Upgrading Fedora Silverblue to Fedora 44: A Complete Rebase Guide

Introduction

Fedora Silverblue is an immutable desktop operating system built on Fedora Linux, designed for daily use, development, and container-based workflows. One of its standout features is the ability to safely upgrade between major releases using a process called rebasing. This guide will walk you through upgrading to Fedora Linux 44 on Silverblue, covering both graphical and terminal methods, as well as how to roll back if anything goes wrong.

Prerequisites: Prepare Your System

Before starting the rebase, ensure your current system is fully up to date. This minimizes compatibility issues and ensures a smooth transition.

Update via Terminal

Open a terminal and run:

$ rpm-ostree update

Update via GNOME Software

Alternatively, open GNOME Software, go to the Updates tab, install any pending updates, and reboot.

Important: rpm-ostree is the atomic technology underlying all Fedora Atomic Desktops (including Kinoite, Onyx, etc.). The steps here apply to them with appropriate modifications for the desktop environment.

Method 1: Upgrade Using GNOME Software

This method is perfect for those who prefer a graphical interface.

Step 1: Download the Fedora 44 Image

Open GNOME Software and navigate to the Updates screen. You will see a notification that Fedora Linux 44 is available. Click the Download button. The download may take some time depending on your internet speed.

Step 2: Install and Reboot

Once the download completes, the button changes to Restart & Upgrade. Click it, and the system will apply the update and reboot into Fedora 44. That’s it—your upgrade is complete!

Method 2: Upgrade Using the Terminal

For advanced users who prefer command-line control, the terminal offers a more detailed process.

Step 1: Verify the Fedora 44 Branch

Run the following command to list available remote branches:

$ ostree remote refs fedora

You should see an output line like:

fedora:fedora/44/x86_64/silverblue

Step 2: (Optional) Pin Your Current Deployment

If you want to keep your current system as a bootable option in GRUB (useful for rollback), pin it:

$ sudo ostree admin pin 0

Here 0 refers to the deployment index shown in rpm-ostree status. To remove a pinned deployment later, use:

$ sudo ostree admin pin --unpin 2

Step 3: Rebase to Fedora 44

Now perform the actual rebase:

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

This downloads and prepares the new system image.

Step 4: Reboot

Finally, restart your computer:

$ systemctl reboot

After reboot, you will boot into Fedora 44.

How to Roll Back If Something Goes Wrong

If you encounter issues—such as boot failures or software incompatibility—rolling back is straightforward.

Boot into Previous Deployment

During startup, press ESC (or Shift on some systems) to show the GRUB menu. Select the entry corresponding to your previous Fedora version (the one before the rebase). The system will boot into that older environment.

Make the Rollback Permanent

Once booted, run the following command to set the older deployment as the default:

$ rpm-ostree rollback

This makes the previous version the primary boot option. You can then optionally remove the Fedora 44 deployment if desired.

Conclusion

Rebasing Fedora Silverblue to Fedora 44 is a reliable process thanks to the atomic upgrade mechanism. Whether you prefer GNOME Software’s simplicity or the terminal’s transparency, the result is the same: a fully updated operating system with the ability to revert if needed. Happy upgrading!