This document explains how to use the installer in general terms. For a step-by-step guide through the screens of the installer, use the `screen-by-screen guide <https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/screen-by-screen-installer-guide/16690>`_.
Installer images are created (approximately) daily and are available from the `Ubuntu release <https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-server/daily-live/current/>`_ page. These images are not tested as extensively as the images from release days, but they contain the latest packages and installer. Therefore, fewer updates are required during or after installation.
Download the server installer for amd64 from the `Ubuntu Server <https://ubuntu.com/download/server>`_ page and other architectures from the `release directory <http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/20.04/release/>`_.
:kbd:`Tab` and :kbd:`Shift` + :kbd:`Tab` move the focus down and up respectively. Use :kbd:`Home`, :kbd:`End`, :kbd:`PgUp` and :kbd:`PgDn` to navigate through long lists quickly.
By default, the installer runs on the first virtual terminal, ``tty1``. This is what is displayed on any connected monitor by default. On systems without a monitor or a remote virtual terminal, you can run the installer on the serial port. To do this, specify an `appropriate console <https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/serial-console.html>`_ on the kernel command line. A common value is ``console=ttyS0``.
When running on a serial port, the installer starts in a basic mode that uses only the ASCII character set and black and white colours. If you are connecting from a terminal emulator, such as gnome-terminal, that supports Unicode and rich colours, you can switch to "rich mode", which uses Unicode and colours, and supports
An alternative to basic terminals is to connect via SSH. If the network is up by the time the installer starts, instructions are offered on the initial screen in basic mode. Otherwise, instructions are available from the help menu once networking is configured.
In addition, connecting via SSH is capable of displaying all Unicode characters, which enables the use of more translations than can be displayed on a virtual terminal.
If you are accessing the installer via ``tty1``, you can also access a shell by switching to a different virtual terminal (:kbd:`Control` + :kbd:`Alt` + arrow, or :kbd:`Control` + :kbd:`Alt` + number keys, to move between virtual terminals).