Windows has been my consistent operating system for the last fifteen years. I started with XP Service Pack 3 in my school days and bumped up to Windows 7, then 8 (short-lived), and so on. My family members also began trying their hand at my first laptop after a few years, and Windows 8.1 and 10 became a part of their small, routine computer interactions. Now that Windows 10 support is ending and one of my spare laptops is free, I’m moving my niece and mother to a Linux distro that feels immensely comfortable to use.

It ran Windows 10 until EOL, and I transitioned them to Zorin OS, which was a smooth ride. Zorin OS didn’t feel starkly different compared to the older Windows OS, and my less tech-savvy family doesn’t complain about it. It features a user-friendly interface, numerous pre-installed apps, and is consistently updated, making it a stellar choice for non-tech users who prefer not to delve into package management and other advanced Linux tasks.

Why Zorin OS?

It feels familiar

Transitioning from a Windows or macOS system isn’t easy. You have a predefined pattern of using an operating system, and changing to a drastically different one doesn’t make sense. Zorin OS boldly claims to be a safe haven for Windows and Mac transitioners, and I didn’t find it problematic at all.

The OS is based on Ubuntu, which itself is based on Debian and is actively maintained. Its latest version, 18, is based on Ubuntu 24, which isn’t super old. Zorin OS releases regular updates and has a paid and educational version apart from the Core version. I chose the free version (Core), and it’s completely fine for the members.

But why not pick Ubuntu? Well, it’s an old i3 laptop, and running Ubuntu as a PC has its fair share of slowdowns and delays. Ubuntu struggled when I used both versions 24 and 25 on it, so I decided to go with Zorin instead. Zorin needs a bare minimum of 2 GB of memory to work, half of Ubuntu’s minimum memory requirements.

The UI retains the bottom taskbar design, which is good for Windows transitioners. You can click on the Zorin icon to open the app launcher and search for apps, or browse categories from there. The taskbar has a few default apps, including Brave browser, a file manager, and Software Installer.

On the right side, you get a system tray-like icon set to change system settings and launch a complete floating window. If you are an Ubuntu user, the design will feel relatable. You can adjust system sound, networking, brightness, and other settings from here. So, nothing feels out of place or entirely different for a Windows convert.

Apps aplenty

Flatpaks and Snaps

The biggest gripe when switching to a different operating system is the availability of apps. While my family isn’t much into dedicated system apps, a browser is more than enough for 95% of their tasks. It’s usually small e-commerce purchases, some YouTube or web mini-games that they need, and the default app suite is enough for that.

Zorin includes the Brave browser by default, so I don’t need to set up ad blocker extensions on it. Similarly, there’s a file manager for doing everything related to downloads, transferring files to external USB drives, and it’s snappy. For documentation tasks, the LibreOffice suite is preinstalled and takes care of text, docx, and sheets. All the apps work without a delay on my old laptop, and my niece can practice typing without any inconvenience in the Libre Writer app.

There’s a Software app in the OS that acts like a store to download and manage applications. You can find the list of installed apps here and can search for available apps from the official Zorin repo, Flatpaks, and Snaps. I’m a fan of Flatpaks for the simplicity they bring, and including them by default makes it very easy for non-tech users to install anything.

You don’t need to set up Flatpak via the terminal and install apps from there using the Flatpak commands anymore. Everything happens inside the Software app. Checking and updating the system also happens from here only, and while my family isn’t keen on checking for or applying updates, it’s a nice feature to have.

There are default media player tools, note-taking tools, and a backup tool that can save the data to the cloud or local storage. You can also use an Android companion app to connect your phone to the PC. Zorin assures that you can run Windows apps on Linux using Wine, but that doesn’t fit in my use case. All in all, you get a complete desktop with the necessary apps for daily use cases.

Customization scope

Tweaking the appearance

Zorin resembles a modern OS and offers customization support for the desktop and appearance. You can change the appearance and themes via its dedicated appearance tool. It lets you change layouts, switch to different OS styles, and add effects in a single app. The switch happens immediately, and you don’t need to log off or restart your PC.

Even though my family members will rarely play with appearance settings, Zorin makes it simple to understand. The visualization of how each setting will affect the appearance is a commendable approach. However, the default style is perfectly fine, and you don’t need to do any tweaks at all.

Seamless transition to Linux

Zorin has perfected the seamless transition to Linux. It doesn’t force you to learn the Linux way of doing things and keeps everything grounded. It has multiple editions, uses Ubuntu as its base, and promises long-term support. I’m not a fan of the paid version because it feels highly specific for a limited user base. If I need those apps, I can manually install most of them anyway.

It also works exceptionally fast on old hardware and has no problem running on my 13-year-old laptop or a virtual machine with limited hardware. You can use it to revive an old laptop for family members and give them the polished operating system experience they deserve.

Zorin OS

A polished Ubuntu-based distro that’s perfect for a Windows or macOS convert who yearns for a nice UI and default tools.