Operating Systems

Readers like you help support How-To Geek. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.

latest

A laptop running Windows 11, resting on a turtle's shell, surrounded by warning signs.
Backward compatibility is holding Windows back

The weight Widows drags from the past is becoming a drag for everyone.

Home Assistant Green on an entertainment stand.
Letting Claude take control of Home Assistant sounded amazing—but it was far from perfect

AI can do a lot but it can also get a lot wrong.

1
Windows 11 laptop with the Windows app drawer open in the Start menu.
4 ways I customize every Windows installation to avoid Microsoft's most annoying changes

This is the only way to get a usable Windows experience today.

Ubuntu running with a terminal open with sudo apt install written.
7 Linux commands and shortcuts I wish I learned on day one

Every Linux user should know these command-line essentials.

5
Laptop with Ubuntu and a Linux terminal open.
Linux promised freedom, but the command line demands something harder in return

Don't fear the command line if you want to unlock Linux's true potential.

28
Laptop with Ubuntu and a Linux terminal open.
This is how I'd learn Linux if I had to start all over again

And four things I wish I knew sooner.

6
Running Windows and Linux commands together in WSL and PowerShell windows.
Windows Terminal's best features are hiding in these Linux-inspired customizations

Your favorite Linux terminal tweaks from Linux are availalble. You just have to know where to look.

3
A laptop with the Windows Start Menu open with a folder of apps categorized as money savers. (2)
I ditched my spare Windows PC for virtual machines—and testing sketchy software got way easier

Virtual machines beat sandboxes for testing untrusted software, and here's why I switched

picture of incus  webui running on a laptop
I replaced Docker Desktop with native Linux containers and never looked back

Your containers should not need a secret virtual machine to feel simple!

4
Person using the trackpad on the Razer Blade 18.
Windows 11 finally got haptic feedback, but almost nobody can use it yet

A long-overdue feature to make Windows 11 feel richer.

windows-11-live-captions-setup-dialog-2
Windows has 5 hidden features that will improve how you use your PC

Microsoft should really advertise these features more.

By 
A close-up of the WD Black SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD seated in an M.2 slot on the Ugreen iDX6011 Pro NAS.
Your Linux system is secretly using your hard drive as RAM, and that's a good thing
RAM

It's not just a waste of disk space. It can speed up your system.

10
GSConnect KDE Connect extension visible on a computer monitor running Linux
I add KDE's best feature to every Linux GNOME system—here's why

Any Linux desktop feels lacking without this app

1
A PC monitor with a Linux terminal open showing the FastFetch output for Fedora.-1
Fedora isn't the best cutting-edge Linux distro anymore

Fedora had a good run—but there’s a new distro on the cutting edge throne.

78
A laptop running Linux sitting on a table.
Most people install Linux the hard way for no reason. Here's the easy process that's never failed me

The traditional approach has a lot of potential problems.

13
By 
Windows Recall in use, with a trash bin in the center containing the Recall logo.
Windows Recall isn't the privacy nightmare you think it is

Microsoft's Recall feature has faced backlash, but with changes made, it might represent a better future for AI privacy.

An image showing Windows downloads folder before and after decluttering.
Your Windows downloads folder is a mess, here's the quickest way to clean it

It's time to declutter your downloads folder.

1
Dead Linux Penguin
Linux desktop hardware support is still broken, and that's why adoption keeps failing

Linux hardware support has come a long way, but it's still not good enough for mainstream adoption.

35
Desktop monitor with Windows 11 wallpaper and a Windows PowerShell terminal window dropping down from the top.
These 5 PowerShell commands let me disable the annoying Windows features that aren't in Settings

Gone in seconds with the right PowerShell command.

2
Monitor showing i3 tiled terminal layout with xprop confirming window manager is i3.
Stop memorizing two sets of commands—these 7 work on Windows and Linux

Unleash the power of cross-platform command-line compatibility

See More