The Best Linux Distros for Windows Users

This guide explains why those three are the friendliest on-ramps from Windows, how they differ, what changes when you switch, and how to install drivers, software and even many of your Windows programs. It is part of the new Linux section here at Windows Now — you can browse the full Linux guides hub for more.

The top pick: Linux Mint (Cinnamon)

Linux Mint is built on Ubuntu, so it inherits a huge software library and years of hardware support, but its own Cinnamon desktop is what makes it click for Windows users. The panel sits at the bottom, the menu button is bottom-left, and the menu itself lists your apps in categories with a search box — muscle memory from Windows transfers almost directly. It also leans practical: a one-click Install Multimedia Codecs option, a built-in Driver Manager for proprietary graphics and Wi-Fi drivers, and a Software Manager that installs both traditional packages and sandboxed Flatpak apps.

The current release at the time of writing is Linux Mint 22.3 "Zena", shipping the Cinnamon desktop, and it is a long-term-support release supported until April 2029 — Mint's own Zena release notes give the LTS end date as April 2029.

Choose Mint if you want the least-surprising, most-documented path from Windows and a desktop that "just works" without much tinkering.

The closest Windows look-alike: Zorin OS

Zorin OS is also Ubuntu-based, and its whole pitch is a gentle transition. The free Core edition defaults to a Windows-style layout — taskbar, Start-menu-style launcher, system tray — and its Zorin Appearance tool lets you switch the layout with a couple of clicks. It includes drivers and media codecs and bundles Wine and a compatibility tool so many Windows programs can be launched by double-clicking a .exe — Zorin's product page describes running many Windows apps by simply double-clicking their .exe or .msi installer file. There is a paid Pro edition that adds extra desktop layouts (including macOS-like and older-Windows-like arrangements) and some pre-installed software, but the free edition is complete and fully usable.

The current line is Zorin OS 18, with the 18.1 point release out in 2026. Pick Zorin if you want the most Windows-like default appearance and a polished, guided first-run experience.

For power users: Kubuntu (KDE Plasma)

Kubuntu is Ubuntu with the KDE Plasma desktop. Plasma is arguably the most Windows-like of the major desktops and the most customisable — the default panel, application launcher and system tray will feel instantly familiar, but nearly every element can be moved, restyled or scripted. It is a great fit if you liked tweaking Windows and want that freedom on Linux.

The current long-term-support release is Kubuntu 26.04 LTS "Resolute Raccoon" — the release announced on kubuntu.org — with KDE Plasma desktop, shipped as a long-term-support release. Choose Kubuntu if you want maximum control and do not mind exploring settings.

At a glance

How to switch, step by step

The path is the same for all three. Work through it in order and you will not lose any files.

1. Back up your Windows files first. Copy anything important to an external drive or cloud storage. Do this even if you only plan to dual-boot.
2. Download the ISO for your chosen distro from its official website (linuxmint.com, zorin.com or kubuntu.org). Only download from the official site or its listed mirrors.
3. Write the ISO to a USB stick (8 GB or larger) with balenaEtcher or Rufus. This erases the stick, so use an empty one.
4. Boot from the stick. Restart, open the boot menu (often F12, F10 or Esc — it varies by PC) and choose the USB device.
5. Choose "Try" to run the live session. Confirm your Wi-Fi, sound, display and touchpad all work before going further.
6. Run the installer from the desktop when you are ready. Pick Install alongside Windows to dual-boot, or Erase disk only if you intend to remove Windows entirely.
7. Install drivers and updates. After first boot, open the update tool and (on Mint) the Driver Manager to pick up any proprietary graphics or Wi-Fi drivers.

Installing software and drivers

The biggest day-to-day change from Windows is that you rarely download installers from random websites. Instead you use a package manager or a graphical software store, which pulls apps from a trusted, signed repository. On all three distros here the graphical store is the easy route — search, click Install, done.

When you want the terminal, the command depends on the distro family. Mint, Zorin and Kubuntu are all Debian/Ubuntu-based, so they use apt — the refresh-then-install pattern documented in Ubuntu's own package management documentation:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install vlc

The wider Linux world uses different tools, so if you move to another family later the command changes. The main ones are:

A second, cross-distro option is Flatpak from the Flathub store, which works the same everywhere and is already wired into Mint's and Kubuntu's software stores. The official Flatpak documentation gives the same remote then application ID form used below:

flatpak install flathub org.videolan.VLC

For drivers, most hardware simply works after install because Linux ships thousands of drivers in the kernel itself. The exception is proprietary graphics drivers (chiefly NVIDIA): on Mint use the Driver Manager, and on Ubuntu-based systems generally the Additional Drivers tool to select the recommended driver.

Running your Windows apps

You do not have to leave every Windows program behind. There are two main routes:

1. Wine (and Bottles). Wine is a compatibility layer that runs many Windows applications directly on Linux. You can often run an installer with a command like wine setup.exe, but for most people the friendlier option is Bottles, a graphical front-end that manages Wine environments for you. Support varies per program — check WineHQ's AppDB for how well a specific app runs.
2. Proton, for games. Install Steam, turn on Steam Play in the settings, and a huge share of the Windows games catalogue runs through the built-in Proton compatibility layer — frequently at full speed. ProtonDB reports how each title behaves.

Be realistic, though: some programs will not run. Software with aggressive anti-cheat, or that is deeply tied to Windows — the desktop editions of Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Cloud are the usual examples — may refuse to work under Wine. For those, look at native Linux equivalents (LibreOffice, GIMP, DaVinci Resolve, Krita), web versions, or keep a Windows dual-boot for the one or two things that need it.

What to expect switching from Windows

Most of the desktop will feel familiar, but a few things are genuinely different, and it helps to know them up front:

• Software comes from a store, not the web. Reach for the software manager or apt first; downloading .exe files is the exception, not the rule.
• No drive letters. There is no C:\. Everything hangs off a single root (/) and your files live under /home/<you>.
• Updates are quick and unified. One updater refreshes the system and all your installed apps together, and it very rarely forces a reboot mid-work.
• Your files are portable. LibreOffice opens your Office documents, browsers and their bookmarks move across unchanged, and formats like PDF, MP4, JPEG and ZIP behave exactly as before.
• The terminal is optional but powerful. You can run these distros for months without it, but a single pasted command often solves a problem faster than clicking through menus.

Coming from Windows, you can also lean on what you already know. Our Windows how-to guides cover the same tasks — backups, drivers, settings — from the Windows side, which is handy while you run a dual-boot. And as your confidence grows, the Linux guides hub will keep adding walkthroughs written with switchers in mind.

The verdict

If you want a single recommendation, install Linux Mint Cinnamon — it is the smoothest switch for the widest range of people. Choose Zorin OS if you want the most Windows-like look with a guided setup, or Kubuntu if you love to customise. Whichever you pick, run it from a live USB first, back up before you install, and give yourself a week to settle in. Most people who do never look back.