Need to run Windows or Android apps on Linux? This new release makes it easy

makes it easy">

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

There's a Linux distribution for everyone and everything. If you're a developer, gamer, average user, systems administrator, creator, or a combination thereof, you'll find a distribution that's perfectly geared toward your needs.

But what if you need a Linux distribution that makes using Windows and Android apps easier? Well, I have a distribution that's right up your alley.

Also: When Windows 10 support runs out, you have 5 options but only 2 are worth considering

Out of the box, AnduinOS makes installing and running Windows apps easy. As far as Android apps, run a script, install an app, and you'll find a full-blown Android environment ready to use.

AnduinOS is a custom Linux distribution based on Ubuntu that offers a "familiar and easy-to-use experience for anyone moving to Linux," according to the AnduinOS website. I've covered AnduinOS before and found it to make the transition from Windows to Linux easy . The latest iteration smooths out any issues found in previous releases, and because it now uses Wayland, the secret sauce (below) is even better.

AnduinOS uses the GNOME desktop environment that has been customized to look and feel more like Windows, so you won't have to worry about any sort of learning curve on the desktop front. Click the Start button (which is the AnduinOS icon), and you'll see all of your installed applications.

AnduinOS was created by a Microsoft engineer, so you can be sure the developer knows Windows well enough to craft a desktop distro that will feel instantly familiar.

This particular distro doesn't ship with a ton of preinstalled software. You'll get Firefox, the Geary email client, a music player, a video player, and some utilities. That's it. You do get GNOME Software with Flathub integration built in, so there's plenty of apps to install.

Also: I converted this Mini PC from Windows to Linux, and it came alive. Here's how

There's also a bit of secret sauce under the hood. But before you get to that point, there's something during the onboarding you'll want to take care of.

During the onboarding of AnduinOS (after you've installed the OS), you'll be greeted by a screen that allows you to enable running Windows apps with ease. Make sure to click Enable Windows Compatibility Sandbox.

If you skip this the first time around, just rerun the Welcome app and you can try again.