Simple OS 1.0.5

Simple OS 1.0.5

SOS – Simple Operating System. Keep it Simple.

Simple OS is a fast, quiet desktop built on Debian 12 "bookworm". It boots straight into a calm dark desktop
(Openbox, Catppuccin colors), sets itself up with a short wizard and keeps itself up to date. You don't
need a terminal.

What's new in 1.0.5

A bugfix update with a few small new features and a new ISO. If you run Simple OS 1.0 to 1.0.4, you get it
through Software Updates – no need to reinstall. Restart once after the update (Software Updates asks for it on
computers with Bluetooth). The first time you sign in afterwards, a short "What's new" window shows the highlights.

Easier to find your way

• Clearer menus. The right-click menu is sorted into Apps, Settings, Tools and Help. Every entry under
  Settings opens the matching page of the Control Center. Menus you changed yourself keep your changes.
• The Control Center has more, smaller pages. Keyboard, Date & Time, Notifications, Printers & Scanners,
  Storage & Backups, Password & Security and System & Updates each have their own page now, instead of one long
  "System" page. Duplicate launchers for the same settings are hidden from the app menu.

New

• Choose your default apps (issue #38). Control Center → Apps: which app opens web links, emails, PDFs, pictures,
  music, videos and text files.
• Startup apps (issue #39). On the same page: switch off apps that start by themselves when you sign in (Steam,
  Discord …), or add one.
• Battery level of Bluetooth headphones (issue #37) in Control Center → Bluetooth and in the Bluetooth menu of the
  taskbar, for headphones that report it.
• A calendar (issue #45). Click the clock in the taskbar to see the month; click it again (or press Esc) to close
  it. "Date & Time settings" opens the Control Center page.
• Windows and Simple OS on one computer (issue #46). Windows keeps the computer's clock in local time, Linux in
  UTC, so the time was off by an hour or more after using Windows. New installations next to Windows now keep the clock
  the way Windows does. Already installed? Control Center → Date & Time → "Keep the clock like Windows does". The same
  page explains what to do when you can't change files on your Windows drive (Windows "fast startup").
• "What's new" window (issue #65) after updates, once per new version. Find it again under Menu → Help → What's New.

Fixed

• Signing out and in again. Afterwards the power button works on the login screen again, and automatic night
  light, the day/night wallpaper and update messages keep working without a restart.
• Search and app menu with a Swiss, German or French keyboard. Y and Z (or A and Q) were swapped there when you
  opened them by tapping the Super key.
• Updates reach your menu. On systems where an earlier update had to keep the old right-click menu, the new menu
  now arrives too.
• Wi-Fi country follows the time zone you set in Control Center → Date & Time (before, only the one from the
  installation).
• Startup apps added by hand no longer try to open a file named "%U".
• No "USB drive is ready" messages during the installation for the partitions the installer works on – the
  "Safely remove" button there could have unplugged the disk in the middle of the installation.

Download

File	What it is
Simple-OS.iso	The live and installer image (about 1.5 GB)
Simple-OS.iso.sha256	Checksum to make sure the download is complete and unchanged
Simple-OS.packages.txt	Every Debian package with its exact version (for source code requests)

Check the download

• Linux: sha256sum -c Simple-OS.iso.sha256 (in the download folder) should print Simple-OS.iso: OK
• Windows (PowerShell): Get-FileHash Simple-OS.iso and compare the hash with the one in Simple-OS.iso.sha256

Make a USB stick (4 GB or larger, everything on it is erased)

• Windows / macOS / Linux: balenaEtcher – pick the ISO, pick the stick, Flash.
• Windows: Rufus also works. If it asks, choose "Write in DD Image mode".
• Linux: open Disks (gnome-disks), select the stick, choose Restore Disk Image… and pick the ISO.

Start the computer from the stick. Usually that's F12, F9, F2 or Esc right after power-on, depending on the brand.
The live system needs no password – not for the installer either. Only if something unexpected asks: the user is
simple and the password is live.
To install, use Install Simple OS on the desktop.

The other files attached here (simpleos_1.0.5_all.deb, Packages, InRelease …) are the signed update repository that
installed systems use. You don't need to download them yourself.

System requirements

• 64-bit PC (x86-64) with UEFI or legacy BIOS. Secure Boot is supported, so you can leave it on.
• 2 GB RAM (1 GB minimum for the installer, 4 GB or more is recommended for browsing and gaming)
• 20 GB disk space (the installer accepts 10 GB)
• Internet for the setup wizard (browser, office suite, games) and for updates

