Install Linux
Replace Windows with an OS that actually respects you.
Why Linux?
Windows 11 has ads in the Start menu. It tracks your activity through "Diagnostic Data." It forces you to create a Microsoft account. It decides when to restart your computer for updates. It ships with Candy Crush pre-installed on a $2000 machine. Microsoft's own operating system treats you like a tenant in your own house.
Linux is an operating system that you actually own. No ads. No telemetry (unless you opt in). No forced updates. No Microsoft account. No corporation deciding what you can and can't do with your own hardware. PewDiePie switched to Linux and called it one of the best tech decisions he's made — he runs Linux Mint on his desktop and Arch Linux on his laptop.
Is it harder than Windows? In some ways, yes. But the gap has closed dramatically. If you can follow instructions and aren't afraid to Google error messages, you can use Linux daily.
Choose Your Distro
A "distro" (distribution) is a version of Linux packaged with different software and configurations. Think of it like this: Linux is the engine, and a distro is the complete car built around it.
Linux Mint — Start Here
This is what PewDiePie uses on his main desktop and what he recommends for beginners. Mint looks and feels like Windows. The Start menu is where you expect it. File management works the same way. Installing software is actually easier than Windows (there's an app store). If you've never used Linux before, use Mint. Don't overthink it.
Ubuntu — The Most Popular
Ubuntu is the most widely used desktop Linux distro. It has the biggest community, which means the most tutorials and Stack Overflow answers when something goes wrong. The downside: Canonical (the company behind Ubuntu) has made some questionable decisions around Snap packages and telemetry. Mint is based on Ubuntu but strips out the controversial stuff.
Fedora — Cutting Edge
Fedora ships newer software than Mint or Ubuntu. It's backed by Red Hat and tends to be where new Linux features land first. Good if you want the latest and greatest, but slightly less beginner-friendly.
Arch Linux — The Deep End
PewDiePie runs Arch on his laptop. Arch is a "build it yourself" distro — you install it from a command line and add every component manually. It teaches you how Linux actually works at a deep level. Do not start with Arch. Come back to it after you've used Mint for a few months and want to understand what's happening under the hood.
Step-by-Step Installation
Download Linux Mint
Go to linuxmint.com/download.php and download the Cinnamon edition (the default). You'll get an ISO file — this is a disc image that contains the entire operating system. It's about 2.5 GB.
Create a Bootable USB
You need a USB drive (at least 4 GB) and a tool to write the ISO to it. Download balenaEtcher (balena.io/etcher) — it's the simplest option. Open Etcher, select the ISO file you downloaded, select your USB drive, and click "Flash." This takes about 5 minutes. Your USB drive will be wiped, so make sure there's nothing important on it.
Alternative tools: Rufus (Windows only, more options), Ventoy (lets you put multiple ISOs on one USB — great if you want to try several distros).
Boot from USB
Restart your computer and boot from the USB drive. You'll need to press a key during startup to access the boot menu — usually F12, F2, Esc, or Del depending on your motherboard. Select the USB drive from the boot menu.
Mint will boot into a "live" environment — this is a fully working version of the OS running from the USB drive. Nothing is installed yet. You can try it out, see if your WiFi works, see if the display looks right. Take your time here.
Decide: Dual-Boot or Full Install
Dual-boot means keeping Windows alongside Linux. Every time you restart, you choose which OS to boot into. This is the safe option if you're not sure about fully committing. The Mint installer makes this easy — it will detect Windows and offer to shrink the Windows partition.
Full install means wiping Windows entirely. More disk space for Linux, cleaner setup, no temptation to fall back. If you've backed up everything important and you're ready to commit, go for it.
Double-click the "Install Linux Mint" icon on the desktop and follow the installer. It's a graphical wizard — pick your language, timezone, keyboard layout, username, and where to install. The whole process takes about 15-20 minutes.
Learn Basic Terminal Commands
You can use Linux Mint without ever touching the terminal — it has a graphical app for almost everything. But learning a few commands will make your life much easier and is essential for following most Linux tutorials online.
- sudo apt update — Refresh the list of available software updates
- sudo apt upgrade — Install all available updates
- sudo apt install [package] — Install a program (e.g.,
sudo apt install vlc) - ls — List files in the current directory
- cd [folder] — Change directory
- cp [source] [destination] — Copy a file
- mv [source] [destination] — Move or rename a file
- rm [file] — Delete a file (careful — no recycle bin)
- man [command] — Read the manual for any command
The package manager (apt on Mint/Ubuntu) is one of the best things about Linux.
Instead of going to a website, downloading an installer, and clicking through a wizard, you just
type sudo apt install firefox and it's done. If you end up on Arch later, the
package manager is pacman (e.g., sudo pacman -S firefox).
Install Your Essential Software
Mint comes with a lot pre-installed (Firefox, LibreOffice, a text editor, media player), but here are some things you might want to add:
- Flatpak — Already installed on Mint. Lets you install apps in sandboxed containers from Flathub.
- VLC — Best media player, handles everything:
sudo apt install vlc - Timeshift — Already on Mint. Create system snapshots so you can roll back if something breaks.
- OBS Studio — Screen recording and streaming:
flatpak install flathub com.obsproject.Studio - Steam — Yes, gaming on Linux works. Valve's Proton compatibility layer runs most Windows games.
Desktop Environments
One of the best things about Linux is that you can completely change how your desktop looks and works. These aren't themes — they're entirely different interfaces.
- Cinnamon (Mint default) — Traditional Windows-like layout. Taskbar at the bottom, start menu, system tray. Familiar and functional.
- GNOME (Ubuntu/Fedora default) — macOS-like workflow with activities overview. Modern but polarizing.
- KDE Plasma — The most customizable desktop environment. You can make it look like anything. Heavy on options, which some people love and others find overwhelming.
- XFCE — Lightweight and fast. Great for older hardware.
Stick with Cinnamon for now. You can always try others later — that's the beauty of Linux. And if you get really deep into customization, check out the Ricing guide for tiling window managers.
Honest Downsides
Linux is great, but we're not going to lie to you about the rough edges:
- Adobe software doesn't run on Linux. Photoshop, Premiere, Illustrator — none of them. The alternatives are GIMP (or PhotoGIMP, a plugin that makes GIMP's interface match Photoshop), Kdenlive/DaVinci Resolve for video editing, and Inkscape for vector graphics. They're good, but they're not Adobe. If your livelihood depends on Adobe, this is a real problem.
- Some games don't work. Specifically, games with kernel-level anti-cheat (Valorant, Fortnite, FACEIT CS2) won't run on Linux. Most other Steam games work fine through Proton — check protondb.com before you switch. PewDiePie acknowledged this is a real issue.
- Adobe charges ~$65 to cancel your subscription. PewDiePie specifically called this out. If you're on an annual plan paid monthly, Adobe hits you with an early termination fee. Factor this into your switch cost.
- The learning curve is real. You will encounter situations where the solution is "open a terminal and type these commands." This can feel intimidating at first. But every problem you solve teaches you something, and the Linux community is incredibly helpful — forums, Reddit (r/linuxmint, r/linux4noobs), and wikis are your best friends.
- Hardware compatibility can be hit or miss. Most things work out of the box, but some WiFi cards, printers, and peripherals need extra drivers. Nvidia GPUs work but require proprietary drivers (Mint makes this easy in Driver Manager). If possible, test with the live USB before committing.
- Microsoft Office doesn't exist on Linux. LibreOffice handles most Word/Excel/ PowerPoint files fine, but complex formatting sometimes breaks. If you need exact Microsoft Office compatibility, use the web versions (Office 365 works in the browser) or run Windows in a virtual machine.