--- title: The Biggest Mistakes Windows Users Make on Linux ... description: Common mistakes Windows users make when switching to Linux, covering five key areas: expecting Linux to behave like Windows, choosing the wrong desktop... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/the-biggest-mistakes-windows-users-make-on-linux--nvy7ewki8 twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: The Biggest Mistakes Windows Users Make on Linux ... | daily.dev og:description: Common mistakes Windows users make when switching to Linux, covering five key areas: expecting Linux to behave like Windows, choosing the wrong desktop... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/the-biggest-mistakes-windows-users-make-on-linux--nvy7ewki8 og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/nVY7EwKi8.png og:image:alt: The Biggest Mistakes Windows Users Make on Linux ... og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # The Biggest Mistakes Windows Users Make on Linux ... **[YouTube](https://daily.dev/sources/youtube)** · 9 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary Common mistakes Windows users make when switching to Linux, covering five key areas: expecting Linux to behave like Windows, choosing the wrong desktop environment, confusion over package formats (Flatpak, Snap, DEB, RPM), trying to force Windows apps through compatibility layers like Wine, skipping hardware compatibility checks, and over-relying on the command line. The advice emphasizes using the live boot environment before installing, picking a desktop environment based on personal preference rather than hype, using the software store instead of manual downloads, and knowing that most tasks can be done through GUI tools without touching the terminal. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Questions this post answers ### Do I need to use the command line a lot when switching from Windows to Linux? Most everyday Linux tasks can be handled through GUI tools built into your desktop environment without touching the terminal. After four years of daily Linux use, command-line use is limited to edge cases like installing DaVinci Resolve or debugging self-inflicted system changes. Searching for solutions specific to your desktop environment rather than generic Linux commands usually surfaces a graphical alternative. _Developers making the Windows-to-Linux jump track practical tips like these on daily.dev._ ### How do I check if my hardware is compatible with Linux before installing it? Use the live boot environment included with most Linux installers. Write the ISO to a USB stick, select it in your boot options, and test Linux without installing anything. If Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other hardware work in the live session, your system is compatible. If something fails, you can research whether it is a known issue before committing to the install. _Hardware compatibility questions like this come up constantly for Linux newcomers — daily.dev surfaces the relevant discussions as they happen._ ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [The 5 most common mistakes new Linux users make](https://daily.dev/posts/the-5-most-common-mistakes-new-linux-users-make-qbaexal5p) · All Things Open · 3 upvotes · 0 comments - [5 hard lessons I learned in my first week on Linux, and I'm better off for them](https://daily.dev/posts/5-hard-lessons-i-learned-in-my-first-week-on-linux-and-i-m-better-off-for-them-unsns5bj3) · XDA Developers · 6 upvotes · 2 comments - [Most Linux regret is actually distro regret, and you probably gave up too soon](https://daily.dev/posts/most-linux-regret-is-actually-distro-regret-and-you-probably-gave-up-too-soon-dtkps4ugo) · XDA Developers · 2 upvotes · 1 comments --- Tags: [#linux](https://daily.dev/tags/linux) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/the-biggest-mistakes-windows-users-make-on-linux--nvy7ewki8) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","headline":"The Biggest Mistakes Windows Users Make on Linux ...","url":"https://daily.dev/posts/the-biggest-mistakes-windows-users-make-on-linux--nvy7ewki8","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/the-biggest-mistakes-windows-users-make-on-linux--nvy7ewki8"},"datePublished":"2026-08-12T05:51:32.792Z","dateModified":"2026-08-12T05:51:57.871Z","description":"Common mistakes Windows users make when switching to Linux, covering five key areas: expecting Linux to behave like Windows, choosing the wrong desktop...","image":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FD6oSrLgg3w/sddefault.jpg","thumbnailUrl":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FD6oSrLgg3w/sddefault.jpg","isAccessibleForFree":true,"articleSection":"YouTube","inLanguage":"en","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180}},"author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"YouTube","logo":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/s--W5zMumpP--/f_auto/v1725350181/logos/youtube","url":"https://daily.dev/sources/youtube"},"commentCount":0,"discussionUrl":"https://daily.dev/posts/the-biggest-mistakes-windows-users-make-on-linux--nvy7ewki8","interactionStatistic":[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":0},{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"CommentAction"},"userInteractionCount":0}],"keywords":"linux","timeRequired":"PT9M","video":{"@type":"VideoObject","name":"The Biggest Mistakes Windows Users Make on Linux ...","description":"Common mistakes Windows users make when switching to Linux, covering five key areas: expecting Linux to behave like Windows, choosing the wrong desktop...","thumbnailUrl":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FD6oSrLgg3w/sddefault.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-08-12T05:51:32.792Z","duration":"PT9M","url":"https://api.daily.dev/r/nVY7EwKi8","embedUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/embed/FD6oSrLgg3w"}} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://daily.dev"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"YouTube","item":"https://daily.dev/sources/youtube"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The Biggest Mistakes Windows Users Make on Linux ..."}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/the-biggest-mistakes-windows-users-make-on-linux--nvy7ewki8#faq","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need to use the command line a lot when switching from Windows to Linux?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Most everyday Linux tasks can be handled through GUI tools built into your desktop environment without touching the terminal. 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