How to Switch to Linux
Linus Tech Tips · 2026-10-26 · 16 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6pcTK0wTYAVideo summary
Switching from Windows to Linux means choosing a distro, backing up files, and learning tools like Flatpak, Proton, and Nvidia drivers.
This guide walks Windows users through a practical Linux migration, from choosing a distribution to troubleshooting after installation. Try distros in a browser with DistroSea, use DistroChooser or DistroWatch to narrow options, then create a bootable USB with BalenaEtcher or Rufus. Back up files from C:\\Users, disconnect drives you do not intend to erase, and select the USB in UEFI. After installing, learn Linux’s single folder tree and copy personal files into /home/username. Install apps through package managers or Flatpak; Flathub hosted about 2,800 apps and recorded 435 million downloads in 2025, up 21% year over year. Bottles can run some Windows apps, while dual booting remains the dependable choice for kernel anti-cheat games and software without Linux alternatives. Steam Proton supports many Windows games, and Nvidia users may need to choose between driver versions based on their graphics card. The payoff is more control over updates, apps, and the desktop.
Chapters
- 0:00Intro: Windows privacy and update frustrations, plus Gilles Duif’s alpha migration tool
- 1:56Choosing a distro, preparing a bootable USB, and backing up Windows data
- 4:38Installing Linux from USB and adjusting to a different desktop layout
- 6:36The file manager: Linux’s mounted drive tree, home folder, and system directories
- 8:42Getting apps: Flatpak, Bottles, dual booting, and Linux gaming tools
- 12:20Drivers: Nvidia Open support for RTX 20-series and newer, with distro driver managers
- 13:47YOU DID IT!!: Control Linux updates, customize the desktop, and explore Degoogle Your Life
What the full analysis includes
7 chapters · 33 key points · 7 section summaries · mind map
Preview of the first chapter · Intro: Windows privacy and update frustrations, plus Gilles Duif’s alpha migration tool
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