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Switching From Windows To Linux 7 Windows Like Distros For 2025

Leo Migdal
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switching from windows to linux 7 windows like distros for 2025

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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.

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: Are you happy with your computer?

I mean, truly happy? Does it do exactly what you tell it to, exactly when you tell it to? Or does it feel more like a nagging roommate you can’t get rid of—constantly demanding updates at the worst possible moments, getting slower for no apparent reason, and showing you ads in its own... For years, many of us have just accepted this as the price of admission for using a computer. The random slowdowns, the inexplicable crashes, the constant low-grade anxiety about viruses and malware. We’ve been told this is just “how computers are.” I’m here to tell you that’s a lie.

It doesn’t have to be this way. There’s a whole world on the other side of that window, and it’s a world where you are in complete control. This guide is your map for switching to Linux from Windows, and I promise, it’s a journey worth taking. I’m not some wide-eyed idealist. I’ve spent over 15 years in the trenches, managing thousands of servers that power the services you use every day. I’ve seen what makes systems robust, secure, and fast, and what turns them into sluggish, unreliable liabilities.

The principles that make Linux the undisputed king of the server room—stability, security, and performance—are the very same things that can transform your daily desktop experience. This isn’t about becoming a hardcore programmer overnight. This is about taking back control of your hardware and making your computer work for you, not the other way around. The biggest barrier to trying Linux isn’t technical; it’s fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of breaking something, fear of an unforgiving command line. We’re going to dismantle that fear brick by brick.

Here’s our battle plan: By the end of this guide, you won’t just know how to switch; you’ll understand why millions of people have already made the leap and never looked back. You’ll be empowered to make an informed decision for yourself. Ready? Let’s get started. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Here’s how it works. We list the best Linux distros for Windows users, to make it simple and easy to make the leap from Windows machines to Linux. It can be an inundating experience, especially for people coming from proprietary operating systems like Windows. Linux distributions - aka, distros - are open source, which has the advantage of allowing for degrees of customization unheard of in Windows, but it also means there can seem to be a bewildering... This is where these specialized distros, designed for Windows users, come into the picture. With Windows 10 support officially ending on October 14, 2025, many PC users are facing an important choice: upgrade to Windows 11—if their machine allows it—or look elsewhere.

And for those with aging but still perfectly functional computers, Linux might just be the alternative you’ve been overlooking. As someone who’s refurbished a few “obsolete” laptops over the years, I can say this confidently: Linux has come a long way, and it’s more user-friendly than ever. Microsoft’s message is clear: if your hardware doesn’t meet the requirements for Windows 11—including TPM 2.0, 4GB RAM, and a compatible processor—your options are limited. You can pay for extended support or, as Microsoft suggests, buy a new PC. In an era of sustainability and digital sobriety, that’s a tough pill to swallow. According to Canalys, nearly 240 million devices could be deemed incompatible, pushing countless users toward unnecessary upgrades.

Thankfully, you don’t need to send your computer to the recycling bin just yet. Linux offers a wide array of distributions that work on virtually any machine, no matter how old. Plus, it’s open-source, secure, and free. There’s a myth floating around that Linux is only for developers or hobbyists glued to their terminals. That might’ve been true 15 years ago, but today, Linux distributions come with polished user interfaces, easy installation wizards, and even built-in app stores. Just the idea that Windows could be considered a Linux distro would have been outrageous and one laughed at and ridiculed, but look where we are in 2025.

A decade ago, Windows and Linux were located on two very different sides of a vast canyon, but they share many similarities thanks to a slow and quiet drift toward the free and open... Behind the scenes, however, Microsoft has never been one to outright side against what Linux offers and stands for. The company uses Linux, develops for the penguin mascot system, and even promotes its existence in places. There won't be a time when Windows eventually becomes a flat-out Linux distro, akin to Linux Mint or Ubuntu, but it could certainly continue absorbing Linux-esque components, behaviors, and tools, and the gap between... "Developers! Developers!

Developers!" ex-Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, would chant on stage. Writing code for apps and beyond, these incredibly talented individuals are working more closely in cross-platform environments with centralized, Linux-first ecosystems. I'm not talking desktop here. Linux continues to struggle to attract first-party support for many of the larger software solutions, including Adobe's Creative Cloud suite, but Linux is predominantly used on servers around the world. Windows isn't typically at the forefront of a developer's mind when considering dev ops. Even Azure, Microsoft's successful cloud platform, mostly runs Linux workloads.

This could be largely attributed to the immense technical debt Windows continues to drag along between major versions. Windows 11 has come a long way in feeling considerably more responsive than before, but the underlying subsystems are still largely outdated with legacy Win32 and NT kernel. Everything needs to be backward compatible to solve the issue of large organizations upgrading systems only to find their chosen software is no longer compatible. Linux solves this through modularity. It's an interesting situation for Microsoft to find its flagship OS in. Not only do you have considerable obstacles for developers to overcome on the backend, but the UI and UX are also flawed for end users.

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'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...

Neither ZDNET Nor The Author Are Compensated For These Independent

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 gea...

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