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Migrate from Windows

Leaving Windows, on the PC you already have

Cyclop OS installs on the PC you already own (a 64-bit processor and 2 GB of RAM at the very least) and replaces Windows on it.

Your files move by hand, through an external drive or a cloud folder, and the Education, Pro and Gaming editions run a tested list of Windows programs through a built-in compatibility layer.

Who it is for

  • A PC that runs Windows 10, whose support ended on 14 October 2025, and that cannot move to Windows 11.
  • A home, a school or a small business that wants a system without advertising and without usage telemetry.
  • People who mostly use a browser, office documents, email and games, which is what most computers do all day.
  • It is not for you yet if your work depends on a Windows program that is not in the tested list below: test it first, or keep one Windows machine for it.

Bringing your files

There is no automatic transfer tool yet. Before installing, copy your Documents, Pictures, Desktop and Downloads folders to an external drive or to a cloud folder.

Installing over Windows erases the disk. Copy first, check the copy opens, then install.

Bookmarks and passwords come back through your browser’s own sync once you sign in again. KeePass databases open as they are.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint files open in Cyclop Office (Education, Pro and Gaming). A document with a complex layout can shift slightly: check the ones that matter.

Windows apps

Cyclop Windows Apps sets up the compatibility layer for you, in the Education, Pro and Gaming editions (not in Community). These are the programs we installed and used for real:

Adobe Creative Cloud 6.10
The Creative Cloud app installs, signs in and syncs files. The Adobe applications it installs are tested one by one, separately.
Streamlabs Desktop 1.21.9
Sign-in, webcam, recording and replay work. NVIDIA hardware encoding is not available.
KeePass 2.61.1
Installs and opens its databases.
Battle.net
Install and sign-in, Overwatch 2, Diablo Immortal and Hearthstone. Games with kernel-level anti-cheat stay blocked.

These four are only examples: the full list of tested Windows apps and games is much longer, and it grows with every patch. A program enters it only after a real test; the compatibility layer decides, not us.

See every Windows app and game we tested

Games

Steam runs Windows games through Proton. The Gaming edition installs Steam, Heroic, Lutris and Bottles from one page, adds Proton-GE, and checks a game’s reports and anti-cheat before you buy it.

Some online games with kernel-level anti-cheat refuse to start on any Linux system. Check the game before you count on it.

Search the apps and games

The steps

  1. Check the PC

    A 64-bit processor, 2 GB of RAM and 20 GB of storage at the minimum; 4 GB of RAM and 40 GB on an SSD for comfortable use.

    System requirements

  2. Copy your files

    To an external drive or a cloud folder, as above. Open a few of them from the copy to be sure.

  3. Download and check the image

    One image for every edition. Compare its SHA-256 checksum, and its GPG signature if you can.

    Download Cyclop OS

  4. Write it to a USB stick

    A stick of 8 GB or more. Everything on it is erased.

    How to install Cyclop OS

  5. Install

    Start the PC from the stick and follow the installer. You choose the edition there; a paid edition asks you to sign in to your Cyclop account.

  6. Settle in

    Copy your files back, install your apps from Cyclop Store, and pick the Windows desktop layout in Settings if you want the taskbar you know.

Questions

Is Community really free?

Yes. Community costs nothing and has no time limit. The paid editions add apps and email support.

What do the paid editions cost?

Education €12, Pro €48 and Gaming €60 a year per computer, VAT included.

Will it look like Windows?

If you want it to. Cyclop OS has four desktop layouts in every edition, one of them a Windows-style taskbar and start menu.

Who helps me if I am stuck?

Paid editions include email support, with a first answer within two working days. Community is supported through the forum and the help center.

Can I go back to Windows?

Yes, by reinstalling Windows from its own installation media. That is why the copy of your files comes first.

Ready to try it?

Start with Community on a spare PC, then move the rest of the fleet.

Download Cyclop OS Talk to the team