Pane OS gives you Start, File Explorer, Settings, Task Manager and more than 35 rebuilt apps — the familiar Windows 11-style experience, on a fast, private, open-source foundation.
See it in action
Features
No new workflow to learn. Pane OS replaces every stock app with a Windows-style one, so it feels like home from the first click.
Pinned apps, recommended files and the full app list, one click away. Start typing to find apps, settings and the web.
Quick access, This PC, Recycle Bin, tabs and the right-click menus you're used to — including cut, copy, paste and rename shortcuts.
System, Bluetooth & devices, Network & internet, Personalization, Apps, Accounts, Time & language, Accessibility and Privacy — plus Quick Settings in the taskbar.
The Store brings thousands of free apps and games from Flathub and the Ubuntu repositories together in one place — Firefox, LibreOffice, VLC, GIMP, OBS, Blender and more.
Task Manager, Control Panel, Event Viewer, Disk Management and Credential Manager are all here — so troubleshooting works the way you already know.
Switch modes from Quick Settings or Settings, and every Pane OS app, the Start menu and the taskbar follow along. Drag the slider to compare.
LightDark
Apps
Every app is a native Pane OS app in the Windows 11 style — not a skin on top of something else.
Plus File Explorer, Terminal, Start, Taskbar, Quick Settings, Notification Center, Search and the desktop.
Under the hood
Built on AnduinOS 2.0 and Ubuntu 26.04, with Secure Boot support, a firewall and no ads. The only thing Pane OS sends is an anonymous daily count, which you can turn off.
Pane OS Update delivers new app versions, while Ubuntu security updates install alongside — your customizations stay intact.
GNOME 50 on Wayland, Linux 7.0, GTK 4 and libadwaita — smooth on new hardware and light on older PCs.
No subscription and no account required. Install it on as many PCs as you like.
Download
Try it from a USB stick without touching your PC, then install when you're ready.
FAQ
No. Pane OS is a Linux operating system. Pane OS is built on AnduinOS 2.0, which is based on Ubuntu. It's designed to look and work like the Windows 11 desktop, but it's an independent project and contains no Microsoft software.
Many Windows programs run with the built-in Windows EXE Runner or Bottles from the Store. For most everyday tasks — browsing, office documents, photos, music and video — there are free native apps in the Store.
No. Pane OS is free to download, use and install on as many PCs as you like. There are no ads, subscriptions or accounts.
Yes. Start your PC from the USB stick and Pane OS runs live from it. Nothing is changed on your PC until you run Pane OS Setup.
A .paneapp is an app made just for Pane OS. Double-click one and App Installer shows you the app's name, publisher and what it needs, then installs it to your Start menu with one click — no terminal needed, and no password unless the app needs extra parts from Ubuntu. Apps get full access to your PC, so they work like any other program, but Pane OS keeps a safety net: if an app suddenly starts deleting or scrambling your files, Pane OS stops it and puts your files back, and you can undo everything an app changed from its details page. Existing PCs get .paneapp support through Settings › Pane OS Update.
Yes. Put your app in a folder with a small paneapp.json file that names it, then run pane-app pack on that folder to get a .paneapp you can share. A complete sample app and the format guide come with Pane OS in /usr/share/doc/pane-apps.
Only one anonymous number. Once a day, each PC adds 1 to a public count of how many PCs use Pane OS, and once ever to a count of installs. Nothing about you or your PC is sent — no name, no ID, no hardware details, no files or browsing — and the live USB is never counted. The count is kept by the free counter service abacus.jasoncameron.dev, which, like any website, sees your IP address when your PC connects. To turn it off, open Settings › Privacy & security › Diagnostics & feedback and switch off "Count this PC as a Pane OS user".
Settings › Pane OS Update installs new versions of Pane OS apps. Ubuntu security and app updates install alongside them, and Pane OS keeps its own look and changes in place after each update.
Pane OS Setup can install alongside an existing system if your disk has free space. Always back up your files before installing any operating system.