Best Linux distro for Windows users of 2024

We database nan champion Linux distros for Windows users, to make it elemental and easy for users to move from utilizing Windows to Linux computers.

It tin beryllium an inundating experience, particularly for group coming from proprietary operating systems for illustration Windows. Linux distributions, acknowledgment to their unfastened root nature, connection a batch much entree than their closed root cousins, which makes nan modulation peculiarly difficult for galore users. 

This is wherever these specialized distros, designed for Windows users, travel into nan picture. Their nonsubjective is to let users to acquisition nan goodness of Linux while minimizing nan learning curve that’s associated erstwhile switching to a different operating system. They each return various steps to guarantee that nan modulation is arsenic effortless arsenic possible.

We’ve tested galore Linux distros to find nan champion ones for Windows users. We looked astatine really user-friendly they were, nan hardware requirements, nan easiness of installation, and nan wide out-of-box experience. We besides considered nan distro’s learning curve and nan desktop environment, among different aspects. 

Additionally, we've featured nan best Linux training providers and online courses and nan best Linux distros for powerfulness users.

Best Ubuntu Linux distro for Windows users

Elementary OS is based connected Ubuntu. There are caller releases each 1-2 years each of which are named aft a different god. For instance, nan astir caller type (7.0) is codenamed "Horus". 

This isn't each that's divine astir this OS. It has made a sanction for itself for crafting a very usable and aesthetically pleasing desktop distro. Everything from its pre-installed apps to its location brewed desktop is designed to springiness a comforting acquisition to users caller to Linux.

Its custom-built Pantheon desktop, is simply a pleasing artistic return connected nan classical desktop metaphor. One of its distinguishing features is nan picture-in-picture mode that enables you to prime an area of a model aliases nan desktop, and past pops it out. This pop-out is movable, resizable, always-on-top, and tin move crossed workspaces

The distro comes pinch a cautiously pruned postulation of pre-installed apps that’s been assembled to make nan desktop acquisition much accordant and appealing to caller Linux users. In fact, galore of its most-used pre-installed apps person functional names for illustration Mail, Music, Photos and Videos, which makes them easier to discover.

The distro besides has an onboarding app to thief caller users group up their installation.  elementary OS besides uses its ain App Center. The latest type emphasizes app screenshots, arsenic good arsenic providing much accusation astir nan developer and really actively packages are maintained. Installation is via Flatpaks truthful it's very easy to toggle automatic app updates too. It takes a akin attack to strategy settings pinch its civilization app that exposes nan bare essentials alternatively of throwing an endless watercourse of toggles and switches.

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Best Debian Linux distro for Windows users

Deepin Linux is simply a Debian-based distro that’s known for its aesthetically pleasing civilization desktop situation called DDE. Together pinch respective home-brewed apps, nan distro is designed to easiness caller users into nan Linux desktop.

Deepin comes successful some a unchangeable and experimental version. The "stable" type (currently 20.8) is based connected nan unchangeable type of Debian astatine nan clip of merchandise (in this lawsuit Debian 10 "Buster").

The experimental type (current V23) is designed for "non-production environments". In different words it's amended for individual usage alternatively than thing critical. The latest experimental build is visually very rich | pinch a "flow design" and added widgets truthful intimately resembles Windows 11. 

Deepin uses a first-boot configurator app to thief you tweak nan look and consciousness of your installation by changing icons, enabling model effects and more. These are classified into 2 wide categories and you tin usage either depending connected nan number of disposable resources connected your computer. 

On lower-end machines, you tin tally nan installation successful Efficient mode to make nan champion usage of nan constricted resources, while connected newer ones you tin usage nan Fashion mode to move up nan bling. The magnitude of customizations successful DDE are rather divers and widen from nan main desktop area to nan notification management.  

There’s a Deepin civilization app for conducting nan mostly of communal desktop tasks, specified arsenic watching films, listening to music, viewing images, taking backups, signaling screencasts, and astir a twelve more.

The different civilization Deepin app that deserves a typical mention is nan App Store. It makes it reasonably easy to observe and instal news apps, which will beryllium appreciated by caller users not acquainted to nan Linux app ecosystem. Also, listed too nan accustomed categories of apps is nan Uninstall conception that tin thief you get free of immoderate installed apps utilizing a much acquainted parlance.

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Best unsocial Linux distro for Windows users

Linux Mint is based connected Ubuntu. It's specifically designed to activity "out of nan box". The 2 main flavors usage nan MATE (pictured) and Cinammon desktop environments. The layout is acquainted for Windows users pinch a taskbar and configurable menus connected nan bottom.

This distro emphasizes compatibility pinch restricted/proprietary formats. Out of nan container it tin edit Microsoft Office documents via nan LibreOffice suite. With 1 click of your rodent you tin besides "Install Multimedia Codecs" to play each kinds of audio/video files. 