What's inside

• Setup wizard on first login: Wi-Fi, browser (Firefox, Chromium or Mullvad Browser), light/dark,
  accent color, office suite (LibreOffice or ONLYOFFICE) and an optional gaming setup (Steam, Lutris, MangoHud)
• Control Center (Super+I) for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, sound, display and brightness, appearance, notifications, mouse &
  touchpad, keyboard, printers, power and screen lock, default and startup apps, date & time, storage and backups,
  password and firewall, updates and drivers
• Software Store (Flathub) and Software Updates with a single password prompt. Firmware and BIOS updates
  from the LVFS are included, and so are new versions of Simple OS itself: you don't need to reinstall to get
  the next Simple OS. Settings you changed yourself are kept.
• Hardware & Drivers: detects NVIDIA graphics, Wi-Fi chips and CPU microcode and installs what is missing
• Backups: restore points with Timeshift, optionally created before every update
• Firewall on by default: other devices can't connect to you, while browsing, printing and updates keep working
• Battery care (charge to 80 %) on laptops that support it, power modes, and protection against freezing
  when memory runs out (earlyoom)
• Printers & scanners are found automatically on the network and over USB
• Report a Problem (Menu → Help) saves the details of your computer to a file you can attach to a bug report.
  Your name, user name, network names and addresses are removed.
• Kernel 6.12 and current firmware from Debian backports, for recent laptops

Known issues

• English only. The installer lets you choose your language and keyboard, but the Simple OS tools
  (Control Center, wizard, messages) are in English. The keyboard layout can be changed at any time in
  Control Center → Keyboard.
• Firewall and LAN games: hosting a game for others on your local network, and Steam Remote Play as the host,
  are blocked by the firewall. Turn it off for that time in Control Center → Password & Security.
• Lenovo laptops: the first start after installing may show "Self-Healing BIOS ESP" once. That's
  Lenovo's firmware restoring its backup on the new disk layout and is harmless. It does not come back.
• NVIDIA with Secure Boot: the NVIDIA driver (Control Center → System & Updates → Hardware & Drivers) only works
  with Secure Boot turned off in the firmware settings, because the firmware doesn't know the key it is signed with.
  Simple OS itself starts with Secure Boot on. Install the NVIDIA driver only after turning Secure Boot off.
• BIOS/firmware updates only install while the laptop is plugged in. Whether your model gets them depends on
  the manufacturer (LVFS).
• Battery care is only shown if the laptop supports a charge limit (most Lenovo, ASUS, Dell, HP and
  Framework models do).
• Debian 12 base: security updates come from Debian until June 2028 (Debian LTS). A version based on
  Debian 13 is planned.

Found a bug?

Open Menu → Help → Report a Problem. It saves a report file to your Desktop and opens the
issue page. Drag the file into the issue and describe
what happened.

License and source code

Simple OS's own scripts and settings are licensed under the GNU GPL, version 3 or later (see LICENSE).
Simple OS is built from Debian packages. Each keeps its own license in /usr/share/doc/<package>/copyright. The
source code of every package (versions in Simple-OS.packages.txt of this release; Debian's own updates since then
come straight from Debian) is available from
snapshot.debian.org and sources.debian.org.

Simple OS 1.0.4

Simple OS 1.0.4

SOS – Simple Operating System. Keep it Simple.

Simple OS is a fast, quiet desktop built on Debian 12 "bookworm". It boots straight into a calm dark desktop
(Openbox, Catppuccin colors), sets itself up with a short wizard and keeps itself up to date. You don't
need a terminal.

What's new in 1.0.4

A bugfix update with a new ISO (the installer changed). If you run Simple OS 1.0 to 1.0.3, you get it through
Software Updates – no need to reinstall.
It adds git and a small screen-lock helper (xss-lock) and removes nothing. Sign out and in once after the update
(or restart) so the new screen and power-button settings start.

