Zorin OS has been the poster child for “Linux for Windows users” for years, and its latest release proves the argument once again: a familiar taskbar, a friendly installer, and enough theming to hide most of the differences that scare newcomers. But an operating system is only as useful as the apps that run on it. If you are switching from Windows 10 or 11 to a Linux distribution in 2026 (Zorin, Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora, or Pop!_OS), these ten apps rebuild the Windows software stack you already know.
What to look for when replacing Windows apps
- Feature parity. Does the Linux app do what your Windows app does, or does it stop at 80 percent?
- File format compatibility. Can you open the .docx, .psd, .aep, or .prproj files you already have.
- Update model. Distro-packaged, Flatpak, Snap, or AppImage. Each has trade-offs.
- Community. Big project or one-person hobby.
- Hardware acceleration. For video and image work, GPU support matters.
- Cross-platform. Some open-source apps run on Windows and macOS too, so switching does not lock you in.
Quick comparison
| App | Replaces | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LibreOffice | Microsoft Office | Yes, full | Free | 4.6 typical |
| GIMP | Adobe Photoshop | Yes, full | Free | 4.5 typical |
| Krita | Corel Painter, Photoshop for artists | Yes, full | Free | 4.7 typical |
| Inkscape | Adobe Illustrator | Yes, full | Free | 4.7 typical |
| Kdenlive | Adobe Premiere, Vegas | Yes, full | Free | 4.4 typical |
| Thunderbird | Microsoft Outlook | Yes, full | Free | 4.5 typical |
| Firefox | Microsoft Edge / Chrome | Yes, full | Free | 4.6 typical |
| VLC | Windows Media Player | Yes, full | Free | 4.8 typical |
| OBS Studio | Windows Game Bar, ScreenRec | Yes, full | Free | 4.8 typical |
| Bottles | Running Windows software | Yes, full | Free | 4.7 typical |
The 10 best Linux apps for Windows switchers
1. LibreOffice — replaces Microsoft Office
LibreOffice is the mature office suite that ships in most Linux distributions. Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, and Base cover the same jobs as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Access. Docx and xlsx compatibility is strong; you can round-trip most business documents without visible drift.
Where it falls short: Complex Excel macros can misbehave. UI is functional rather than modern; anyone who loved the Office ribbon will need a few days to relearn menus.
Pricing: Free, community-maintained.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: LibreOffice site
Bottom line: LibreOffice is the pick for 95 percent of what most people do in Office. Free, reliable, and cross-platform.
2. GIMP — replaces Adobe Photoshop
GIMP is the free open-source raster editor that has been closing the gap with Photoshop for decades. The 3.0 release finally landed with a modern UI and non-destructive editing, and the plugin ecosystem covers most Photoshop workflows.
Where it falls short: No native CMYK printing workflow (plugins exist). Adjustment layers are newer than Photoshop’s and some tutorials assume the old GIMP.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: GIMP site
Bottom line: GIMP is the pick for casual and semi-pro photo editing. Real photographers with a Creative Cloud subscription may still miss Lightroom.
3. Krita — replaces Corel Painter and Photoshop for artists
Krita is the digital painting app aimed at concept artists and illustrators. The brush engine is best-in-class, animation timeline works, and the color management is serious enough for print work.
Where it falls short: Not built for photo editing. Its features assume you draw for a living.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Krita site
Bottom line: If you draw with a stylus, install Krita first, GIMP second.
4. Inkscape — replaces Adobe Illustrator
Inkscape is the mature open-source vector editor. It handles SVG natively, edits AI files well enough for most jobs, and its recent releases added a properly modernized UI.
Where it falls short: Advanced Illustrator features (mesh gradients, some effect combinations) still lag. Text on a path has quirks.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Inkscape site
Bottom line: Inkscape is the pick for 90 percent of what a freelance designer does in Illustrator.
5. Kdenlive — replaces Adobe Premiere and Vegas Pro
Kdenlive is the KDE project’s non-linear video editor. Multi-track timeline, proxy editing, effects, LUTs, and export presets for YouTube, TikTok, and Vimeo. It scales from simple podcast edits to serious short film work.
