My 5 favorite Linux distros for home office desktops – and I’ve tried them all
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETI’ve worked from home for over a decade. Without Linux as my primary operating system, I’m not sure how I would be able to do the things I do with the level of simplicity and reliability that I’ve achieved with the open-source OS.Linux makes a lot of things possible for me that Windows and MacOS cannot handle. Also: The best Linux distributions for beginners in 2025: Expert tested and reviewedBut which distributions would I recommend for people who want an operating system that can serve as their home office desktop? I’ve considered this over the years (and used many different flavors of Linux), and have come up with a short list of distributions that would make outstanding home office OSes. Although the operating systems listed here are great for the home office, not all of them are perfectly suited as desktop operating systems for those new to Linux. And remember, choosing the right Linux desktop distribution for you isn’t nearly as challenging as you might think. 1. openSUSEBefore I get to why openSUSE, I want to offer this warning: this distribution can be user-friendly, but it includes a very powerful tool that, in the wrong hands, could wreck a system. That tool is YaST (Yet Another Setup Tool), and it’s why openSUSE is on the list. YaST makes configuring Linux for the home office much easier than other distributions. For example, YaST includes a GUI for Samba configuration that makes sharing folders across your home network easy. openSUSE also comes in two flavors: Tumbleweed and Leap. Also: This Linux distro makes openSUSE accessible to all – even newbies should take a lookTumbleweed is a rolling release version of the distribution — which means you always have the latest software installed — and Leap is a traditional (non-rolling) release, where stability rules. Because of this, you can choose which version makes the most sense for your needs. And, of course, like most Linux operating systems, it’s free. 2. Fedora SilverblueFedora Silverblue makes the list because it is an atomic OS and makes it easy to choose a working state (from the boot menu), should something go awry. That’s not to say things will go wrong, but nothing is perfect. You’ve probably experienced such situations before: you’re innocently working on something and your PC goes wonky. Not only do you risk losing your work, but the operating system might then fail to boot. Also: These 6 Linux file managers are way better than your defaultWith Fedora Silverblue, you can let that fear go. Should you run into such a situation, simply reboot and select the working “image” you want to use. And because Fedora Silverblue is atomic, the upgrades happen in “one go” — should something go wrong with a single package during the upgrade, the upgrade will not happen, which means you will always have a computer that works for you. Fedora Silverblue might not be a Swiss Army Knife-like distribution, but for the home office, it really shines. 3. Ubuntu LTSThere’s a reason why so many distributions are based on Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support) releases: it’s about as rock-solid, user-friendly, and reliable as it gets. That alone should be enough to have you jumping ship from Windows 10 before support ends. If that’s not enough, you also get incredible hardware support, tons of available free software, a vast user community for support, and, if you need a server on your LAN, you can install Ubuntu Server LTS in less than 30 minutes. Also: You can try Linux without ditching Windows first – here’s howOnce you have Ubuntu installed, make sure to consider these 10 things to do immediately to make the experience even better. Ubuntu also ships with Snap preinstalled, which means you have access to proprietary software, such as Slack, which most business users depend on. More
