How to install Ubuntu OS on Hostinger

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-13

Quick Answer

Use Hostinger hPanel for one-click Ubuntu installation on VPS, selecting from templates like 22.04 LTS. Set root password, confirm overwrite of data, and verify via SSH. Expect 2-5 minutes; post-install update packages and create non-root user for security.

Prerequisites

Hostinger VPS plan (KVM preferred)
hPanel access with credentials
SSH client like PuTTY or terminal
Backup of existing VPS data
Basic Linux command knowledge

Step-by-Step Instructions

Log in to hPanel

Access your Hostinger account at the hPanel login page and sign in using your credentials to reach the dashboard.

Navigate to VPS section

From the left-side menu, select VPS, choose your target VPS from the list, and click the Manage button next to it to enter the VPS dashboard.

If no VPS exists, purchase one first via the VPS section in hPanel.

Access OS change panel

In the VPS dashboard, open the OS & Panel dropdown in the left sidebar and select Operating System to view available OS templates including Ubuntu options.

Search and select Ubuntu

In the Change OS panel, type Ubuntu into the search bar and select your desired version, such as Ubuntu 22.04 LTS for stability. This uses pre-configured templates with no custom setup needed.

LTS releases are defaults for reliability; specialized templates exist for apps like Docker.

Confirm OS change

Review the warning dialog that the VPS OS will be overwritten and all files deleted. Check the box confirming I recognize that all my files will be deleted and cannot be restored, then click Next. Back up data beforehand as this is irreversible.

Set root password

Enter a strong root user password (at least 8 characters with letters, numbers, and symbols). Click Confirm to start installation; a progress bar will appear, typically completing in 2-5 minutes.

No default password is provided; choose securely.

Verify installation

Once complete, check the VPS Overview page showing Ubuntu as the active OS. Note the IP address, root username, and password for access.

Connect via SSH

Use a terminal or PuTTY: run

ssh root@your-vps-ip-address

and enter the root password. Confirm version with lsb_release -a; default is root user, no sudo needed initially.

Available on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Post-install configuration

Update packages with

apt update && apt upgrade -y

. Set timezone via timedatectl set-timezone Your/Timezone (UTC default). For security, create non-root user:

adduser yourusername
usermod -aG sudo yourusername

Avoid prolonged root usage; non-root is recommended.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

"Init script failed. See /var/log/cloudron-setup.log"

Virtuozzo 7 lacks full GRUB support; check log with <code>tail -f /var/log/cloudron-setup.log</code>, manually create <code>/etc/default/grub</code>, or switch to KVM VPS.

"sed: can't read /etc/default/grub: No such file or directory"

Common on Virtuozzo 7 (cheaper plans); verify hypervisor type in hPanel, tweak GRUB manually, or reinstall OS via panel.

Installation hangs or fails

Ensure KVM-based VPS plan, reboot via hPanel, or contact support; Virtuozzo quirks affect Ubuntu 18.04/20.04/24.04.

SSH connection refused post-install

Verify IP, root password, and firewall; reset password in hPanel if needed, then retry <code>ssh root@IP</code>.

Slow performance or errors on cheap plans

Upgrade to KVM VPS with 1GB+ RAM and 20GB SSD; Virtuozzo 7 limits advanced setups.

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