Zorin OS 18 Beta – A beautiful new chapter for Windows Switchers and Linux Lovers

posted by Rianne Schestowitz on Sep 22, 2025,
updated Sep 28, 2025

Quoting: Zorin OS 18 Beta – A beautiful new chapter for Windows Switchers and Linux Lovers - RealLinuxUser.com —

With Windows 10 reaching its end of life on October 14, 2025, millions of current Windows 10 users face a difficult decision: should they buy a new PC that meets the Windows 11 strict requirements, or is there a modern, long-term supported alternative that works with the computer they already own? Microsoft is essentially saying that all these “older legacy” computers, even if they still function technically, should be sent to the electronic waste bin. This is, of course, terrible advice. But you’re on a Linux website right now, so you probably already know that Linux and many distributions based on it can provide a good solution for your current computer. And a Linux distribution that’s an excellent alternative to Windows 10 is Zorin OS.

This week, the Zorin team gave me a heads-up on the soon-to-be-released Zorin OS 18. In this article, I will give you insight into the Zorin OS 18 Beta release that is available for everyone to try out. This latest Beta release is a thoughtful evolution of, in my opinion, one of the most user-friendly Linux distributions available today. Whether you’re a seasoned Linux user looking for a great out-of-the-box experience or someone looking to escape the Windows upgrade nightmare, Zorin OS 18 offers a stunning, intuitive, and powerful experience that feels familiar, powerful, and fresh at the same time.

Read on

Linux Magazine:

• Zorin OS 18 Beta Available for Testing » Linux Magazine

  If you're a fan of Zorin OS (or Linux in general), it's a good day to celebrate because the next iteration of the open source operating system (at least in beta form) is ready for testing.

  Zorin OS 18 Beta introduces a refreshed design with a more rounded appearance, a lighter color palette, increased tint for backgrounds and sidebars, a floating panel, a more reactive Activities button, and more. All of this UI polish comes together to make the default Zorin OS look more modern, sophisticated, and easier on the eyes.

  There are also changes to some of the default apps. For example, the Files app enjoys an updated sidebar and controls that have been reorganized. The Settings app has redesigned preference panels for easier navigation, the Calendar app now has a sidebar with concise month and events views, the new Camera app has replaced Cheese for a cleaner UI, and the Evolution groupware app has a more modern interface.

It's FOSS:

• Zorin OS 18 Beta Released With Fresh Design, Smarter Tiling, and Aim to Target Windows Migrants

  Zorin OS has long been known as one of the best Linux distributions for people making the switch from Windows or macOS. Built on Ubuntu, it blends stability with an accessible design that feels approachable for newcomers while still offering flexibility for experienced users.

  Over the years, the developers have refined not just its appearance but also its ecosystem, including productivity features, extensive software compatibility, and customization options.

  And now, with a recent announcement, they have released a beta version of their upcoming Zorin OS 18 release. Let's check it out! 😀

The Register:

• Zorin OS 18 beta makes Linux look like anything but Linux

  Zorin OS 18 is the version based on Ubuntu 24.04 "Noble Numbat," which appeared nearly 18 months ago now, but Zorin takes a commendable "it's ready when it's ready and not before" attitude, which in today's release-schedule-obsessed world we find rather refreshing. We looked at the current version 17.3 in April and it still works perfectly well – indeed, as we wrote in January, we've had to downgrade a couple of machines from Noble back to Jammy because of their non-upgradable, no-longer-supported Nvidia GPUs.

Belated addition:

• Zorin OS 18 opens its doors to those fleeing Microsoft as the Windows 10 end-of-life date looms

  As Microsoft prepares to stop providing feature updates for Windows 10 this coming October, users still running the operating system have a few options ahead of them. While you can upgrade to Windows 11 (either with a new PC or by forcing your old one) or extend your Windows 10 support for a year, there's always the option to abandon ship and try a new operating system altogether. That's what I did, as I've since moved on to Fedora KDE.

  However, Fedora isn't the only distro available by any means. In fact, several communities are banding together to advertise Linux as a suitable "get out of Microsoft's ecosystem free" card, especially as we get close to October. For example, the Zorin Team have released a new Zorin OS 18 Beta, and it's designed specifically to make ex-Windows users as comfortable as possible.