• The screen locks when you leave. After the time set in Control Center → Power → "Turn off the screen after"
  (10 minutes by default) the screen goes dark and the login screen asks for your password. Don't want that? Switch
  off "Lock when the screen turns off" right below it. On laptops the time you set is now really used, also after
  plugging the charger in or out (before, the laptop's power manager put its own 15/10 minutes back).
• Videos keep the screen on. Browsers and video players can now stop the screen from turning off – also on desktop
  PCs, where that did not work before.
• The power button asks first. Pressing it opens the power menu (Lock, Sleep, Restart, Shut down, Sign out)
  instead of shutting down at once. On some laptops (e.g. Lenovo ThinkBook) the firmware ignores a quick tap while
  the computer runs – hold the button for about a second.
• New: Brightness slider in Control Center → Display (laptops), for keyboards without brightness keys.
• Wi-Fi uses your country's rules. The Wi-Fi country now follows your time zone (before, a chip could guess the
  wrong country and miss channels your router uses).
• git is included, the first tool many tutorials ask for.
• Systems in other languages: on a German (or any non-English) installation the network menu and the Setup Wizard
  thought you were offline with Wi-Fi off, although you were connected. Fixed.
• Computers without UEFI (older PCs, "legacy BIOS"): GRUB updates work. The installer never told the system which
  disk holds the boot loader, so the next GRUB update from Debian would have stopped with an error – and every update
  after it. 1.0.4 answers that once by itself; GRUB updates then go to the disk it is on. If another boot loader owns
  the start of the disk, updates leave it alone.
• Installing from the USB stick (issues #62, #64):
  • The installer can no longer run twice. A double click (or the desktop icon plus the Welcome button) started a
    second copy that put a live-system file back while the first one was partitioning.
  • While it installs, the computer does not go to sleep, also not when the laptop lid is closed. The power button and
    the power menu ask first: switching off while the installer resizes a partition can leave every system on the disk
    unable to start. "Shut down anyway" is still there if the installer really hangs.
  • Partitions of this computer that you opened in the file manager are closed before the installer starts; if one is
    still in use, a message says so instead of an installation that stops right after it started.
  • "Lock" and Super+L in Live Mode no longer lock you out of the live session (its password is unknown to you).
  • Before the restart at the end, a window asks you to remove the USB stick – otherwise the computer could start the
    live system again instead of your new Simple OS. Pulling the stick before the restart is safe now.
• Setup Wizard: easier internet step (issue #63). Already online (network cable or a known Wi-Fi)? Then the
  wizard skips the step. Otherwise it shows three numbered steps (click your network, type its password, click
  Connect), says for which network the password is, and has an eye button to show what you typed. Clicking Next
  after typing the password connects first instead of moving on offline.
• Installations in other languages (issue #31): the language you picked in the installer (e.g. German) was set,
  but never generated – programs stayed in English and every update printed "perl: warning: Setting locale failed".
  The dictionary and Firefox in your language were never installed during the installation either. Both work now;
  on an installed system the update generates the missing language once (sign out and in afterwards).
• The login keyring works from the first login on (issue #32). In the first session after the installation
  Chromium, Discord and other apps asked for a password for a new keyring – or waited for a window that never
  appeared. Now the keyring is unlocked with your login password right away.
• Other systems stay in the boot menu. With Windows or another Linux on the disk, the first GRUB update from
  Debian removed them from the menu at startup. The update brings them back once and keeps them there.
• Install next to another system on older PCs (BIOS/MBR): "Install alongside" stopped with "The installer failed
  to create a partition" when the partition to shrink was inside an extended partition (logical partitions, common on
  older PCs with several systems). It works now, and the partition that was marked as active stays active (some older
  BIOSes do not start a disk without one).
• Fixes:
  • Control Center → System → Date & Time: cancelling the password window showed "The setting could not be changed".
  • Text you type into the app menu and the search was dark teal on a dark field and hard to read.
  • The Task Manager cut off the Memory column.
  • In light mode some symbols (like Sound in the Control Center) were light gray on white.
  • The Welcome window was taller than small screens (1366×768).
  • The Software Store list had a black frame.
  • "Report a Problem" now also hides Bluetooth addresses written with underscores.

Download

File	What it is
Simple-OS.iso	The live and installer image (about 1.5 GB)
Simple-OS.iso.sha256	Checksum to make sure the download is complete and unchanged
Simple-OS.packages.txt	Every Debian package with its exact version (for source code requests)

Check the download

• Linux: sha256sum -c Simple-OS.iso.sha256 (in the download folder) should print Simple-OS.iso: OK
• Windows (PowerShell): Get-FileHash Simple-OS.iso and compare the hash with the one in Simple-OS.iso.sha256

Make a USB stick (4 GB or larger, everything on it is erased)

• Windows / macOS / Linux: balenaEtcher – pick the ISO, pick the stick, Flash.
• Windows: Rufus also works. If it asks, choose "Write in DD Image mode".
• Linux: open Disks (gnome-disks), select the stick, choose Restore Disk Image… and pick the ISO.

Start the computer from the stick. Usually that's F12, F9, F2 or Esc right after power-on, depending on the brand.
The live system needs no password – not for the installer either. Only if something unexpected asks: the user is
simple and the password is live.
To install, use Install Simple OS on the desktop.

The other files attached here (simpleos_1.0.4_all.deb, Packages, InRelease …) are the signed update repository that
installed systems use. You don't need to download them yourself.

System requirements

• 64-bit PC (x86-64) with UEFI or legacy BIOS. Secure Boot is supported, so you can leave it on.
• 2 GB RAM (1 GB minimum for the installer, 4 GB or more is recommended for browsing and gaming)
• 20 GB disk space (the installer accepts 10 GB)
• Internet for the setup wizard (browser, office suite, games) and for updates

What's inside

• Setup wizard on first login: Wi-Fi, browser (Firefox, Chromium or Mullvad Browser), light/dark,
  accent color, office suite (LibreOffice or ONLYOFFICE) and an optional gaming setup (Steam, Lutris, MangoHud)
• Control Center (Super+I) for sound, display and brightness, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, appearance, mouse & touchpad,
  power and screen lock, date & time and system settings
• Software Store (Flathub) and Software Updates with a single password prompt. Firmware and BIOS updates
  from the LVFS are included, and so are new versions of Simple OS itself: you don't need to reinstall to get
  the next Simple OS. Settings you changed yourself are kept.
• Hardware & Drivers: detects NVIDIA graphics, Wi-Fi chips and CPU microcode and installs what is missing
• Backups: restore points with Timeshift, optionally created before every update
• Firewall on by default: other devices can't connect to you, while browsing, printing and updates keep working
• Battery care (charge to 80 %) on laptops that support it, power modes, and protection against freezing
  when memory runs out (earlyoom)
• Printers & scanners are found automatically on the network and over USB
• Report a Problem (Menu → Help) saves the details of your computer to a file you can attach to a bug report.
  Your name, user name, network names and addresses are removed.
• Kernel 6.12 and current firmware from Debian backports, for recent laptops

