“Almost a million downloads”: this Linux alternative to Windows 11 is a huge hit

Coincidence of the calendar or Machiavellian calculation? Still, Zorin OS hit hard. Linux distribution published version 18 on October 14right at the moment when Microsoft officially abandoned Windows 10. Result: a million downloads in just over a month, unheard of for this OS based on Ubuntu.

A migration that comes 78% from Windows

The developers do not hide their satisfaction. “We are excited to announce that Zorin OS 18 has racked up one million downloads in just over a month since its release, breaking all previous records”they write on their official blog. But the detail that matters is this: 78% of these downloads come from machines still running Windows. That’s 780,000 people who took the plunge, or at least downloaded the ISO image.

Synchronization with the end of support for Windows 10 is not trivial. Faced with strict requirements of Windows 11 (TPM 2.0 required, recent processors only, etc.), millions of perfectly functional computers find themselves in a dead end. Microsoft certainly offers extended security updatesbut they are chargeable and limited in time.

Zorin OS plays precisely on this vein. The interface resembles Windows, the file manager integrates OneDrive, and the Ubuntu base guarantees a certain stability. The first technical feedback suggests “a very polished system and a great choice for those looking to migrate from Windows”according to several testers cited by the team.

It remains to be seen how many of these downloads will turn into lasting installations. The official forums are already reporting difficulties with the upgrade from Zorin OS 17, still in the experimental phase. But for now, the numbers speak for themselves: the exodus to Linux is making its way, and it greatly benefits this Irish cast.

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