Plenty of perfectly good laptops can't get Windows 11. Their owners are told the answer is a new computer, at a time when new computers cost more than they have in years. There's another answer, and it's free.
That's not a pitch for everyone to switch. Plenty of people should stay on Windows. But over the last few years Linux has become a sensible option for normal people, not only for the kind of person who enjoys typing commands. This is where it's at.
Why it's worth a look now
Three things have lined up. Windows 10 support officially ended in October 2025. Microsoft has since extended free security updates for home users to 12 October 2027, which buys time, but every one of those PCs still has a deadline. Meanwhile, a new PC costs a lot more than it did, because memory prices have gone through the roof. And the Linux desktops themselves have got very good.
That Zorin figure is worth a second look. Zorin OS 18 came out on the same day Windows 10 support ended, and the company says more than three-quarters of those downloads came from Windows users. Downloads aren't the same as people actually switching, but it shows how many are curious.
You'll see headlines saying Linux hit 10% of computers in North America this summer. Be careful with that one. It came from a single month of StatCounter data, and others pointed out that bots and a reclassification of "unknown" traffic were inflating it. My read: Linux is still a small slice of desktops, but a growing one.
Which one should you try?
"Linux" is really a family of systems, called distributions or distros. They share the same core but look and behave differently. You don't need to understand the differences. You just need to pick one that fits how you use a computer.
Pick by what sounds most like you
For most people coming from Windows, I'd point at Linux Mint. It looks and behaves the way Windows 7 did, which is a compliment. The current version is 22.3, and Mint 27 is due around Christmas, built on Ubuntu 26.04. Zorin OS 18 is the other easy landing, and it can be made to look a lot like Windows 11.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS came out in April and gets updates until 2031. It's the safe, mainstream choice and what most software is tested against. Fedora is where newer features show up first; Fedora 45 has been pushed back to early November. And if you've heard people talk about Pop!_OS, its new COSMIC desktop reached version 1.0 last December and has been improving steadily since.
What works really well
- Everyday stuff. Browsing, email, video calls, YouTube, Netflix, online banking, printing to most modern printers. Chrome, Firefox and Edge all run on Linux.
- Microsoft 365 in the browser. Outlook, Word, Excel and Teams work on the web. For most home users that's all they ever use.
- Old hardware. Lighter distros like Mint's Xfce edition run well on machines that struggle with Windows 11, or that Windows 11 won't install on at all.
- Gaming, mostly. Steam's Proton layer runs a huge share of Windows games, and Linux briefly reached 5.33% of Steam users in March. Valve's own Steam Machine runs SteamOS, which is Linux.
- Security and updates. No antivirus subscriptions to renew, and updates don't force a restart in the middle of your work.
What still doesn't
Stay on Windows if…
You rely on desktop Office with complex Excel macros, Adobe apps like Photoshop or Premiere, accounting software that only runs on Windows, or games with strict anti-cheat (Fortnite, Valorant, Call of Duty, Battlefield 6 and Apex Legends all block Linux).
Linux suits you if…
You live in a browser, use Microsoft 365 or Google online, want an older PC to feel quick again, play mostly Steam games, or simply don't want to buy a new computer just to keep getting updates.
One hardware note: if you have an older Nvidia graphics card (GTX 10-series or earlier), newer Nvidia drivers on Linux no longer support it, so you'd stay on the older "legacy" driver. It works, but it won't get new features.
Governments are moving too
Governments across Europe are moving in the same direction, mostly to reduce how much they depend on American tech companies. France's state digital agency announced in April that it's moving its own computers to Linux. The German state of Schleswig-Holstein, which has already moved over 40,000 email accounts off Microsoft, expects to save more than €15 million a year. Closer to home, the Irish government halted a planned Microsoft deal worth up to €1 billion this summer, and the State's chief information officer has called digital sovereignty a national security concern. Nobody is switching Ireland to Linux yet, but the question is being asked.
How I'd do it
Back up everything first
Photos, documents, browser passwords. Whatever you decide, do this before anything else.
Try it from a USB stick
Boot Linux Mint or Zorin live. Check Wi-Fi, sound, the printer and the webcam all work on your machine.
Dual-boot, don't replace
Keep Windows on the side for a month. You'll find out quickly whether you still need it.
Move your stuff across
Firefox or Chrome sync brings your bookmarks and passwords. Your files just copy over.
My advice
Linux has gone from a hobby to a real option. If you live in a browser, have an older PC, or don't want to buy a new computer just to keep getting updates, try Linux Mint or Zorin OS from a USB stick. Depend on desktop Office macros, Adobe apps or anti-cheat games? Stay put. Either way, back up first and keep Windows alongside until you're sure.
Sources: Help Net Security: Windows 10 ESU to 2027 (Jun 2026) · TechRepublic: Zorin OS 2M downloads (Jan 2026) · Windows Latest on the 10% claim (Aug 2026) · Phoronix: Steam survey (Sep 2026) · Linuxiac: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS · Linuxiac: Mint 27 (Oct 2026) · Phoronix: Fedora 45 delay · Anti-cheat holdouts (Sep 2026) · Arch Linux: Nvidia 590 drops Pascal · TNW: France moves to Linux (Apr 2026) · The Register: Schleswig-Holstein · Computing: Ireland scraps Microsoft tender
