Hi, this is intended to be a simple explainer/overview for beginners that may be considering a switch to Linux. There are links throughout, and at the end, to more comprehensive external resources if you want to explore further. I am writing this as I find a lot of guides online to be too intermediate, and casual about use of the terminal, which I think can be confronting for newcomers. This may be added to over time :)

Jump to:

Why Switch?

Windows 10 support ending

Don't like Windows 11

Can't run Windows 11

Cost

First Steps

What apps/programs do you use?

Is my computer compatibile?

First Distro

What are distros?

Which distro to start with?

How to choose?

Installing Linux

Brief Explainer

Official Text Installation Guides

Some Video Installation Guides

Further Resources


Why switch?

Windows 10 official support ends on October 14th 2025: If your computer has Windows 10 and you use it to access the internet after official support ends, your personal information is at extreme risk. Windows will no longer provide security updates, so any new vulnerabilities in Windows 10 will not be fixed and may be able to be exploited by others. Here is a video, from 'ExplainingComputers' on youtube, that explains this a bit more in depth and also describes several options you can take as a Windows 10 user.

You don't like Windows 11: Windows 11 is not for everyone; it has a very different look & style, there are constant prompts to use AI tools, and they put advertisements in your menu system. There is also the issue of Recall, an app that takes constant screenshots of your device and stores the data scraped from them locally (in an encrypted format) for use with AI tools. It allows you to search for things you were previously doing on the computer like "What was that movie I was looking at the other day?". Recall does not differentiate what data it scrapes, so if you access your bank account, or enter any passwords without them being hidden (*****), it may collect that information as well. You can opt out of using Recall, but you can not easily remove it from your computer, and new system updates may revert your decision to opt out. These are just some of the larger issues related to Windows 11.

Your computer isn't compatible with Windows 11: The hardware requirements for Windows 11 are steep, and Microsoft is actively encouraging people to throw out older devices to buy newer ones. It is estimated that the end of Windows 10 support on October 14th 2025 could contribute 250 million devices to global e-waste numbers. The vast majority of these devices are still perfectly functional when used with Linux.

Cost: Linux systems are free to install and use. Comparatively a Windows 11 license is around $300, and Mac systems require you to buy an Apple device which may be in excess of $1000.

I wrote about why I personally switched to Linux in an earlier blog post: Why I Switched to Linux.


First Steps

What programs and apps do you use? Write down what you use regularly and search online to see if it is available on Linux, or if there is an alternative. Some examples of common software types with Linux compatibility:

*There is also the option of running many windows applications & programs in Linux via compatibility software (Wine; Bottles, Lutris, PlayOnLinux, and Steam's Proton) or through a virtual machine (VirtualBox). While this is relatively easy to do, it may be a bit much for an absolute beginner.

Is your computer compatible? It is extremely likely, but still a good idea to do a quick search online of your computer model, especially for laptops as they can have unique issues. Desktop computers have a much higher compatibility rate as they are designed to be potentially altered. Locked down systems like Apple computers (post 2020), Chromebooks, and Surfaces (newer models especially) can be more difficult to install Linux on. There are community created workarounds for most of these, but they may not always end up with 100% compatibility (maybe touchscreen or camera won't work) and are usually beyond the scope of a beginner to attempt. See; Asahi Linux for Apple, Chultrabook for Chromebooks, and linux-surface for Surface devices.


First Distro

What are distros? Linux operating systems that you install on your computer are referred to as 'distributions', or distros for short. They function off a Linux kernel base, and then add software on top of that to create a desired user experience. So distros like 'Linux Mint' and 'Zorin OS' add a lot of graphical software that makes them very easy to use for people who may be new to Linux, and are used to the desktop style of Windows or Mac. On the other hand you can have distros that target more specific or niche groups like creatives, software developers, or businesses, as well as distros that target certain hardware like servers.

Which distro to start with? 'Linux Mint' and 'Zorin OS' are the best options for newcomers, especially those that are not very technically minded or computer literate. Web browsing, multimedia, office suite work, gaming, coding, digital art, image editing, and even video editing can be done on Mint or Zorin easily without ever needing to touch the command line/terminal. They also design their look and feel to be very familiar to Windows and Mac users, with excellent first user guidance & online help documents. Additionally Mint and Zorin are both based on Ubuntu, which itself is based on Debian. The Ubuntu/Debian family of Linux distros have the largest userbase by far, which translates to more software availability/compatibility and a larger online community for troubleshooting issues.

How to choose? Look at them, either in pictures or videos online. You are the one who will be using them, so pick the one you think looks better. Both of them are essentially equal when it comes to hardware compatibility and software availability. They are also both equally easy to use on a day to day basis, with similar workflow/productivity features. When you become more familiar with them and the Linux landscape in general, you may find another distro meets your specific needs better, and can switch to that at any time.


Installing Linux

Brief Explanation: These steps can vary slightly depending on the distro and the hardware being used. But it essentially boils down to:

Official Text Installation Guides:

Linux Mint. Comprehensive wiki style documentation.

Zorin OS. More succinct, easy to read documentation.

Some Video Installation Guides:

Switching to Linux: A Beginner's Guide - 'ExplainingComputers' Youtube video.

Easy to follow overview of installing Linux.

Four Windows programs for creating bootable Linux USBs from ISOs - 'Veronica Explains' Youtube video.

Easy to follow overview of programs for creating bootable Linux USB drives.

Windows & Linux: Dual Drive Dual Boot - 'ExplainingComputers' Youtube video.

This one is a bit more complex, but allows you to try out Linux and Windows side by side on the same computer. I did this method for a few months before fully swapping over.


Further Resources

Linux Mint Website

Zorin OS Website

Linux-Laptop.net - Website full of user generated reports from installing Linux on various laptops. You can search by manufacturer and model.

Asahi Linux Website - Community run project porting Linux to Apple silicon (chips made by Apple themselves) which are in all Apple computers since 2020.

Chultrabook Website - Community run project porting Linux to Chromebooks via a custom bootloader.

Linux Surface GitHub - Community run project porting Linux to Microsoft Surface devices, improving compatibility via a kernel extension.

'ExplainingComputers' Youtube Channel - Lots of guides and overview videos regarding computers in general, and many Linux specific topics.

'Veronica Explains' Youtube Channel - Lots of Linux focused videos & guides.