I'm planning to move from Windows 10 to Linux and would appreciate advice on choosing a distro. I prefer a familiar Windows-style interface, can handle basic troubleshooting, and would like something stable and long-lasting without requiring much terminal use. Gaming is also important, including running Steam games through Proton.
I tried Ubuntu from a USB drive but didn't like its default interface. I'm also looking for a safe, straightforward way to back up and transfer my documents and photos from Windows to Linux.
4 Answers
For your files, make a separate backup before installing Linux. Copy your documents and photos to an external drive, cloud storage, or both. A USB drive is enough for a basic transfer. You can also leave the Windows drive untouched, install Linux on another drive, and retrieve files later with a USB adapter. Linux can read Windows NTFS drives, but keeping an additional backup on a Linux-friendly filesystem such as ext4 is safer for long-term backups. Graphical tools such as Grsync can provide an easier interface to rsync, though simply copying personal files is fine for a one-time move.
The desktop environment matters more than the distro’s name. Try KDE Plasma through Kubuntu, Fedora KDE, or another KDE-based option; it has a taskbar, application menu, system tray, and general workflow that are close to Windows. Cinnamon and Xfce are also worth trying. You can test different options from USB drives before installing anything.
Linux Mint Cinnamon is probably the easiest starting point for what you described. It has a traditional desktop layout that feels familiar to Windows users, is stable, and usually doesn’t require much terminal work. Mint Xfce is another option if you want something lighter. For gaming, Steam and Proton work, although you may need to check compatibility for particular games.
For a more gaming-focused setup, Fedora KDE, Nobara, Bazzite, or CachyOS are commonly recommended. Bazzite is designed around gaming and has an immutable system, which can reduce the chance of accidentally breaking core files, but it has a few concepts that may be unfamiliar to a beginner. A conventional distro such as Mint or Fedora KDE may be a smoother first step if general desktop use is equally important.
Mint is simpler for everyday use, but the gaming-focused choices can provide newer drivers and gaming tools with less setup. The best choice depends on which games and hardware you use.