- Zorin OS, a Linux distribution, boasts a flood of new recruits
- Two days after Windows 10 ended support, Zorin OS 18 recorded 100,000 downloads
- Nearly three-quarters of them came from Windows PCs, we’re told.
Some of the top Linux distributions have sought to capitalize on the end of Windows 10 support with various initiatives or projects, and apparently one of them – Zorin OS – is doing its best after Microsoft’s operating system ended its life last week.
Neowin reports that the latest version of Zorin OS launched the same day Windows 10 removed its deadly codebase – October 14 – billed as a “modern alternative that makes your computer look brand new.”
Zorin OS 18 just reached 100,000 downloads in just over 2 days 🎉️Over 72% of these downloads were from Windows, reflecting our mission to provide a better alternative to current Big Tech operating systems. Thank you for making this our biggest launch ever! pic.twitter.com/6U4h3EQ3dqOctober 16, 2025
The developer of the Linux distribution informed us at
The Zorin group also published about a town in France, Échirolles, which migrated some of its town hall’s Windows 10 PCs to free and open source software including Zorin OS.
Analysis: Fighting Big Tech on the Desktop
Zorin Group sees this as a victory for alternative desktop platforms over “incumbents.” operating systems”, i.e. Windows. However, when looking at the latest Linux transition in France, in reality, only 10% of city hall PCs use Zorin OS (or another distribution), and much of the movement has been away from Microsoft’s Office applications (towards LibreOffice) rather than Windows.
Either way, the official end of Windows 10 is certainly making some people and organizations consider Linux as a real alternative, and an increase of around 70,000 Windows 10 users in a matter of days is pretty impressive to see for a relatively minor player in the world of desktop operating systems like Zorin.
If you want to learn more about Zorin, it’s one of the best Linux choices for those coming from Microsoft’s operating system, as its design is quite similar to Windows 11, as we explore in more detail in our hands-on Zorin 17 review. You might also want to consider some of the other recommendations we have for the best Windows-like Linux distros.
While switching to Linux can be a good alternative, especially for older PC users who can’t get close to the Windows 11 system requirements, such a decision comes with compromises. You may experience issues with hardware drivers or software compatibility, and games can be particularly problematic – for starters, many online PC games won’t work because of their anti-cheat systems.
It’s also worth noting that you don’t have to abandon Windows 10 just yet: there is another choice in terms of accepting Microsoft’s extended support offer for another year of security updates. Yes, you’re just putting off deciding where to go with your Windows 10 PC until next year, but if you need a little breathing room, the option is there (with a small catch, although this caveat doesn’t apply to everyone).
