4 Linux Distributions That Feel Most Like Windows In 2025

Leo Migdal

-Dec 6, 2025, 2:41 AM

4 linux distributions that feel most like windows in 2025

As Windows 10 nears its end-of-life in 2025, many users are faced with a decision: upgrade to Windows 11 if their current hardware meets the requirements, purchase a new computer, or explore other operating... One such option is Linux, which offers a viable, cost-free, and feature-rich alternative. Linux is not just a backup plan. It is a fully capable operating system comparable to Windows and macOS.It boasts reliability, security, user-friendliness and complete freedom from licensing fees. If you have grown accustomed to the Windows 10 interface, transitioning to Linux might seem intimidating, but several Linux distributions have been designed specifically to make that process as smooth as possible. Below are four excellent options for Windows users who want to move to Linux without sacrificing comfort or functionality.

Read More: How to Use SCP Command on Linux The customizable powerhouse that feels familiar yet offers limitless flexibility. KDE Neon showcases the KDE Plasma desktop environment, renowned for its highly configurable nature. Out of the box, KDE Plasma bears a slight resemblance to Windows 7, offering a sense of familiarity. However, it doesn’t stop there users can easily adjust the interface to closely resemble Windows 10 or 11. You're finally ready to leave Microsoft's ecosystem and try the dreaded Linux, but which distribution (distro) should you use?

Like many things in the open source community, you have an almost abundance of choice, with heavy hitters like Ubuntu and newcomers including Pop!_OS. Although there's no wrong answer for which distro you should use as your first Linux installation, I've rounded up some of my personal favorites that should make the switch easy for Windows users. If there's one distro you should pick for the best Linux gaming experience, it would have to be Pop!_OS from System76. This distro was built from the ground up for gaming, rocking the latest drivers from GPU vendors and the community, a custom desktop environment to replace GNOME and better control over how the OS... Pop!_OS may have a strange name, but it's among the most streamlined distros. The Pop!_OS team focuses on performance, ensuring the team gets as many in-game frames as possible from vast hardware configurations.

Advanced features such as automatic tiling and swap file management are included with the Linux-based OS to ensure your PC is running as fast as it can with the latest and most demanding PC... Gaming on Linux used to have undesired results, but it has come a long way with Valve and Proton. You'll have no trouble playing all your favorite games. Fedora is very similar to Ubuntu in that its primary version uses the GNOME desktop environment, so most of the OS looks almost identical, aside from the brown color scheme. Where things differ is how the Fedora team behind the distro develops new versions. Fedora has a quicker release schedule, so you won't have to wait six months for major upgrades.

It also has fairly lax system requirements and you could easily breathe new life into an old system with this OS. 'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions.

This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and... Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards.

If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. For many users, the transition to Linux can feel like stepping into an entirely new world. While the power, flexibility, and security of Linux are undeniable, the sheer variety of desktop environments and user interfaces can be daunting for those accustomed to the familiar layout and workflows of Windows. The good news is that the Linux ecosystem has matured significantly, and a growing number of distributions are meticulously designed to offer a Windows-like desktop experience.

This isn’t about creating mere superficial replicas; it’s about bridging the gap, providing a comfortable on-ramp for users who want to explore the benefits of Linux without the steep learning curve often associated with... At Its Foss, we understand this desire for familiarity. We’ve extensively explored and tested numerous Linux distributions to identify those that truly excel at providing a seamless Windows transition. Our goal is to help you discover a Linux environment that feels intuitive, productive, and, most importantly, like home. In this comprehensive article, we delve deep into the best Linux distributions for Windows users. We’ll go beyond superficial similarities to examine distributions that offer excellent Windows-like usability, familiar desktop layouts, and out-of-the-box application compatibility.

We aim to empower you with the knowledge to make an informed choice, ensuring your journey into the Linux world is as smooth and enjoyable as possible. The desire for a Windows-like Linux experience stems from several key factors that resonate with a broad spectrum of users: Familiarity and Reduced Learning Curve: The most significant driver is the comfort of the known. Users have spent years, often decades, interacting with the Windows interface. Every icon, every menu, every workflow has a learned association. Switching to an entirely alien interface can lead to frustration and a perception of complexity, even if the underlying system is powerful.