Known issues

• English only. The installer lets you choose your language and keyboard, but the Simple OS tools
  (Control Center, wizard, messages) are in English. The keyboard layout can be changed at any time in
  Control Center → System.
• Firewall and LAN games: hosting a game for others on your local network, and Steam Remote Play as the host,
  are blocked by the firewall. Turn it off for that time in Control Center → System → Security.
• Lenovo laptops: the first start after installing may show "Self-Healing BIOS ESP" once. That's
  Lenovo's firmware restoring its backup on the new disk layout and is harmless. It does not come back.
• NVIDIA with Secure Boot: the NVIDIA driver (Control Center → System → Hardware & ...

Simple OS 1.0.3

Simple OS 1.0.3

SOS – Simple Operating System. Keep it Simple.

Simple OS is a fast, quiet desktop built on Debian 12 "bookworm". It boots straight into a calm dark desktop
(Openbox, Catppuccin colors), sets itself up with a short wizard and keeps itself up to date. You don't
need a terminal.

What's new in 1.0.3

A maintenance update. If you run Simple OS 1.0, 1.0.1 or 1.0.2, you get it through Software Updates – no need to
reinstall. The update adds a few small packages (about 60 MB) and removes nothing.

• Night light works. On real computers the setting did nothing before; now the screen turns warm.
• New: Mouse & Touchpad in the Control Center – natural scrolling, tap to click and pointer speed. Your settings
  stay for mice you plug in later.
• New: Date & Time in the Control Center – set the time automatically, change the time zone, change your password.
• New: Wi-Fi band. If downloads drop to a few kB/s although the signal is strong (some routers' 5 GHz channel is
  unstable), choose "2.4 GHz only" for that network in the Control Center → Wi-Fi.
• A monitor, projector or TV you plug in turns on by itself and extends the desktop (Super+P changes it). Before,
  it stayed dark.
• Your language. Dictionaries, Firefox and LibreOffice come in the language you chose in the installer (needs the
  internet; otherwise they follow with the first Software Updates). Before, LibreOffice always got a German dictionary.
• Sound on newer laptops: speakers and microphone profiles (alsa-ucm-conf) were missing, so some laptops had no
  microphone or only a generic output. alsamixer is there now.
• Web pages in every script: Arabic, Hebrew, Thai, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese and more show letters instead of empty
  boxes.
• The basics are in the box: curl, wget, unzip, zip and ssh, and OpenVPN for the network menu.
• The system log is limited to 200 MB.
• Fixes: the Bluetooth switch could not turn on a Bluetooth that was blocked by the radio switch; "Report a
  Problem" now contains Wi-Fi quality data (signal, retries, band) to help with slow connections; the title of one
  Control Center page was missing.

Download

File	What it is
Simple-OS.iso	The live and installer image (about 1.5 GB)
Simple-OS.iso.sha256	Checksum to make sure the download is complete and unchanged
Simple-OS.packages.txt	Every Debian package with its exact version (for source code requests)

Check the download

• Linux: sha256sum -c Simple-OS.iso.sha256 (in the download folder) should print Simple-OS.iso: OK
• Windows (PowerShell): Get-FileHash Simple-OS.iso and compare the hash with the one in Simple-OS.iso.sha256

Make a USB stick (4 GB or larger, everything on it is erased)

• Windows / macOS / Linux: balenaEtcher – pick the ISO, pick the stick, Flash.
• Windows: Rufus also works. If it asks, choose "Write in DD Image mode".
• Linux: open Disks (gnome-disks), select the stick, choose Restore Disk Image… and pick the ISO.

Start the computer from the stick. Usually that's F12, F9, F2 or Esc right after power-on, depending on the brand.
The live system needs no password – not for the installer either. Only if something unexpected asks: the user is
simple and the password is live.
To install, use Install Simple OS on the desktop.

