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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Zorin OS is a fantastic and popular Linux distribution.
• With just a bit of tweaking, you can optimize it to fit your needs.
• These tweaks can be done by anyone and are free.

If I ever switch from Pop!_OS, my distribution of choice will be Zorin OS. It's clean, easy to use, reliable, and it offers plenty of customization options that let me make it truly mine. I can make Zorin OS look better, run faster, and function more efficiently. And with the release of Zorin OS 18.1, the developers have created what I believe is the best OS on the market.

Also: Linux Mint vs. Zorin OS: I've tried both Windows alternatives, and here's my winner

If you're a Zorin OS user, you might be interested in some of the optimizations I like to apply to the OS. If so, read on.

1. Make it faster

Who doesn't want a faster computer? One of the best ways to speed up Zorin OS is to enable Zram, which is a Linux kernel module used to create a compressed block device in RAM that allows for faster data access and efficient memory usage. Zram is like a much faster swap space, and the improvements are noticeable.

To enable Zram, install the necessary tool with:

sudo apt-get install zram-config

When that installation is completed, enable Zram with:

sudo systemctl enable --now zram-config

Next, you'll need to disable the swap file. First, open your fstab file with:

sudo nano /etc / fstab 

Note: There are no spaces between etc, /, and fstab in the above command.

In that file, comment out the /swap line like this:

#/swap

Save and close the file.

Also: My favorite Zorin OS settings and why you'll love them too

Disable swap with:

sudo swapoff /swapfile

Reboot your system.

Zram is now active, and your machine should show improved performance, especially when several apps are open and running.

2. Stop the startups

When you log in, certain apps automatically start. Some of those apps are necessary, while others may not be. To enable/disable startup apps, do the following:

Open the desktop menu and search for Startup Applications.

Look at the list of startup apps and remove any you don't want.

Reboot your system so the changes take effect.

Keep in mind that you don't want to disable a necessary app. For instance, you'll want to keep the SSH Key Agent, so you can use Secure Shell.

3. Hot corners

I love hot corners. I can assign specific actions to each corner of my display, so all I have to do is move the cursor to one of the corners, and whatever action I've assigned happens. It's efficient, and it's simple.

Also: I'm a Linux power user, and this distro made me rethink what an operating system can be

The only caveat to Zorin OS is that it only offers a single hot corner. To get multiple hot corners, you need to install a GNOME extension that adds the feature. The extension is called Custom Hot Corners Extended. To install the extension, you'll need to either install Firefox or the Extension Manager (both of which can be installed from within GNOME Software). My preferred method is using the Extension Manager.

Once installed, you can go back to the Installed tab, click the gear icon associated with CHC-E, and then customize the hot corners to your specifications. 

4. Auto delete temp files

Your computer saves temporary files in /tmp for 10 days and /var/tmp for 30 days. Because some temporary files can include sensitive information, I prefer to have them automatically deleted. Not only can it prevent accidental exposure of sensitive information, but it can also free space.

With Zorin OS, you can configure the automatic deletion of these files in Settings > Privacy & Security. Click the On/Off slider for Automatically Delete Temporary Files and then set the delete period you want. I typically set the delete period for one day.

5. Using the auto tiling feature

If you're not accustomed to a tiling window manager, this might not appeal to you. For me, tiling window managers are incredibly efficient, and I even like it when those windows are automatically tiled.

Automatic tiling means that when you open a new window, it will automatically be placed on your desktop in a tiling manner. For example, if you open the first app, it will automatically be placed on the right half of the screen. Open a second window, and it'll take up the left half. The only caveat to Zorin auto tiling is that when you open a third window, it opens a floating app (meaning it can be moved and placed where you want).

You can manually tile the next apps if you want, but I do wish Zorin would make it such that the auto tiling would work the same as, say, Hyprland.

Also: I struggled with Hyprland for months, until this Arch-based distro fixed it

Either way, the tiling window feature is a must for those who want their desktops to be optimized for efficiency and speed.