When you’re new to Linux, everything can feel a bit unfamiliar at first, especially if you’re coming from Windows or even macOS. Things look and work differently, and it can take a little time to get used to how the system is set up.
However, before you start customizing or installing apps, there are a few important steps you should take immediately after installing your distro. These small steps can save you a lot of time later, help your new setup feel more like home right away, and make your transition from Windows much easier.
Update your packages before anything else
Updating right away saves time later
Whenever I finish installing a new Linux distro, the first thing I do before opening the browser, tweaking themes, or touching settings is to update everything.
When you install Linux, you are often getting a system image that was built weeks or even months ago. That means the packages, which are all the software components your system relies on, are usually outdated right out of the box.
If you skip that first update, you will probably run into strange issues. Apps might refuse to install, some system tools may not work properly, and certain drivers for audio, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi might not behave as expected until you pull in the latest patches, especially if you’re on new hardware.
So I open the terminal right away and run the command:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
This command only works on Debian or Ubuntu-based distros, but if you are on something else like Fedora or an Arch-based distro, the command might differ based on your package manager.
Enable Flatpak support
The best way to install apps
Linux apps can be packaged in a few different ways, and each method works a little differently. Some run faster, some take up more space, and some work on more distros than others. When I was using Ubuntu, it relied heavily on Snap packages, which are often larger and slower to launch. That’s actually one of the reasons why I switched to Fedora.
Flatpak is another way to install apps, and it has quickly become my favorite. It’s fast, secure, and works on almost every Linux distro. Many developers now release their apps as Flatpaks, and you can find most of them on Flathub.
A lot of distros are now slowly releasing with Flatpak support built in, but if yours doesn’t, you can enable it easily. Just open the terminal and run:
sudo apt install flatpak
This command will only work on Debian or Ubuntu-based distributions. For other distros, you can check out Flatpak’s setup page.
Then add the Flathub store with:
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub
After that, you can install most apps from Flathub or through your software store without any extra setup.
Tweak the desktop to match your style
Linux is all about customization
There isn’t one simple thing you can do here, because every Linux distro comes with its own desktop environment. That means how you customize it will depend a lot on what you’re using, and you’ll probably need to experiment a bit to find what you like.
Two of the most popular desktop environments are GNOME and KDE Plasma. GNOME is known for being simple and polished, and it’s usually a good choice if you prefer something that feels friendly right out of the box, or if you like the clean, centered look of macOS. KDE Plasma, on the other hand, is all about flexibility, or if you want a Windows-style layout out of the box.
No matter which environment you use, you can customize icons, themes, wallpapers, fonts, and even how your panels and menus are arranged. With enough tweaks, you can make your Linux setup feel completely unique.
If you’re looking for inspiration, I’d recommend checking out the Unix customization subreddit. It’s full of creative desktop setups shared by other Linux users, and it’s a great way to discover new themes and tools to make your desktop stand out.
Set up compatibility for Windows apps
I still rely on a few Windows programs
Even though I’ve seen a lot of people say that app support isn’t a problem on Linux anymore, I very much disagree. While there are great alternatives for almost every app, I still rely on a few Windows programs that just don’t have proper replacements.
For gaming, Steam is easily the best option. Valve’s Proton compatibility layer works surprisingly well and lets you run most Windows games on Linux. It’s especially good for single-player titles, and for me, Steam is one of the first things I install on any new setup.
You can use the same compatibility layer with other storefronts, too, but you’ll need an app like Heroic Games Launcher to make it work. It gives you access to your Epic Games or GOG libraries while still taking advantage of Proton under the hood.
If you want to run more general-purpose apps, like Microsoft Office or other productivity tools, I recommend using WinBoat. It runs a lightweight Windows virtual machine inside Linux so you can install and use Windows apps directly.
It’s not perfect, though. Performance can be a bit slow due to the lack of GPU support, but it remains a reliable fallback when you absolutely need a Windows program to function.
Sync the clock between Linux and Windows (if you’re dual-booting)
Windows and Linux handle time differently
If you dual-boot between Linux and Windows, you’ve probably noticed that the time keeps changing whenever you switch between them. You shut down Windows and everything looks fine, but when you boot into Linux, it’s suddenly a few hours off.
This happens because both systems handle time differently. Windows saves your hardware clock as local time, while Linux assumes it’s using UTC (a universal time standard). So every time you swap systems, they end up correcting each other’s time in opposite directions.
The fix is simple. You can tell Linux to use local time instead of UTC by running this command:
timedatectl set-local-rtc 1 --adjust-system-clock
After that, reboot your computer, and both Linux and Windows should finally agree on the correct time. It’s a small tweak, but it saves a lot of confusion later.
Getting comfortable with Linux
Once you’ve taken care of these small setup tweaks, your system is ready for the fun part: actually using it. If you’re coming from Windows, there are plenty of apps that can help you bridge the gap. Linux is all about experimentation, so don’t be afraid to explore.
Try different apps, play around with new desktop environments, and customize things until they feel just right. The more you tweak and test, the more you’ll start to appreciate how flexible and personal Linux can be.