Installing Linux is easier than most people expect. Follow this beginner-friendly guide to go from a Windows PC to a fast, free Linux system — safely, using Linux Lite.
Just three things before you start.
4 GB or larger. Its contents will be erased, so use an empty one.
The Linux Lite download — a single file you write to the USB.
A free tool like Etcher or Rufus to put the ISO onto the stick.
Copy your documents, photos and anything important to an external drive or cloud storage first. This is the one step you should never skip.
Grab the Linux Lite ISO from the official download page. Check your PC against the Hardware Database if you're unsure it will run.
Open Etcher or Rufus, select the ISO and your USB stick, and click write. A few minutes later you'll have a bootable Linux USB.
Restart your PC and open the boot menu (often F12, F2, Esc or Del) to choose the USB stick. Linux will start up live.
Have a look around while running live — nothing is changed yet. When you're ready, double-click Install and follow the guided steps. Stuck? The Support page and forum can help.
If you want to keep Windows for now, the installer offers a dual boot option so you can choose between Windows and Linux each time you start up. Prefer a clean break? A full install replaces the old system entirely and gives you the most space and speed. Either way, your files are safe as long as you backed them up in step one.
Download Linux Lite free and follow the steps above — you can be up and running in under half an hour.