System requirements

• 64-bit PC (x86-64) with UEFI or legacy BIOS. Secure Boot is supported, so you can leave it on.
• 2 GB RAM (1 GB minimum for the installer, 4 GB or more is recommended for browsing and gaming)
• 20 GB disk space (the installer accepts 10 GB)
• Internet for the setup wizard (browser, office suite, games) and for updates

What's inside

• Setup wizard on first login: Wi-Fi, browser (Firefox, Chromium or Mullvad Browser), light/dark,
  accent color, office suite (LibreOffice or ONLYOFFICE) and an optional gaming setup (Steam, Lutris, MangoHud)
• Control Center (Super+I) for sound, display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, appearance, power and system settings
• Software Store (Flathub) and Software Updates with a single password prompt. Firmware and BIOS updates
  from the LVFS are included, and so are new versions of Simple OS itself: you don't need to reinstall to get
  the next Simple OS. Settings you changed yourself are kept.
• Hardware & Drivers: detects NVIDIA graphics, Wi-Fi chips and CPU microcode and installs what is missing
• Backups: restore points with Timeshift, optionally created before every update
• Firewall on by default: other devices can't connect to you, while browsing, printing and updates keep working
• Battery care (charge to 80 %) on laptops that support it, power modes, and protection against freezing
  when memory runs out (earlyoom)
• Printers & scanners are found automatically on the network and over USB
• Report a Problem (Menu → Help) saves the details of your computer to a file you can attach to a bug report.
  Your name, user name, network names and addresses are removed.
• Kernel 6.12 and current firmware from Debian backports, for recent laptops

Known issues

• English only. The installer lets you choose your language and keyboard, but the Simple OS tools
  (Control Center, wizard, messages) are in English. The keyboard layout can be changed at any time in
  Control Center → System.
• Firewall and LAN games: hosting a game for others on your local network, and Steam Remote Play as the host,
  are blocked by the firewall. Turn it off for that time in Control Center → System → Security.
• Lenovo laptops: the first start after installing may show "Self-Healing BIOS ESP" once. That's
  Lenovo's firmware restoring its backup on the new disk layout and is harmless. It does not come back.
• NVIDIA with Secure Boot: the NVIDIA driver (Control Center → System → Hardware & Drivers) only works
  with Secure Boot turned off in the firmware settings, because the firmware doesn't know the key it is signed with.
  Simple OS itself starts with Secure Boot on. Install the NVIDIA driver only after turning Secure Boot off.
• BIOS/firmware updates only install while the laptop is plugged in. Whether your model gets them depends on
  the manufacturer (LVFS).
• Battery care is only shown if the laptop supports a charge limit (most Lenovo, ASUS, Dell, HP and
  Framework models do).
• Debian 12 base: security updates come from Debian until June 2028 (Debian LTS). A version based on
  Debian 13 is planned.

Found a bug?

Open Menu → Help → Report a Problem. It saves a report file to your Desktop and opens the
issue page. Drag the file into the issue and describe
what happened.

License and source code

Simple OS's own scripts and settings are licensed under the GNU GPL, version 3 or later (see LICENSE).
Simple OS is built from Debian packages. Each keeps its own license in /usr/share/doc/<package>/copyright. The
source code of every package in this release (versions in Simple-OS.packages.txt) is available from
snapshot.debian.org and sources.debian.org.

Simple OS 1.0.2

Simple OS 1.0.2

SOS – Simple Operating System. Keep it Simple.

Simple OS is a fast, quiet desktop built on Debian 12 "bookworm". It boots straight into a calm dark desktop
(Openbox, Catppuccin colors), sets itself up with a short wizard and keeps itself up to date. You don't
need a terminal.

What's new in 1.0.2

A maintenance update. If you run Simple OS 1.0 or 1.0.1, you get it through Software Updates – no need to
reinstall. The update adds a few small packages (about 40 MB) and removes nothing.

• The clock is set over the internet now. Before, nothing kept the time right; on a computer that also runs
  Windows it was often off by hours.
• Apps that start with the computer work. "Start Steam / Discord / … when I sign in" did nothing before.
• Previews in the file manager for pictures, PDFs and more.
• No keyring password prompts. Apps that store passwords (Chromium, Signal, Discord, VS Code …) used to ask
  for a new "keyring" password; the keyring now opens with your login password.
• Smoother video: hardware video decoding is available for Intel and AMD graphics (less heat and battery use).
• Smoother under memory pressure: memory settings now fit the compressed swap Simple OS uses.
• Media keys (play/pause, next, previous) and Super+L to lock the screen.
• After an installation about 175 MB of leftovers of the installer are removed.
• Startup of the secure boot files: updates of Debian's boot loader (shim, GRUB) now reach the EFI partition,
  and a fallback loader is added if there is none, so the computer still starts after a firmware reset.
• Fixes: the Hardware & Drivers assistant no longer offers an unsuitable NVIDIA driver to GeForce RTX 50 cards;
  Control Center shows all refresh rates of a monitor and refreshes a page that is opened again; sliders for volume
  no longer stutter; Bluetooth keyboards and phones can be paired (the window with the code opens); Wi-Fi passwords
  are no longer visible to other programs while connecting; chat messages and mails that mention "battery" or "power" are no
  longer hidden on desktop computers; removing Firefox no longer changes Simple OS's own default settings;
  the accent color no longer changes the "Install Simple OS" badge; night light stays on after waking up; the
  calculator in the search shows 2**3 correctly and understands 1,000.

