# Zorin OS

Zorin OS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu with both free and paid versions. It uses a GNOME and XFCE 4 desktop environment by default, although the desktop is heavily customized for users more familiar with Windows and macOS.

## Features

Zorin OS is available in various free and paid versions including versions using XFCE instead of GNOME for use with older computers. Zorin OS follows the long-term releases of the main Ubuntu system and uses its own software repositories as well as Ubuntu's repositories. The desktop environment themes can resemble those of Microsoft Windows, macOS, or Ubuntu and allow the interface to be familiar regardless of the previous system a user has come from.
In January 2020, the developers announced plans to release Zorin Grid, which would be software for installing and maintaining Zorin OS within a network, aimed at companies and schools. As of December 2024, the software is unreleased.

## History

The project was started in 2008 by co-founders Artyom and Kyrill Zorin. The company is based in Dublin, Ireland.
Zorin OS was initially released on 1 July 2009. Since version 16.3, the system's upgrade tool can be used to upgrade existing installations; earlier versions required users to do a clean install. 17.2 is the most recent version.

### Versions

| Version | Date | Base | Kernel version | Features/Notes |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 1.0" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 1.0 | 1 July 2009 | | | Initial release |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS Limited Edition '09" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS Limited Edition '09 | 7 December 2009 | | | |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 2" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 2 | 1 January 2010 | Ubuntu 9.10 | | Introduces five varieties: Core, Gaming, Multimedia, Educational, Ultimate |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 3" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 3 | 10 June 2010 | Ubuntu 10.04 LTS | | Zorin OS Look Changer added, installation slideshow tutorial |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 4" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 4 | 22 December 2010 | Ubuntu 10.10 | | Improved file manager, performance improvements |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 5" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 5 | 6 June 2011 | Ubuntu 11.04 | | Core and Ultimate available; new theme, updated software, Zorin-specific program improvements |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 5.1" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 5.1 | 23 August 2011 | Ubuntu 11.04 | | Updated Linux Kernel, aesthetic updates |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 6" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 6 | 18 June 2012 | Ubuntu 12.04 LTS | | Core and Ultimate available; new desktop environment, "Zorin Look Changer" |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 6.1" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 6.1 | 8 November 2012 | Ubuntu 12.04 LTS | | Updated kernel and software, security updates |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 6.2" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 6.2 | 27 February 2013 | Ubuntu 12.04 LTS | | "Zorin Menu" update, stability improvements |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 6.3" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 6.3 | 14 May 2013 | Ubuntu 12.04 LTS | | Updated kernel |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 7" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 7 | 10 June 2013 | Ubuntu 13.04 | | Core and Ultimate available; updated software, Linux kernel 3.8, design overhaul |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 6.4" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 6.4 | 28 August 2013 | Ubuntu 12.04 LTS | | Updated kernel and software |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 8" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 8 | 27 January 2014 | Ubuntu 13.10 | | Core and Ultimate available; updated software, UI improvements, Zorin theme changer |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 9" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 9 | 15 July 2014 | Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | | Core and Ultimate available; stability improvements, Firefox support, more themes |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 10" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 10 | 1 August 2015 | Ubuntu 15.04 | | Default application refresh, performance and security improvements |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 11" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 11 | 3 February 2016 | Ubuntu 15.10 | | Core and Ultimate available; new default applications, desktop user experience overhaul |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 12" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 12 | 18 November 2016 | Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | | New Zorin Desktop, activities overview, search revamp |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 12.1" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 12.1 | 27 February 2017 | Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | | Bug fixes, new desktop features, performance improvements |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 12.2" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 12.2 | 8 September 2017 | Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | | Desktop refinements, performance and stability improvements |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 12.3" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 12.3 | 16 March 2018 | Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | | Wine compatibility built-in, Direct3D 10 and 11 support |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 12.4" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 12.4 | 13 September 2018 | Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | | Linux kernel 4.15, performance improvements, software update process streamlining |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 15" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 15 | 5 June 2019 | Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | | Performance improvements, Zorin Connect (Android sync notifications), New desktop theme, Touch Layout functions, Flatpak support, new System font Inter introduced (skipped 3 versions from version 12) |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 15.2" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 15.2 | 5 March 2020 | Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | | Stronger security and hardware compatibility |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 15.3" | Old version, not maintained: Zorin OS 15.3 | 8 September 2020 | Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | | Works better with the updated LibreOffice. Improved hardware compatibility and security. |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-maintained" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, still maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 16" | Old version, still maintained: Zorin OS 16 | 17 August 2021 | Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | | Visual changes, based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, Flatpak support out of the box. |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-maintained" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, still maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 16.1" | Old version, still maintained: Zorin OS 16.1 | 10 March 2022 | Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | | Stronger security and better hardware compatibility. |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-maintained" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, still maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 16.2" | Old version, still maintained: Zorin OS 16.2 | 27 October 2022 | Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | | Ease of use and software updates. |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-maintained" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, still maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 16.3" | Old version, still maintained: Zorin OS 16.3 | 27 July 2023 | Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | | "Zorin OS Upgrader" tool added; updated software packages; same kernel version as Ubuntu 22.04. |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-maintained" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, still maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 17" | Old version, still maintained: Zorin OS 17 | 20 December 2023 | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | |
| class="templateVersion co swatch-maintained" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, still maintained" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 17.1" | Old version, still maintained: Zorin OS 17.1 | 7 March 2024 | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | | Wine 9.0 and Bottles bundled in Windows App Support, Reading Strip, Logseq, LibreOffice 24.2, Thumbnails for more file formats, New Window Placement option, updated Linux Kernel and Graphics Stack with the same Version found in Ubuntu 23.10, better hardware support. |
| class="templateVersion c swatch-latest" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Latest version" data-sort-value="Zorin OS 17.2" | Latest version: Zorin OS 17.2 | 19 September 2024 | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | 6.5.0-xx | Updated Linux Kernel with the same Version found in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Additional window management and theming settings. Software updates, e. g. LibreOffice 24.8. |

## Reception

Zorin OS has been noted as having intuitive and familiar layouts, functionality, and installation process; as well as for making it easy to use a Windows-similar layout.