Zorin OS 18.1 can now mimic the look and feel of Windows 11 without spending a cent on the Pro edition. A new guide from ZDNET's Jack Wallen details a step-by-step method that relies solely on the free version's built-in tools and one GNOME extension. The process takes less than ten minutes and requires no technical expertise.

The Trick That Unlocks the Windows 11 Aesthetic

Wallen's report, published earlier this week, walks users through a handful of straightforward tweaks. The free edition of Zorin OS already includes a layout switcher that can instantly convert the desktop into a Windows-like environment. That layout, however, defaults to a Windows 10 appearance—complete with a left-aligned taskbar, sharp corners, and no system tray weather widget.

To bridge the gap to Windows 11, Wallen combined three adjustments:

  • Switching to the "Windows" layout via Zorin Appearance
  • Modifying the taskbar position, transparency, and icon spacing
  • Installing the official GNOME Weather extension for a system tray forecast

The result is a desktop that places the app menu at the center, rounds off window corners, adds a sleek semi-transparent taskbar, and puts live weather information just a glance away—exactly what Windows 11 users expect.

What Changed—and Why It Matters

Previously, achieving a convincing Windows 11 clone on Zorin OS required the Pro edition, which ships with a dedicated "Windows 11" layout. That layout centers the taskbar, adjusts the Start menu style, and applies a matching icon theme. The free version's Windows layout stuck to the older Windows 10 paradigm. Wallen didn't discover a hidden feature; he simply rearranged existing pieces in a novel way.

The key insight: the free edition's taskbar can be dragged to the bottom and customized to look almost identical to the one in Pro. The GNOME Weather extension fills the last missing piece—a feature that Windows 11 users have grown accustomed to.

Microsoft itself has been nudging users toward a centered taskbar and rounded corners since 2021. For anyone eyeing a switch to Linux but put off by unfamiliar interfaces, this guide collapses the visual learning curve.

What This Means for You

For home users: If you've been curious about Linux but worried about losing the Windows desktop you know, Zorin OS 18.1 now offers a frictionless on-ramp. You can install the free edition on an old laptop, apply Wallen's tweaks, and feel at home immediately—no command line required.

For IT professionals: Small businesses and schools often recycle aging hardware with Linux. Zorin OS already targets these deployments, but the visual similarity to Windows 11 can reduce support tickets from users who expect a familiar interface. You can roll out a fleet of machines that look and behave like Windows, without licensing costs.

For developers: Even if you live in the terminal, a clean, modern desktop can make screen-sharing demos and client calls more comfortable. The weather extension also adds a handy at-a-glance utility that doesn't clutter your workspace.

For Windows refugees: The free edition's Windows layout already maps common shortcuts (Ctrl+C, Windows key) to their Linux equivalents. Wallen's extra steps polish the appearance to match the OS you left behind, which can ease the psychological transition.

How We Got Here: Zorin OS's Long Bridge to Windows Users

Zorin OS has spent over a decade positioning itself as the most welcoming Linux distribution for Windows migrants. Its flagship feature—the Zorin Appearance tool—launched in 2012 with a single "Windows-like" layout. Over the years, the team added macOS and Ubuntu-style layouts, each precisely mimicking the target system's taskbar, window controls, and iconography.

When Windows 11 arrived in 2021 with its centered taskbar and rounded corners, Zorin OS Pro quickly responded with a dedicated Windows 11 layout. The free edition, however, was left with only the Windows 10-inspired layout. The company's rationale was straightforward: Pro customers pay for premium desktop templates, professional-grade creative software, and installation support.

Wallen's guide effectively democratizes that Pro-only feature. By exploiting the flexibility of GNOME Shell—the desktop environment that Zorin OS builds upon—he shows that the free edition is far more capable than the official layouts suggest.

The release of Zorin OS 18.1 in early 2025 brought minor stability improvements and refreshed GNOME components. The underlying GNOME version (likely 45 or 46) supports the taskbar modifications Wallen described, meaning the guide works not as a hack but as an intentional use of the platform's extensibility.

