- Zorin OS, a Linux distro, has boasted a flood of new recruits
- In two days after Windows 10 support ended, Zorin OS 18 saw 100,000 downloads
- Nearly three-quarters of those were from Windows PCs, we’re told
Some of the top Linux distros have sought to capitalize on the end of support for Windows 10 with various initiatives or projects, and apparently one of them – Zorin OS – is doing so with great success following the end of Microsoft’s OS last week.
Neowin reports that the latest version of Zorin OS launched on the same day Windows 10 shuffled its lethal codebase – October 14 – pitched as a “modern alternative that makes your computer feel brand new”.
Zorin OS 18 just reached 100,000 downloads in just over 2 days 🎉️Over 72% of those downloads came from Windows, reflecting our mission to provide a better alternative to the established operating systems from Big Tech. Thank you for making this our biggest launch ever! pic.twitter.com/6U4h3EQ3dq16 October 2025
The developer of the Linux distro informed us at X that in just two days, Zorin OS 18 achieved 100,000 downloads, of which almost three quarters (72%) were made on Windows systems, indicating that these were Windows 10 users who migrated to the Linux OS.
Analysis: Fighting big tech on the desktop
Zorin Group counts this as a victory for alternative desktop platforms over the “incumbent operating systems from Big Tech”, meaning Windows. But looking at the latter Linux transition in France, only 10% of City Hall PCs are actually running Zorin OS (or another distro), and much of the movement has been away from Microsoft’s Office apps (to LibreOffice) over Windows.
In any case, the official end of Windows 10 is sure to make some people and organizations think about Linux as a real alternative, and a boost of something like 70,000 Windows 10 users in a few days is quite impressive to see for a relatively small player in the desktop OS world like Zorin.
If you want to know more about Zorin, it is one of the better Linux choices for those coming from Microsoft’s operating system, as it is similar in design to Windows 11, which we explore in more detail in our hands-on Zorin 17 review. You might also want to consider some of the other recommendations we have for the best Windows-like Linux distros.
While switching to Linux could be a good alternative, especially for users of older PCs who can’t come close to the system requirements of Windows 11, there are compromises involved in such a move. You may encounter issues with hardware drivers or software compatibility, and games can be particularly problematic – for one thing, lots of online PC games won’t work because of their anti-cheat systems.
It’s also worth noting that you don’t have to leave Windows 10 just yet—there’s another option to take Microsoft’s extended support offer for an extra year of security updates. Yes, you’re just postponing the decision on where to go with your Windows 10 PC until next year, but if you need some breathing space, the option is there (with a slight catch, though that caveat doesn’t apply to everyone).
