44.

That's all—a simple, two‑click upgrade path.

Terminal-Based Rebase

For those comfortable with the command line, the terminal method offers more control. Follow these steps:

Check Availability

First, verify the Fedora Linux 44 branch is accessible:

ostree remote refs fedora

Look for output containing fedora:fedora/44/x86_64/silverblue. If present, you're good to go.

(Optional) Pin Your Current Deployment

Pinning preserves your current system as a boot option until you manually remove it. This adds a safety net.

• Pin: sudo ostree admin pin 0 (where 0 is the index from rpm-ostree status).
• Unpin later: sudo ostree admin pin --unpin 2 (adjust index as needed).

Perform the Rebase

Execute the rebase command, pointing to the Fedora 44 branch:

rpm-ostree rebase fedora:fedora/44/x86_64/silverblue

This downloads and prepares the new image. Once finished, reboot your computer:

systemctl reboot

Your system will boot into Fedora Linux 44.

How to Roll Back

If you encounter issues—such as boot failures—reverting is straightforward. At the GRUB menu during startup, select the entry for your previous Fedora version (press Esc if the menu doesn't appear). After booting into the old environment, make the rollback permanent:

rpm-ostree rollback

This command sets the previous deployment as the default. Your system is now back to the earlier release.

Conclusion

Whether you choose the graphical convenience of GNOME Software or the precision of the terminal, rebasing to Fedora Linux 44 on Silverblue is a smooth process. The atomic upgrade model ensures you can always revert to a known good state. Enjoy the latest features and improvements!