What should I know to make Linux Mint easier as a new user?

Start with Timeshift. It can roll back system changes if an update or configuration experiment causes trouble, although it is not a replacement for backing up your personal files. For installing applications, Mint’s Software Manager is usually the easiest option. Once you are comfortable, learning a few basic apt commands can be helpful too. Give yourself a couple of weeks to adjust before deciding whether something is inconvenient just because it works differently from Windows.

If the desktop itself feels awkward, you can try a different desktop environment. Mint’s Cinnamon desktop is fairly traditional, but KDE Plasma offers more customization and may feel more familiar to someone coming from Windows 11. If you prefer KDE out of the box, distributions such as Kubuntu or Fedora KDE are worth considering. Changing the desktop is optional, though—you may find Cinnamon easier after spending more time with it.

Linux is not just Windows with a different appearance, so it helps to approach it as a new operating system rather than trying to recreate every Windows behavior. Also remember that Linux is case-sensitive: Downloads, downloads, and DOWNLOADS can refer to different names. When troubleshooting, include your distribution and version, hardware details, and the exact error message. If Steam has trouble launching from its shortcut, trying it from a terminal can sometimes reveal the problem or work around the shortcut issue.

You do not need to install a large collection of tweaking tools right away. Use the Software Manager first, and enable Flatpak support if you want access to additional applications. You can also apply a Windows-like theme if that helps during the transition, but learning how Mint’s own applications and settings work is usually less frustrating in the long run.