All **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**
```bash
gnome-session
sudo apt install gnome-session
```

**Xfce**
```bash
xubuntu-desktop
sudo apt install xubuntu-desktop
```

**KDE Plasma**
```bash
kubuntu-desktop
sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop
```

**Cinnamon**
```bash
cinnamon-desktop-environment
sudo apt install cinnamon-desktop-environment
```

**MATE**
```bash
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.

![Desktop selection option](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2059/5897/files/1a2512a7c4-0e8e16e177ce0bcfee86.png?v=1613579987)
![Desktop session selector](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2059/5897/files/b99f24fab2-7653371c9928e8a7fffe.png?v=1613580026)

### 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:

### GNOME

`sudo apt remove ubuntu-gnome-desktop
sudo apt autoremove -y
`

### Xfce

`sudo apt remove xubuntu-desktop -y
sudo apt autoremove -y
`

### KDE

`sudo apt remove kubuntu-desktop
sudo apt autoremove -y
`

### Cinnamon

`sudo apt purge cinnamon
sudo apt autoremove -y
`

### MATE

`sudo apt remove mate-desktop
sudo apt autoremove -y`