Download

File	What it is
Simple-OS.iso	The live and installer image (about 1.5 GB)
Simple-OS.iso.sha256	Checksum to make sure the download is complete and unchanged
Simple-OS.packages.txt	Every Debian package with its exact version (for source code requests)

Check the download

• Linux: sha256sum -c Simple-OS.iso.sha256 (in the download folder) should print Simple-OS.iso: OK
• Windows (PowerShell): Get-FileHash Simple-OS.iso and compare the hash with the one in Simple-OS.iso.sha256

Make a USB stick (4 GB or larger, everything on it is erased)

• Windows / macOS / Linux: balenaEtcher – pick the ISO, pick the stick, Flash.
• Windows: Rufus also works. If it asks, choose "Write in DD Image mode".
• Linux: open Disks (gnome-disks), select the stick, choose Restore Disk Image… and pick the ISO.

Start the computer from the stick. Usually that's F12, F9, F2 or Esc right after power-on, depending on the brand.
The live system needs no password – not for the installer either. Only if something unexpected asks: the user is
simple and the password is live.
To install, use Install Simple OS on the desktop.

System requirements

• 64-bit PC (x86-64) with UEFI or legacy BIOS. Secure Boot is supported, so you can leave it on.
• 2 GB RAM (1 GB minimum for the installer, 4 GB or more is recommended for browsing and gaming)
• 20 GB disk space (the installer accepts 10 GB)
• Internet for the setup wizard (browser, office suite, games) and for updates

What's inside

• Setup wizard on first login: Wi-Fi, browser (Firefox, Chromium or Mullvad Browser), light/dark,
  accent color, office suite (LibreOffice or ONLYOFFICE) and an optional gaming setup (Steam, Lutris, MangoHud)
• Control Center (Super+I) for sound, display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, appearance, power and system settings
• Software Store (Flathub) and Software Updates with a single password prompt. Firmware and BIOS updates
  from the LVFS are included, and so are new versions of Simple OS itself: you don't need to reinstall to get
  the next Simple OS. Settings you changed yourself are kept.
• Hardware & Drivers: detects NVIDIA graphics, Wi-Fi chips and CPU microcode and installs what is missing
• Backups: restore points with Timeshift, optionally created before every update
• Firewall on by default: other devices can't connect to you, while browsing, printing and updates keep working
• Battery care (charge to 80 %) on laptops that support it, power modes, and protection against freezing
  when memory runs out (earlyoom)
• Printers & scanners are found automatically on the network and over USB
• Report a Problem (Menu → Help) saves the details of your computer to a file you can attach to a bug report.
  Your name, user name, network names and addresses are removed.
• Kernel 6.12 and current firmware from Debian backports, for recent laptops

Known issues

• English only. The installer lets you choose your language and keyboard, but the Simple OS tools
  (Control Center, wizard, messages) are in English. The keyboard layout can be changed at any time in
  Control Center → System.
• Firewall and LAN games: hosting a game for others on your local network, and Steam Remote Play as the host,
  are blocked by the firewall. Turn it off for that time in Control Center → System → Security.
• Lenovo laptops: the first start after installing may show "Self-Healing BIOS ESP" once. That's
  Lenovo's firmware restoring its backup on the new disk layout and is harmless. It does not come back.
• NVIDIA with Secure Boot: the NVIDIA driver (Control Center → System → Hardware & Drivers) only works
  with Secure Boot turned off in the firmware settings, because the firmware doesn't know the key it is signed with.
  Simple OS itself starts with Secure Boot on. Install the NVIDIA driver only after turning Secure Boot off.
• BIOS/firmware updates only install while the laptop is plugged in. Whether your model gets them depends on
  the manufacturer (LVFS).
• Battery care is only shown if the laptop supports a charge limit (most Lenovo, ASUS, Dell, HP and
  Framework models do).
• Debian 12 base: security updates come from Debian until June 2028 (Debian LTS). A version based on
  Debian 13 is planned.

Found a bug?

Open Menu → Help → Report a Problem. It saves a report file to your Desktop and opens the
issue page. Drag the file into the issue and describe
what happened.

License and source code

Simple OS's own scripts and settings are licensed under the GNU GPL, version 3 or later (see LICENSE).
Simple OS is built from Debian packages. Each keeps its own license in /usr/share/doc/<package>/copyright. The
source code of every package in this release (versions in Simple-OS.packages.txt) is available from
snapshot.debian.org and sources.debian.org.

Simple OS 1.0.1

Simple OS 1.0.1

SOS – Simple Operating System. Keep it Simple.

Simple OS is a fast, quiet desktop built on Debian 12 "bookworm". It boots straight into a calm dark desktop
(Openbox, Catppuccin colors), sets itself up with a short wizard and keeps itself up to date. You don't
need a terminal.

What's new in 1.0.1

A maintenance update. If you run Simple OS 1.0, you get it through Software Updates – no need to reinstall.

