Help CentreAll Star Labs machines ship with a choice of Linux distributions, allowing you to pick the one that best fits your needs — whether that’s Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS, or others.
Each distribution comes with its own default desktop environment (for example, Ubuntu ships with GNOME), but you can easily change or install new environments at any time to customise your experience.
This guide will show you how to install, select, and remove different desktop environments using simple terminal commands.
The examples below work on Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Elementary OS, and most other Debian-based distributions.
Popular Desktop Environments
| Environment | Package Name | Command to Install |
|---|---|---|
| GNOME | gnome-session |
sudo apt install gnome-session |
| Xfce | xubuntu-desktop |
sudo apt install xubuntu-desktop |
| KDE Plasma | kubuntu-desktop |
sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop |
| Cinnamon | cinnamon-desktop-environment |
sudo apt install cinnamon-desktop-environment |
| MATE | mate-desktop-environment |
sudo apt install mate-desktop-environment |
Selecting Your New Desktop Environment
1. Reboot
Once installation is complete, reboot your laptop.
2. Choose the Environment at Login
At the login screen, click the gear icon or “Session” option next to your username.
Then select your preferred desktop environment from the list.
3. Enjoy!
Log in and enjoy your new desktop experience.
Removing a Desktop Environment
If you’d like to remove a desktop environment, open the Terminal and run the appropriate commands below: