How to Install Linux

Step 1: Choose a Distribution

If you have not already selected a distribution, start with one designed for ease of use. Linux Mint is the best choice for users coming from Windows, providing a familiar desktop layout and graphical tools for every common task. Ubuntu is the safest choice for users who want the largest community and the most online documentation. Pop!_OS is ideal for users with NVIDIA graphics cards or who want a productivity-focused desktop.

For specific use cases, see our guides to the best overall distributions, gaming distributions, server distributions, and lightweight distributions for older hardware. If you are choosing between the three most popular families, our Ubuntu vs Debian vs Fedora comparison breaks down the differences in detail.

Step 2: Download the ISO Image

Visit the official website of your chosen distribution and download the latest ISO image. For Ubuntu, go to ubuntu.com/download. For Linux Mint, go to linuxmint.com/download.php. For Fedora, go to fedoraproject.org/workstation/download. Always download from the official source to avoid tampered or outdated images.

Most distributions provide checksum values (SHA256 hashes) alongside their downloads. Verifying the checksum confirms that your download completed without corruption and matches the file published by the distribution's developers. On Windows, you can verify using certutil -hashfile filename.iso SHA256 in Command Prompt. On macOS, use shasum -a 256 filename.iso in Terminal. Compare the output to the checksum listed on the download page.

ISO files for desktop distributions are typically between 2 and 4 GB. Make sure you download the correct variant for your hardware. Most modern computers use the 64-bit (amd64 or x86_64) version. The 32-bit versions are only needed for very old hardware, and many distributions have discontinued 32-bit support entirely.

Step 3: Create a Bootable USB Drive

Writing the ISO image to a USB drive creates a bootable installation medium. This is not the same as simply copying the ISO file to the drive. You need a tool that writes the image as a bootable disk rather than as a regular file.

balenaEtcher is the easiest option and works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Download it from etcher.balena.io, select your ISO file, select your USB drive, and click Flash. The process takes a few minutes and produces a bootable drive ready for installation.

Rufus is a Windows-only tool with more options, including the ability to create persistent live USB drives and to disable Secure Boot enforcement for distributions that do not support it. Rufus is available from rufus.ie and is a single executable that requires no installation.

Ventoy takes a different approach by turning a USB drive into a multi-boot platform. You install Ventoy to the drive once, then simply copy ISO files onto it. Ventoy presents a menu at boot time letting you choose which ISO to boot. This is ideal if you want to test multiple distributions from a single USB drive.

Your USB drive must be at least 4 GB for most distributions, and all existing data on the drive will be erased during the writing process.

Step 4: Boot from the USB Drive

Insert the USB drive into your computer and restart. You need to tell the computer to boot from the USB drive instead of the hard drive. The method varies by manufacturer.

On most computers, pressing a key during startup opens the boot menu. Common boot menu keys are F12 (Dell, Lenovo, most PCs), F2 or Delete (ASUS), F9 (HP), and Escape (various). Look for a brief message on screen during startup that indicates which key to press, or consult your computer manufacturer's documentation.

On computers with Secure Boot enabled (most machines shipped with Windows 8 or later), you may need to adjust UEFI settings. Ubuntu, Fedora, and Linux Mint all support Secure Boot and should boot without changes. Some other distributions may require disabling Secure Boot in the UEFI firmware settings, which you can access by pressing the appropriate key during startup (usually F2, Delete, or Escape).

Step 5: Try the Live Environment

Most distributions present a menu when booting from USB that offers two options: Try (or Live) and Install. Choosing the Try option loads the complete operating system into memory and lets you use it without making any changes to your hard drive. This is the safest way to verify that your Wi-Fi works, your display resolution is correct, your audio functions, and the desktop feels comfortable before proceeding with installation.

The live environment runs entirely from the USB drive and RAM, so it will be somewhat slower than an installed system. Performance improves significantly after installation to a hard drive or SSD. If you encounter hardware issues in the live environment, such as missing Wi-Fi or incorrect display resolution, they will likely persist after installation, so this is the time to troubleshoot or try a different distribution.

Step 6: Run the Installer

When you are ready to install, either select Install from the initial boot menu or launch the installer from within the live environment (usually a desktop shortcut labeled "Install"). The installer walks through several screens.

Language and keyboard: Select your preferred language and keyboard layout. The installer usually detects these correctly based on your system locale.

Updates and third-party software: If connected to the internet, you can choose to download updates during installation and install third-party drivers and multimedia codecs. Enabling both options is recommended for the best post-installation experience.

Installation type: This is the most important step. You have several options. "Erase disk and install" replaces everything on your hard drive with Linux. This is the simplest option if you are not keeping Windows. "Install alongside" (dual boot) resizes your existing Windows partition and installs Linux in the freed space, creating a boot menu that lets you choose between Windows and Linux at startup. "Something else" (manual partitioning) gives you full control over partition layout, useful for advanced configurations like separate /home partitions or encrypted installations.

For dual booting, the installer will suggest a partition split. You can adjust the slider to allocate more or less space to Linux. A minimum of 30 GB for Linux is recommended for comfortable use, though 50 GB or more is better if you plan to install many applications.

User creation: Enter your name, choose a username and password, and optionally set the computer's hostname. This account becomes the primary administrator account with sudo privileges.

After confirming your choices, the installer copies files to the hard drive and configures the bootloader. This usually takes 10 to 20 minutes depending on your hardware speed.

Step 7: Complete Post-Installation Setup

After the installation finishes, restart your computer and remove the USB drive when prompted. Your computer will boot into your new Linux installation (or present a boot menu if you set up dual boot).

First, install all available updates. On Ubuntu and Mint, open the Update Manager or run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade in the terminal. On Fedora, run sudo dnf upgrade. These updates include security patches and bug fixes released since the ISO image was created.

Second, check for additional drivers. On Ubuntu and Mint, open the Driver Manager (or Additional Drivers) to see if proprietary drivers are available for your graphics card or Wi-Fi adapter. On Fedora, NVIDIA users should enable RPM Fusion and install the NVIDIA driver package.

Third, install your preferred applications. The Software Center (or Software Manager on Mint) provides a graphical interface for browsing and installing applications. Common first installs include a web browser (Chrome or Firefox), communication tools (Discord, Slack), media players (VLC), and office software (LibreOffice is usually pre-installed).