Upgrading Fedora Silverblue to Release 44: A Comprehensive Rebase Guide

Overview

Fedora Silverblue is an immutable desktop operating system built on Fedora Linux, designed for container-based workflows, development, and daily use. Its atomic update mechanism, powered by rpm-ostree, allows you to rebase your system to a new major release—such as moving from Fedora 43 to Fedora 44—without the risk of breaking your current setup. Unlike traditional upgrades that modify packages in place, a rebase swaps the entire OS image, preserving your user data and enabling easy rollbacks. This guide will walk you through rebasing to Fedora Linux 44 using both the graphical GNOME Software and the terminal, along with troubleshooting tips and rollback instructions.

Upgrading Fedora Silverblue to Release 44: A Comprehensive Rebase Guide — Source: fedoramagazine.org

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you meet these requirements:

A working Fedora Silverblue installation (version 43 or earlier) with an active internet connection.
Sufficient disk space – The new OS image can take up to 2-3 GB.
Back up important data – Although rebasing is safe, having a backup is always wise.
Familiarity with basic terminal commands if using the CLI method.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Update Your Current System

Always start by applying any pending updates to your existing Silverblue installation. This ensures a stable base before rebasing.

Terminal method:

rpm-ostree update

Graphical method: Open GNOME Software, go to the Updates tab, and install all available updates. Reboot if required.

2. Rebasing Using GNOME Software

GNOME Software detects new Fedora releases automatically. Follow these steps:

Open GNOME Software and navigate to the Updates screen. You should see a notification that Fedora Linux 44 is available.
Click the Download button to fetch the new OS image. This may take several minutes.
Once downloaded, the button changes to Restart & Upgrade. Click it.
The system will prepare the upgrade and reboot automatically. After restart, you will be running Fedora Linux 44.

3. Rebasing Using the Terminal

If you prefer the command line, the process is equally straightforward. Open a terminal and proceed with the following commands.

3a. Check Remote Availability

First, verify that Fedora 44 is available as a remote ref:

ostree remote refs fedora

Look for a line like fedora:fedora/44/x86_64/silverblue in the output. If present, you can proceed.

3b. (Optional) Pin Your Current Deployment

Pinning prevents the current deployment from being automatically pruned. This is useful for a safety net. Identify the deployment index with:

rpm-ostree status

Then pin it (replace 0 with the actual index of your current booted deployment):

sudo ostree admin pin 0

To remove a pin later, use sudo ostree admin pin --unpin <index>.

3c. Perform the Rebase

Now rebase to Fedora 44:

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

This command downloads the new image and sets it as the default boot entry. No changes are made to your current system until reboot.

3d. Reboot

Finally, restart your system:

systemctl reboot

After reboot, you will boot into Fedora Linux 44. You can verify with cat /etc/fedora-release.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the update step – Failing to apply pending updates before rebasing can cause dependency conflicts or incomplete migration.
Incorrect remote ref – Using a wrong branch name (e.g., missing architecture) will lead to errors. Always double-check with ostree remote refs fedora.
Not pinning a deployment – Without pinning, the previous deployment may be deleted after a few reboots, making it harder to roll back.
Forgetting to remove pins – An unnecessary old deployment can consume disk space. Remove pins when no longer needed.
Ignoring network interruptions – Rebasing requires a stable internet connection. If the download fails, you can re-run the rebase command; rpm-ostree will resume from where it left off.

How to Roll Back

If something goes wrong—e.g., you can't boot into Fedora 44 or encounter critical issues—reverting is simple.

Temporary Rollback

At boot, press Esc (or Shift on some systems) to show the GRUB menu. Select the entry corresponding to your previous deployment (e.g., Fedora 43) and boot into it. This is a one-time override; subsequent boots will try Fedora 44 again.

Permanent Rollback

To make the previous version the default, run this command while booted into it:

rpm-ostree rollback

This sets the previous deployment as the new default. You can then reboot to confirm. The old Fedora 44 deployment will still be available in GRUB until you remove it.

Remember: if you pinned a deployment earlier, it will be preserved regardless of rollbacks, giving you extra safety.

Summary

Rebasing Fedora Silverblue to Fedora Linux 44 is a straightforward process that leverages the atomic nature of rpm-ostree. Whether you prefer GNOME Software's graphical simplicity or the terminal's control, the key steps are: update your current system, download the new image, reboot, and verify. Pin your current deployment for extra safety, and know how to roll back if needed. By following this guide, you can upgrade confidently while preserving the stability and flexibility of your Silverblue environment.