• Updates are checked regularly. Simple OS looks for updates 2 minutes after you sign in and then every
  12 hours, also after the laptop wakes up from sleep. Before, it only checked once after signing in.
• App updates are offered too. Updates for apps from the Software Store (for example the Mullvad Browser or
  ONLYOFFICE) now show up in Software Updates by themselves. Before, they were only installed along with a
  system update.
• Office entries in the menu (LibreOffice, ONLYOFFICE) follow what is installed, also when you add or remove an
  office suite in the Software Center, and they have icons like the other entries. If you picked an office suite
  in the setup wizard of 1.0, your menu gets Simple OS improvements again from now on.
• Gaming with older NVIDIA cards (Kepler, driver 470): the gaming setup now installs the matching 32-bit
  graphics libraries, so Steam works with that driver.

Download

File	What it is
Simple-OS.iso	The live and installer image (about 1.5 GB)
Simple-OS.iso.sha256	Checksum to make sure the download is complete and unchanged
Simple-OS.packages.txt	Every Debian package with its exact version (for source code requests)

Check the download

• Linux: sha256sum -c Simple-OS.iso.sha256 (in the download folder) should print Simple-OS.iso: OK
• Windows (PowerShell): Get-FileHash Simple-OS.iso and compare the hash with the one in Simple-OS.iso.sha256

Make a USB stick (4 GB or larger, everything on it is erased)

• Windows / macOS / Linux: balenaEtcher – pick the ISO, pick the stick, Flash.
• Windows: Rufus also works. If it asks, choose "Write in DD Image mode".
• Linux: open Disks (gnome-disks), select the stick, choose Restore Disk Image… and pick the ISO.

Start the computer from the stick. Usually that's F12, F9, F2 or Esc right after power-on, depending on the brand.
The live system needs no password – not for the installer either. Only if something unexpected asks: the user is
simple and the password is live.
To install, use Install Simple OS on the desktop.

System requirements

• 64-bit PC (x86-64) with UEFI or legacy BIOS. Secure Boot is supported, so you can leave it on.
• 2 GB RAM (1 GB minimum for the installer, 4 GB or more is recommended for browsing and gaming)
• 20 GB disk space (the installer accepts 10 GB)
• Internet for the setup wizard (browser, office suite, games) and for updates

What's inside

• Setup wizard on first login: Wi-Fi, browser (Firefox, Chromium or Mullvad Browser), light/dark,
  accent color, office suite (LibreOffice or ONLYOFFICE) and an optional gaming setup (Steam, Lutris, MangoHud)
• Control Center (Super+I) for sound, display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, appearance, power and system settings
• Software Store (Flathub) and Software Updates with a single password prompt. Firmware and BIOS updates
  from the LVFS are included, and so are new versions of Simple OS itself: you don't need to reinstall to get
  the next Simple OS. Settings you changed yourself are kept.
• Hardware & Drivers: detects NVIDIA graphics, Wi-Fi chips and CPU microcode and installs what is missing
• Backups: restore points with Timeshift, optionally created before every update
• Firewall on by default: other devices can't connect to you, while browsing, printing and updates keep working
• Battery care (charge to 80 %) on laptops that support it, power modes, and protection against freezing
  when memory runs out (earlyoom)
• Printers & scanners are found automatically on the network and over USB
• Report a Problem (Menu → Help) saves the details of your computer to a file you can attach to a bug report.
  Your name, user name, network names and addresses are removed.
• Kernel 6.12 and current firmware from Debian backports, for recent laptops

Known issues

• English only. The installer lets you choose your language and keyboard, but the Simple OS tools
  (Control Center, wizard, messages) are in English. The keyboard layout can be changed at any time in
  Control Center → System.
• Firewall and LAN games: hosting a game for others on your local network, and Steam Remote Play as the host,
  are blocked by the firewall. Turn it off for that time in Control Center → System → Security.
• Lenovo laptops: the first start after installing may show "Self-Healing BIOS ESP" once. That's
  Lenovo's firmware restoring its backup on the new disk layout and is harmless. It does not come back.
• NVIDIA with Secure Boot: the NVIDIA driver (Control Center → System → Hardware & Drivers) only works
  with Secure Boot turned off in the firmware settings, because the firmware doesn't know the key it is signed with.
  Simple OS itself starts with Secure Boot on. Install the NVIDIA driver only after turning Secure Boot off.
• BIOS/firmware updates only install while the laptop is plugged in. Whether your model gets them depends on
  the manufacturer (LVFS).
• Battery care is only shown if the laptop supports a charge limit (most Lenovo, ASUS, Dell, HP and
  Framework models do).
• Debian 12 base: security updates come from Debian until June 2028 (Debian LTS). A version based on
  Debian 13 is planned.

Found a bug?

Open Menu → Help → Report a Problem. It saves a report file to your Desktop and opens the
issue page. Drag the file into the issue and describe
what happened.

