STEEL OS_
Built solid. Plays everything.
A desktop that works the way Windows does, on a Linux that cannot break itself. Updates land every Tuesday with the previous version one click away. One app store. Printers and network that just work. Steam games out of the box.
The first public release is being built. One download for every PC: Steel OS detects your graphics card itself.
Five promises, in plain English
Updates that cannot break your PC
The whole system updates as one piece, in the background, every Tuesday. The version before is always in the boot menu. If anything goes wrong, you pick it and you are back.
Easy like Windows
A start menu, a taskbar, windows that overlap. Add a printer, find the other computers in the house, and install apps without ever opening a terminal.
Plays your games
Steam and Proton are already installed. Xbox, PlayStation and most flight sticks work when you plug them in. Built on Bazzite, the Linux the Steam Deck crowd runs.
One place to get apps
One store, one Install button. Slack, Zoom, Discord, Chrome, GIMP, LibreOffice and the rest are a click away, and they update themselves.
Security built in
System files are read-only. Apps run in their own sandbox. Secure Boot stays on. Nothing to buy, nothing to install.
Ready on first login
Built in
One click away
Games and streaming
Tuesday, like clockwork
Steel OS checks for updates every Tuesday morning, downloads them in the background, and applies them at your next restart. You get a small note saying a restart is ready. Nothing interrupts you, nothing nags.
Every update keeps the version before it. If something looks wrong afterwards, restart, pick the earlier version from the menu, and you are exactly where you were.
You can change the day, or turn automatic updates off, in Settings.
Weekly active devices
Fedora counts active devices once a week, anonymously: no names, no serial numbers, only the OS version. Steel OS shows its own line here as soon as the first release is out. You can turn the count off in one setting.
Statistics provided by DNF Count Me, Fedora's anonymous device count.
What you need
| Computer | Any 64-bit PC from the last ten years. Desktops and laptops. |
|---|---|
| Memory | 8 GB recommended, 4 GB minimum. |
| Disk | 64 GB free. Steel OS keeps a previous version, so give it room. |
| Graphics | AMD, Intel or NVIDIA. Steel OS detects which and installs the right driver itself. |
| Secure Boot | Can stay on. The installer enrols its key and asks for a one-time password. |
| To install | A USB stick of 8 GB or more, and a backup of anything on the drive you install to. |
Straight answers
Is Steel OS Windows?
No. It is Linux underneath, built on Bazzite and Fedora. It is designed so a Windows user feels at home: a start menu, a taskbar, overlapping windows, a settings app, and an app store. Windows programs do not run directly; most have a Linux version or a one-click equivalent, and Windows games run through Proton.
Will my games work?
Most of them. Steam and Proton run tens of thousands of Windows games. The exceptions are games whose anti-cheat blocks Linux, such as some big online shooters. The EA app and Battle.net run through Lutris. Check your game on ProtonDB before you switch.
What about Xbox Game Pass?
Cloud streaming only. The Xbox Cloud Gaming app is one click away and plays well. Downloading PC Game Pass games to the machine is not possible on any Linux, because Microsoft's Xbox app does not exist for Linux.
Will my printer work?
Most modern printers are found when you click Add in the Printers settings page, with no driver to hunt for. Scanning is built in. Older printers may need a driver, and Steel OS ships the common ones.
Can I go back to Windows?
Yes. Steel OS can install next to Windows and let you pick at startup, or replace it. Either way, back up first.
Is it free?
Yes. Steel OS is free to download and use. It is built from free software, and the source code will be published with the first release.
Who makes it?
Steel OS is a Steel & Code project, made in partnership with Blackbox Entertainment: a developer and a product director who wanted a PC that does not need a mechanic. It is built on Bazzite by the Universal Blue community and on Fedora.