Zorin OS 16.2 Arrives as a Friendly and Accessible Alternative to Windows 11

Zorin OS 16.2 has been released today as the second major update to the Zorin OS 16 series of this friendly and accessible alternative to the Windows operating system based on Ubuntu Linux.

Coming about seven and a half months after Zorin OS 16.1 and still based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa), the Zorin OS 16.2 release is here to introduce various refinements that promise to make your Zorin OS desktop experience better and more enjoyable.

Zorin OS 16.2 adds a new “Windows App Support” menu item in the Applications menu’s System Tools section to make it easier for users to install Windows apps and games with just a few clicks. It also supports detecting more Windows installer files for popular apps and games and provides alternatives to Windows apps.

“For example, launching Windows installers for the Epic Games Store or GOG Galaxy now directs you to install the Heroic Games Launcher, which is the best way to play games from these stores in Zorin OS.” said the devs. “It’s another step towards making Zorin OS the most friendly and accessible alternative to Windows for everyday users.”

In addition, Zorin OS 16.2 comes with alternatives to Microsoft fonts for a better office experience, the latest LibreOffice 7.4 office suite, as well as updates to many pre-installed apps for a more feature-rich experience out of the box.

The in-house built Zorin Connect app has been updated as well in this release to make it easier to view your computer’s battery status on your Android smartphone, and the Zorin Connect app for Android received new features like the ability to send your phone’s clipboard with one tap, loop and shuffle controls to Multimedia Control, the ability to configure the action for left clicks in Remote Input, as well as a new option to enable notifications on your PC only if when the phone’s screen is off.

On top of that, the Zorin OS Education edition now features the GDevelop full-featured, no-code game development software, the Jelly Mode has been updated with new physics variables for more lively interactions, and the latest security patches are included throughout the system for better hardware support, as well as a more stable and secure Linux desktop experience.

You can download Zorin OS 16.2 right now from the official website. Existing Zorin OS 16 and 16.1 users need only to update their installations using the Software Updater utility. Zorin OS 16.2 is powered by Linux kernel 5.15 LTS and will be supported with software and security updates until April 2025.

Last updated 11 months ago