# Welcome to elementary OS

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Important Disclaimer**

* This is an **unofficial handbook** that contains partially rewritten articles from the official elementary OS website, and some individual user experience.
* The creator of this handbook is no longer interested in maintaining it. You are free to copy, rewrite, or do whatever you want with it.
  {% endhint %}

[elementary OS](https://elementary.io/) is a Linux distro based on [Ubuntu LTS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_LTS). It is designed for those who prefer a simple, fast, and light desktop experience. The operating system, the desktop environment Pantheon, and related applications are developed by [Elementary, Inc](https://elementary.io/brand).

<figure><img src="/files/DTDGxl4BRxx9eVq3VyMS" alt=""><figcaption><p>elementary OS desktop</p></figcaption></figure>

Although elementary OS is an intuitive distro with clear and polished user interface that you can easily interpret and navigate through, this handbook is offered to you to infinitely enjoy the experience of exploring the elementary OS universe.

The primary goal of the handbook is to help both newcomers to the Linux world who have chosen elementary OS as their first system, and the users migrating to elementary OS from other distros.

If elementary OS is your choice, feel free to research a brave new world:

* [Take a tour](/elementary-os-user-handbook/overview/desktop-tour.md) over the elementary OS Pantheon desktop.
* [Set up](/elementary-os-user-handbook/get-started/explore-system-settings.md) and [customize](/elementary-os-user-handbook/get-started/customize-desktop.md) your system.
* Install and use the applications you need.
* Discover the [elementary OS features](/elementary-os-user-handbook/overview/system-idiosyncrasies.md).
* [Shoot the troubles](/elementary-os-user-handbook/troubleshooting/installation-issues.md) you encounter while traveling through the elementary OS world.

Go ahead and enjoy! 😉

{% hint style="info" %}
All the procedures and features are described in accordance with the [elementary OS Horus release](https://blog.elementary.io/os-7-available-now/). You can find the articles helpful for previous elementary OS versions as well, but things are changing with time.
{% endhint %}

## Quick Links

We've put together some helpful links for you to begin with elementary OS quickly and easily.

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th><th data-hidden></th><th data-hidden></th><th data-hidden></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="files"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href="/pages/Q97rOhdj4sSe8HosdcXw">/pages/Q97rOhdj4sSe8HosdcXw</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td><a href="/files/4fvE34f3W7HK2bnZ2Cwv">/files/4fvE34f3W7HK2bnZ2Cwv</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/pages/lNX0vdOsWvpadKgdXhZV">/pages/lNX0vdOsWvpadKgdXhZV</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td><a href="/files/xSxw9fHM5anSVh79p1vQ">/files/xSxw9fHM5anSVh79p1vQ</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/pages/c29oTnseNMyslIOhGMSX">/pages/c29oTnseNMyslIOhGMSX</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td><a href="/files/NWTGUIRVDwOOmZq1F7IK">/files/NWTGUIRVDwOOmZq1F7IK</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


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