Linux distributions that mirror Windows layouts significantly reduce the cognitive load, allowing users to focus on tasks rather than learning a new way to perform them. There are plenty of reasons to quit using Windows 10 and switch over to Linux, but it's easy to become overwhelmed with the many different Linux distributions out there. To help you transition, I put together a short list of Linux distros that are similar to Windows 10. In case you haven't heard, Windows 10's support cycle is ending soon and you will have to switch to Windows 11. However, with Windows 11 regularly breaking computers (and that’s not the only story out there, sadly) and impacting performance on even relatively modern laptops, switching to the less resource-intensive Linux may be a good... Moreover, you may find your PC isn't supported by Windows 11 at all.

My personal favorite Linux distro for people coming from Windows 10 is Linux Mint. As I explain in my overview of what Linux Mint is and why I like it, this is mainly because, as a former Windows user, I could more or less intuit where all the... At first glance, the desktop even looks a bit like the Windows of yesteryear. It’s not just on the surface, either: once you start working more and more with Mint, you’ll quickly realize all of it is pretty easy to use, and it’s rare that you’ll have to... You can even install software via the software manager, using a massive repository of suitable programs, and it’s all free. My next pick is Linux Lite, which is perfect for anybody who is running an older PC or laptop and wants to make sure they can keep doing so without performance issues.

As the name suggests, it’s a lightweight distro that’s geared toward less powerful devices, making the most out of what it’s offered rather than demand systems live up to its requirements. To evaluate or select a Linux distro similar to Windows, certain key parameters define how closely it mimics the Windows experience in usability, design, and compatibility. Here are the essential parameters to consider: The UI should resemble Windows—taskbar, start menu, and window behavior. ✅ Ideal DEs: KDE Plasma, Cinnamon, XFCE, LXDE, Budgie Start Menu Layout A traditional Windows-like start menu with search functionality and app categorization.

✅ Example: Zorin OS, Linux Mint Cinnamon, Linuxfx File Explorer Experience An intuitive file manager similar to Windows Explorer (sidebar, breadcrumbs, right-click actions). ✅ Nemo (Mint), Dolphin (KDE), Thunar (XFCE) For years, Windows users frustrated with constant changes, aggressive updates, and growing system bloat have flirted with switching to Linux. But 2025 marks a noticeable shift: a new generation of Linux distributions built specifically for ex-Windows users is gaining real traction. One of the standout examples is Bazzite, a gaming-optimized Fedora-based distro that has quickly become a go-to choice for people abandoning Windows in favor of a cleaner, more customizable experience.

Microsoft’s ecosystem has been slowly pushing some users toward the exit. Hardware requirements for Windows 11 left millions of perfectly functional PCs behind. Ads on the Start menu and in system notifications have frustrated many. And for gamers, launcher problems, forced reboots and background processes that siphon resources have driven a search for alternatives. Linux distributions have benefited from that frustration, especially those that focus on simplicity, performance and gaming readiness. Historically, switching to Linux meant sacrificing game compatibility.

But with Valve’s Proton layer and Vulkan-based translation technologies, thousands of Windows games now run flawlessly, sometimes better than on Windows. Distros targeting former Windows users are leaning into this new reality: Windows has long been the dominant operating system in the desktop computing world, known for its user-friendly interface and wide range of software support. However, Linux offers a free, open-source alternative with high customizability and security. Some Linux distributions are designed to closely mimic the Windows experience, making the transition from Windows to Linux smoother for users. This blog post will cover the fundamental concepts, usage methods, common practices, and best practices of Linux operating systems that most closely resemble Windows.

A desktop environment in Linux is a collection of software that provides a graphical user interface (GUI). For Linux distributions similar to Windows, the following desktop environments are commonly used: In Windows, software is usually installed through.exe installers. In Linux, package managers are used to install, update, and remove software. For example, in Debian-based distributions (including Linux Mint and Zorin OS), apt is a commonly used package manager. When installing a Linux distribution similar to Windows, it is a good practice to create separate partitions for the root (/), home (/home), and swap space.

This makes it easier to manage the system and recover data in case of issues. If you are new to Linux, it is recommended to use a virtual machine like VirtualBox or VMware Workstation to test the Linux distribution. This way, you can try out the Linux environment without affecting your Windows installation.

4 Linux Distributions That Feel Most Like Windows In 2025

People Also Search

As Windows 10 Nears Its End-of-life In 2025, Many Users

Read More: How To Use SCP Command On Linux The

Like Many Things In The Open Source Community, You Have

Advanced Features Such As Automatic Tiling And Swap File Management

It Also Has Fairly Lax System Requirements And You Could