License and source code

Simple OS's own scripts and settings are licensed under the GNU GPL, version 3 or later (see LICENSE).
Simple OS is built from Debian packages. Each keeps its own license in /usr/share/doc/<package>/copyright. The
source code of every package in this release (versions in Simple-OS.packages.txt) is available from
snapshot.debian.org and sources.debian.org.

Simple OS 1.0

Simple OS 1.0

SOS – Simple Operating System. Keep it Simple.

Simple OS is a fast, quiet desktop built on Debian 12 "bookworm". It boots straight into a calm dark desktop
(Openbox, Catppuccin colors), sets itself up with a short wizard and keeps itself up to date. You don't
need a terminal.

Download

File	What it is
Simple-OS.iso	The live and installer image (about 1.5 GB)
Simple-OS.iso.sha256	Checksum to make sure the download is complete and unchanged
Simple-OS.packages.txt	Every Debian package with its exact version (for source code requests)

Check the download

• Linux: sha256sum -c Simple-OS.iso.sha256 (in the download folder) should print Simple-OS.iso: OK
• Windows (PowerShell): Get-FileHash Simple-OS.iso and compare the hash with the one in Simple-OS.iso.sha256

Make a USB stick (4 GB or larger, everything on it is erased)

• Windows / macOS / Linux: balenaEtcher – pick the ISO, pick the stick, Flash.
• Windows: Rufus also works. If it asks, choose "Write in DD Image mode".
• Linux: open Disks (gnome-disks), select the stick, choose Restore Disk Image… and pick the ISO.

Start the computer from the stick. Usually that's F12, F9, F2 or Esc right after power-on, depending on the brand.
The live system needs no password – not for the installer either. Only if something unexpected asks: the user is
simple and the password is live.
To install, use Install Simple OS on the desktop.

System requirements

• 64-bit PC (x86-64) with UEFI or legacy BIOS. Secure Boot is supported, so you can leave it on.
• 2 GB RAM (1 GB minimum for the installer, 4 GB or more is recommended for browsing and gaming)
• 20 GB disk space (the installer accepts 10 GB)
• Internet for the setup wizard (browser, office suite, games) and for updates

What's inside

• Setup wizard on first login: Wi-Fi, browser (Firefox, Chromium or Mullvad Browser), light/dark,
  accent color, office suite (LibreOffice or ONLYOFFICE) and an optional gaming setup (Steam, Lutris, MangoHud)
• Control Center (Super+I) for sound, display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, appearance, power and system settings
• Software Store (Flathub) and Software Updates with a single password prompt. Firmware and BIOS updates
  from the LVFS are included, and so are new versions of Simple OS itself: you don't need to reinstall to get
  the next Simple OS. Settings you changed yourself are kept.
• Hardware & Drivers: detects NVIDIA graphics, Wi-Fi chips and CPU microcode and installs what is missing
• Backups: restore points with Timeshift, optionally created before every update
• Firewall on by default: other devices can't connect to you, while browsing, printing and updates keep working
• Battery care (charge to 80 %) on laptops that support it, power modes, and protection against freezing
  when memory runs out (earlyoom)
• Printers & scanners are found automatically on the network and over USB
• Report a Problem (Menu → Help) saves the details of your computer to a file you can attach to a bug report.
  Your name, user name, network names and addresses are removed.
• Kernel 6.12 and current firmware from Debian backports, for recent laptops

Known issues

• English only. The installer lets you choose your language and keyboard, but the Simple OS tools
  (Control Center, wizard, messages) are in English. The keyboard layout can be changed at any time in
  Control Center → System.
• Firewall and LAN games: hosting a game for others on your local network, and Steam Remote Play as the host,
  are blocked by the firewall. Turn it off for that time in Control Center → System → Security.
• Lenovo laptops: the first start after installing may show "Self-Healing BIOS ESP" once. That's
  Lenovo's firmware restoring its backup on the new disk layout and is harmless. It does not come back.
• NVIDIA with Secure Boot: the NVIDIA driver (Control Center → System → Hardware & Drivers) only works
  with Secure Boot turned off in the firmware settings, because the firmware doesn't know the key it is signed with.
  Simple OS itself starts with Secure Boot on. Install the NVIDIA driver only after turning Secure Boot off.
• BIOS/firmware updates only install while the laptop is plugged in. Whether your model gets them depends on
  the manufacturer (LVFS).
• Battery care is only shown if the laptop supports a charge limit (most Lenovo, ASUS, Dell, HP and
  Framework models do).
• Debian 12 base: security updates come from Debian until June 2028 (Debian LTS). A version based on
  Debian 13 is planned.

Found a bug?

Open Menu → Help → Report a Problem. It saves a report file to your Desktop and opens the
issue page. Drag the file into the issue and describe
what happened.

License and source code

Simple OS's own scripts and settings are licensed under the GNU GPL, version 3 or later (see LICENSE).
Simple OS is built from Debian packages. Each keeps its own license in /usr/share/doc/<package>/copyright. The
source code of every package in this release (versions in Simple-OS.packages.txt) is available from
snapshot.debian.org and sources.debian.org.