Original guide published on , updated on . A decision guide from distrib.wiki.
The right choice starts with what you need to do on your computer. Begin with software and hardware, then try one or two distributions before deciding.
1. Start with your software, not distribution rankings
Write down five tasks you do every week: working on documents, joining video calls, gaming, editing photos or using specialist software. For each, identify a solution you can actually use on Linux.
| Your situation | Useful check |
|---|---|
| The software exists for Linux | Check the supported distributions on the publisher's website. |
| You use a web version | Try your usual browser-based features, including imports and exports. |
| You are considering an alternative | Open copies of real files to check formatting and file compatibility. |
| A Windows application remains essential | Keep a Windows option until your needs are covered. |
Word, Excel and LibreOffice documents: check file exchange
If you plan to use Microsoft 365 in a browser, try the features you actually need. Excel for the web does not run VBA macros, even when it opens an .xlsm workbook. A spreadsheet displaying correctly does not prove its automation will work. Microsoft explains the differences between Excel in a browser and the desktop application.
LibreOffice can open and save Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, but its VBA macro support is partial. Before choosing it, open a copy of a representative document, edit it, save it in the required format, then reopen it in the application your contacts use. Check fonts, layout, formulas and automated features. See the official help on Microsoft Office formats and VBA support.
Photoshop and specialist tools: distinguish alternatives from compatibility
The official requirements for desktop Photoshop list Windows and macOS; Linux is not a supported system. Switching from Ubuntu to Linux Mint does not solve that absence of official support. If your work depends on Photoshop, its extensions or a specialist application, keep a compatible environment until an alternative has been validated.
Evaluate an alternative using a small real project: open the source file, perform a typical edit, retain the editable elements you need and export the required result. An application that displays a finished image may not meet your need to exchange an editable project.
Steam games: check each title and multiplayer
Proton can run Windows games on Linux, but it does not guarantee your entire library. Valve's Proton documentation explains that Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye support requires game-side activation or configuration. Players cannot force that support merely by changing distributions.
For your three essential games, check current publisher information and separately verify startup, multiplayer, controller support and saved games. Reaching the main menu does not establish online-play compatibility.
Review your software needs before choosing
Use the per-task trial worksheet below to record your checks. Our software catalogue by use (in French) connects these needs to applications. The VLC page and system-specific instructions provide an example for audio and video playback.
- Ready to try: an identified solution covers the essential features; you still need to check it on your computer.
- Needs checking: a file format, extension or important feature has not been tried yet.
- Blocking: an essential task still depends on the current system; keep it while resolving the issue.
For work tools, include VPN access, video calls, screen sharing and any organisational access rules. This gives you specific checks for the USB trial, keeping Linux exploration distinct from validating every application.
A worksheet for each essential task
Before comparing two distributions, copy the following fields into a personal document. Prepare one worksheet per important task and complete it during your trial. You can compare the same needs on each system and return to unresolved checks.
- Task and importance
- What you need to complete, and whether it is essential or simply desirable.
- Environment tried
- Distribution and edition, application version, installation source, date and trial method: USB, virtual machine or installed system.
- Items to prepare
- A copy of a representative document, required format, necessary extension, service access and relevant device. Keep passwords out of this worksheet.
- Success criterion
- An action you can verify from start to finish: open, edit, save and reopen the result, or join a call and actually share your screen.
- Observations during the trial
- What works, the exact error message if something fails, and what remains unchecked. An untried feature remains “needs checking”.
- Decision and next step
- Task validated in this environment, further check required, or blocker to resolve before replacing the current system.
Example of a criterion to prepare, without assuming a result: for a shared spreadsheet, edit a copy, check an important formula, save in the required format and have the copy checked in the recipient's software. Simply opening the file does not validate the whole sequence. The LibreOffice tutorial covers document checks; for video, start with the VLC page.
If the same task fails on two distributions, first note what they share: application, file, extension or service. That helps you find relevant documentation before trying more installations. A virtual-machine result does not validate devices on a directly installed system; reserve those checks for the trial on your computer.
To decide: address blocked essential tasks before desktop preferences. Keep your current system and original files until a replacement has been verified. This worksheet records your observations; it is not a compatibility certification.
2. Look at the whole computer
Record the processor model, memory, storage type and important devices. Limited RAM, slow storage and an older processor are different constraints that may occur together.
A project's minimum requirements help you prepare a trial; they do not guarantee comfortable use with many browser tabs, a video call and several applications open. On a modest PC, compare available desktop environments too.
Linux Mint's official guide describes Cinnamon, MATE and Xfce. Xfce is one option to investigate for a lighter interface, but a trial on real hardware remains decisive. Consult the official Mint edition guide.
3. Separate the distribution from the desktop environment
The distribution provides the system, software and update mechanisms. The desktop environment organises windows, menus and settings. Two editions of the same distribution can therefore feel very different.
If you dislike the interface, first look for another edition of the same project. To explore different approaches, see Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Kubuntu (in French) and Fedora, then consult the chosen project's current documentation.
4. Try a live USB drive
A live session lets you try some distributions without starting installation. The official Try Ubuntu before you install tutorial explains the principle and boot steps.
Download the image from the distribution's official site and follow its verification instructions. Creating the USB drive generally erases its contents: back it up and carefully check the selected device. Also keep an independent backup of your documents before installation.
Your trial checklist
- Wi-Fi connectivity and access to the websites you use.
- Sound, microphone, webcam and video calls.
- Keyboard, touchpad and brightness keys.
- External monitor, printer or other essential device.
- Suspend and resume on a laptop.
- Opening copies of your documents and using your applications.
A USB session may run at a different speed from a disk installation. Its purpose here is to find incompatibilities and explore the interface, not to establish a benchmark.
5. Choose an option that meets your needs
After two trials, write down what works, what is missing and how difficult each option is. Prefer a distribution whose documentation and updates you understand. Keep its official support link and check that your chosen release still receives updates.
Resolve significant blockers before replacing your current system. Dual boot is an option to prepare carefully; it does not replace a backup.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose the most popular distribution?
Popularity may make documentation easier to find. It does not prove your software or devices will work. Treat it as one clue, then use the checklist.
Can I try Linux without deleting Windows?
Yes, a live session provides an initial trial without installation. Installing, partitioning or erasing a disk is a later decision: follow the distribution's instructions and keep a backup.
Should I start with a specialised distribution?
Specialisation is useful when it addresses a specific need. For browsing, documents and everyday Linux use, start by comparing general-purpose distributions.
Method and sources. This guide draws on the official documentation linked in the text. Linux Mint and Ubuntu sources were consulted on 28 September 2026; Microsoft, LibreOffice, Adobe and Valve sources were added on 30 September. The per-task worksheet and LibreOffice tutorial link were added on 26 October. The decision steps are editorial guidance; no hardware tests or measured rankings are presented. Check current versions and compatibility with the projects before installing.