GNOME's extension ecosystem deserves credit too. The Weather extension has existed for years, maintained by the GNOME community, and it integrates into the system tray seamlessly. Zorin OS includes a curated set of extensions by default, but Weather must be installed from the GNOME Extensions website—a process that takes three clicks.

What to Do Now: A DIY Kit for Your Own Windows 11 Clone

Here's how to replicate Wallen's result on your machine, step by step. You'll need Zorin OS 18.1 (free edition) installed and an internet connection.

  1. Switch to the Windows layout. Open the Zorin app menu, search for "Zorin Appearance," and launch it. Click the "Layouts" tab and select "Windows." The desktop will immediately rearrange itself—taskbar on the bottom, app menu on the left, Windows-style window buttons. Wait a few seconds for the transition to complete.

  2. Center the taskbar icons. Right-click an empty area of the taskbar and choose "Enter Edit Mode." You'll see two dotted handles. Drag the leftmost handle to the center of the screen until a translucent guideline appears. Drop it to lock the app menu and pinned icons into a centered position—just like Windows 11. While still in edit mode, drag the date/time and system tray area to the right edge to balance the bar.

  3. Apply Windows 11-style transparency. Remain in edit mode and click the "Taskbar Settings" gear icon. Under "Appearance," set "Opacity" to around 70–80%. Enable "Rounded corners" (if available) and toggle off any animations that feel distracting. The result: a translucent bar that lets your wallpaper bleed through.

  4. Add the Weather extension. Open Firefox (preinstalled) and navigate to extensions.gnome.org. Search for "Weather" and click the result labeled "Weather O'Clock" or the official GNOME Weather extension. Toggle the switch to "ON." A pop-up will ask to install the GNOME Shell integration; accept it. When prompted, confirm the extension installation. Within seconds, a weather icon shows up in the system tray, displaying current temperature after a quick location setup.

  5. Fine-tune the desktop. Right-click the desktop, select "Change Background," and pick a Windows 11-style wallpaper—Zorin OS includes a few dark, abstract options that match Microsoft's aesthetic. Then open the "Settings" app, go to "Appearance," and enable "Dark mode" (or "Light" to mimic Windows 11's default). Finally, if app icons still feel off, head back to Zorin Appearance and under "Icons" try the "Windows 11" or "ZorinOS-Dark" pack.

These steps produce a desktop that every Windows 11 user will recognize instantly: centered app tray, weather widget, dark mode with glassy transparency. All for zero cost.

One Limitation Worth Knowing

The free edition's Windows layout doesn't include the Pro version's custom Start menu style that precisely copies the Windows 11 tiled interface. The app menu remains a full-screen overlay, similar to GNOME's default. For a truly 1:1 look, you could install a third-party app menu extension, but Wallen's guide sticks to officially supported methods to preserve system stability.

If that full-screen menu bothers you, consider the free alternative ArcMenu, which provides a Windows 10/11-style pop-up menu. It requires installing from the GNOME Extensions website and takes five additional minutes to configure.

Outlook: How Long Before This Becomes a Native Feature?

Zorin OS developers are likely aware of the demand for a Windows 11 layout in the free edition. Wallen's guide may accelerate that conversation. The company has a history of listening: after Windows 10's release, the Pro-exclusive "Windows 10" layout eventually trickled into the free version as a standard option. A similar move for Windows 11 would be a logical next step, especially as Microsoft's desktop market share remains dominant and migration interest grows.

In the near term, the guide fills a practical gap. It also underscores a larger trend: the line between free and paid Linux distributions is blurring, and resourceful users can often replicate premium features with a few clicks. For anyone sitting on the fence, Zorin OS 18.1 with a Windows 11 face is the closest a free operating system has ever come to feeling like a modern Microsoft desktop—no compromises, no command line, and no credit card required.