Where it falls short: Motion graphics and title work are more basic than Premiere’s Essential Graphics. Fewer high-end effects than DaVinci Resolve.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Kdenlive site
Bottom line: Kdenlive is the pick for a free, capable Linux video editor. Consider DaVinci Resolve too if your GPU can drive it.
6. Thunderbird — replaces Microsoft Outlook
Thunderbird is Mozilla’s email client, and after the Supernova design refresh it feels genuinely modern. Multi-account IMAP, calendar via CalDAV, contacts, and a growing add-on catalog.
Where it falls short: Exchange support depends on the Owl add-on or MAPI adapters, which can be fiddly. Search over huge archives can lag.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Thunderbird site
Bottom line: Thunderbird is the pick when you want a real desktop mail app on Linux without paying.
7. Firefox — replaces Microsoft Edge and Chrome
Firefox on Linux is the default in most distributions and it has caught up on speed and battery life for laptops. Multi-account containers, strong privacy defaults, and Sync across devices.
Where it falls short: Some corporate SSO integrations assume Chrome or Edge. Web dev tooling on Firefox has narrowed to Chrome parity but tutorials often assume Chrome.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS.
Download: Firefox site
Bottom line: Firefox is the privacy-first default browser. If a specific work app demands Chromium, install Brave or Vivaldi alongside.
8. VLC — replaces Windows Media Player
VLC by VideoLAN plays every container and codec you have ever encountered. It also handles streams, cameras, DVDs, and even network-shared media libraries.
Where it falls short: UI is functional, not beautiful. Library management is thin compared to Plex or Jellyfin clients.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS.
Download: VLC site
Bottom line: VLC is the “install first, question later” media player for every Linux desktop.
9. OBS Studio — replaces Windows Game Bar and ScreenRec
OBS Studio is what streamers on Twitch and YouTube use, and it also happens to be the best screen recorder on Linux. Scene composition, virtual camera, plugin ecosystem for every audio filter and cloud service.
Where it falls short: Learning curve is real if you have never used a broadcast tool.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: OBS site
Bottom line: OBS Studio is the pick for screen recording, streaming, or a virtual webcam anywhere on Linux.
10. Bottles — for running Windows software when nothing native works
Bottles is a friendly frontend for Wine that installs Windows apps and games in isolated environments. When there is no Linux port of a piece of software you rely on (a niche accounting tool, a legacy line-of-business app, or a Windows-only game), Bottles is usually the shortest path to running it.
Where it falls short: Not every Windows app works. DRM-protected apps and some enterprise software refuse to run.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Linux.
Download: Bottles site
Bottom line: Install Bottles the day you switch. Sooner or later you will need it for one Windows-only app.
How to pick the right one
- If you need Office documents to round-trip, install LibreOffice and keep the web version of Microsoft 365 as a fallback for macro-heavy files.
- If you edit photos casually, use GIMP. Artists should use Krita.
- If you design in Illustrator, use Inkscape.
- If you edit video, use Kdenlive first. Try DaVinci Resolve if you need more.
- If you use Outlook, install Thunderbird.
- Browsers, media players and OBS translate directly. Install them without thinking.
- Install Bottles as your safety net.
FAQ
What is the best Linux distro for someone coming from Windows? Zorin OS, Linux Mint and Ubuntu are the three most-recommended distributions for Windows switchers in 2026. All three ship with the apps in this list preinstalled or one click away.
Can I open Word and Excel files on Linux? Yes. LibreOffice reads and writes .docx and .xlsx natively. For heavy Excel workbooks with VBA macros, keep a copy of Microsoft 365 online as a backup.
What is the Linux equivalent of Photoshop? GIMP for photo editing and general raster work; Krita for digital painting. Both are free, active, and cross-platform.
Can I run Photoshop or other Adobe apps on Linux? Not officially. Photoshop can be coaxed to run via Bottles or CrossOver with mixed success. GIMP or Krita are usually less painful long-term.
Is Linux ready for gaming? Yes. Steam Proton has made the majority of Windows games playable, and Valve’s SteamOS on the Steam Deck showed the model works. For competitive multiplayer with kernel-level anti-cheat, check ProtonDB before switching.
