Windows 11-like AnduinOS 1.4 and 1.5 LTS plans revealed

The sole developer behind AnduinOS, a Windows-like Linux distribution, has revealed the path forward in terms of the upcoming releases. Anduin Xue revealed that AnduinOS 1.4 will be based on Ubuntu 25.10 and will arrive in late-October, while AnduinOS 1.5 will be based on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and arrive in late April 2026.

This Linux distribution has caught some significant attention recently. With the impending death of Windows 10, users that want to keep older devices running may choose to switch to Linux. With AnduinOS, they get a distribution that looks similar to Windows 11, reducing the learning curve.

AnduinOS 1.4, just like version 1.3, will not be an LTS, but AnduinOS 1.5 will be, so that’s going to be the best for people who don’t want to keep reinstalling the operating system. The developer said that he’s aware of the issues people have with AnduinOS, such as the inability to smoothly update from AnduinOS 1.2 to 1.3, but said resources are limited, though, we can expect improvements in the future.

This year, the project has extensive improvements planned, with the primary goal being to establish its own apt software repository that can manage all changes directly through dpkg. By doing this, it will simplify the process of using apt for system updates and will give users the option to smoothly transition to future AnduinOS releases. It’s expected that this will be available experimentally in AnduinOS 1.4 and fully implemented in AnduinOS 1.5.

AnduinOS is not only trying to become just another Linux distribution, it has ambitions to set itself apart too. One of its objectives is to modularize and consolidate system components so that users can pick to add or remove features such as app stores, GNOME Shell, professional tools, container technologies, and WSL through “layered combinations.” It will also compile more of the system core components to give users more customization options.

By the time of AnduinOS 1.5, it’s expected that there will be a Server and Lite Edition of AnduinOS. The Lite Edition will provide a basic GNOME Shell environment with only a little bit of pre-installed software so that it’s not bloated. There are no plans to charge for any of these editions and they’ll remain under the GPLv3 license.

Another feature AnduinOS could offer in the future is a versatile customization tool and builder for Linux distributions. It said that this could cater to users looking for an ISO that meets all their personal requirements within a Live environment; Live environments are run directly from the installation media without Linux being installed on your computer.

Regarding AI features, Anduin Xue said that they could be selectively integrated in future versions to give users more functionality. He specifically mentioned system-level MCP, which Microsoft recently added to Windows 11. For users who do not like artificial intelligence, AnduinOS says these features will be easily removable.

Due to the fact that Anduin Xue is based in China (he's also a Microsoft employee), some people have raised concerns about whether the project is linked to the Chinese government in any way. Here’s what he had to say about transparency:

“We are aware of concerns that AnduinOS might become influenced or controlled by particular governments or institutions. Therefore, transparency remains a top priority in our development process. We commit to fully disclosing all source code, development progress, planning, and even details about our team composition. Efforts will be made to establish a diverse, globally distributed team communicating primarily in English to foster open collaboration and community building.”

If this is the first time you’ve heard about AnduinOS, be sure to check out Neowin’s coverage of the latest version, AnduinOS 1.3.

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