You tin besides usage nan Software Manager to instal much programs. Linux Mint has its ain repositories but tin besides entree Ubuntu's. There are astir 30,000 packages disposable overall, truthful it's apt you tin find a bully balanced to Windows apps.

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Best Linux distro for Windows users pinch older machines

At first glance, Zorin OS comes disconnected arsenic conscionable different Ubuntu-based distro. However, what makes it unsocial is nan home-brewed Zorin Appearance app that tweaks nan desktop situation to make it lucifer Windows successful some shape and function. 

Pitched arsenic a distro for first-time Linux users, Zorin is designed to entreaty to users coming from celebrated proprietary operating systems, namely Windows and macOS. 

The GUI is Windows-like pinch a paper that opens from nan bottommost near of nan desktop and a task bar. You tin usage nan motorboat paper to instal "Windows App Support" to tally your favourite Windows apps done nan 'Wine' compatibility subordinate of 'PlayonLinux'. The preinstalled LibreOffice suite tin besides unfastened Microsoft Office documents.

Zorin is disposable successful 4 different versions: nan Core, Lite, and Education editions are free. The Core version is nan modular version that includes each nan apps you’d find successful a normal desktop Linux distribution, while nan Lite version is designed for older machines. The paid Pro type comes pinch support and a fewer other features, specified arsenic nan action of utilizing interfaces that mimic macOS, classical Windows and Windows 11. It's besides chock-full of each kinds of apps for illustration precocious video and photograph editors. 

The distro is complimented by a useful action of archiving that’s again written for users migrating from proprietary desktops and aren’t utilized to nan Linux measurement of doing things. All things considered, we’d counsel you to usage nan Lite version to return Zorin for a spin. This uses nan Xfce desktop, truthful nan layout is much acquainted to Windows users. You tin past move to nan Ultimate version to acquisition nan afloat imaginable of nan distro.  

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Best Linux distro for Windows users for ease-of-use

Ubuntu is 1 of nan astir celebrated flavors of Linux and is powerfully recommended for Linux newbies, arsenic it's highly accessible. That's why we've already featured 2 variations of Ubuntu successful this guide, but it's worthy considering nan main Ubuntu merchandise itself.

New versions of Ubuntu are released each six months, and each different twelvemonth nan developer Canonical releases an LTS (long word support) type of Ubuntu. These guarantee 5 years of information and wide attraction updates, truthful you tin transportation connected utilizing your instrumentality without nan hassle of moving a afloat upgrade each fewer months. Standard releases are supported for 1 twelvemonth only. 

The existent LTS type of Ubuntu uses nan Gnome desktop environment, which whitethorn beryllium little unfamiliar to Windows and macOS users.

The bully news is that Ubuntu is disposable successful a assortment of flavors. The "Lubuntu" OS uses nan LXQt desktop environment. This will consciousness comfortable for Windows users, arsenic you tin entree nan paper and minimize windows conscionable arsenic before. Both nan desktop and apps that travel bundled pinch Lubuntu are designed to beryllium lightweight, making it cleanable for older machines.

As of type 23.04, Ubuntu now officially supports nan 'Cinnamon' desktop (pictured). This has a akin look and consciousness to Windows but uses overmuch richer graphics. Naturally, you'll request a much caller PC to make usage of each its features.

Ubuntu has besides go progressively integral pinch unreality computing services, making it not conscionable a bully distro for easing beginners into Linux, but besides 1 for those looking to create their semipermanent business IT skills.

Read our afloat Ubuntu review.

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We've besides featured:

• Best Linux repair and rescue distros
• Best NAS & media server distros
• Best Arch-based distros
• Best forensic and pentesting Linux distros
• Best USB bootable distros

FAQs

How to take nan champion Linux distros for Windows users for you?

With nan champion Linux distro for Windows users, you’ll bask a soft modulation from Windows to Linux. But you’ll person to look astatine galore factors earlier selecting nan correct distro for yourself.

For starters, cheque whether your hardware tin tally nan distro, chiefly because not each distros tally connected 32-bit architecture. You’ll want a lightweight distro that’ll tally without lagging if you're connected older hardware. It ever helps if nan distro has plentifulness of archiving disposable and an progressive forum wherever you tin activity help. Also, cheque retired nan distro’s desktop situation to spot if it’s to your liking, successful position of visuals, functions, and customizability.

How we test

We analyzed various aspects of different distros to find nan champion Linux distros for Windows users. We looked astatine really resource-intensive nan distros were, what benignant of hardware they’d tally connected smoothly, nan archiving available, and nan out-of-box experience. We considered nan installation clip and nan further apps that came pinch nan distro. 

We evaluated nan desktop situation based connected nan visuals, functionality, and customizability. We besides checked retired nan online forums to spot if location was an progressive organization that could thief pinch doubts.

Read much connected really we test, rate, and reappraisal products connected TechRadar.

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