How can I move my customized root environment to a regular user account?

The safest long-term approach is to create the regular account and gradually copy only the personal data and configuration you actually need. Copying all of /root may bring along stale files, incorrect permissions, or application state that expects to run as root. Look through hidden files in /root for desktop settings, but keep in mind that system configuration belongs elsewhere and should not be transferred wholesale.

Running the desktop as root is risky because any compromised application or script can modify the entire system. Moving to a normal account is the right fix. You can use administrative privileges only for specific system tasks, rather than giving the new account permanent root access. A full clone may require some trial and error, so keep the old account intact until you’ve confirmed that everything you need works.

Most desktop preferences, scripts, themes, wallpapers, and similar personal files are probably under /root, including hidden files. You can copy the contents of /root into the new user’s home directory, then recursively change ownership to the new account. For example, use a root shell to copy the files and run chown -R newuser:newuser /home/newuser afterward. Expect to fix a few things manually because some applications store system-wide settings elsewhere or behave differently when moved between accounts. Make a backup first, and do not copy files blindly over system directories.