6 essential Linux desktop features that still haven’t made it to Windows

Published Aug 12, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT A technology enthusiast, Bobby studied Computer Science at the University of Southampton before working in a number of roles across industries, from the private sector to the charitable one, at multinationals and startups. He’s helped maintain backend Java servers, designed databases and front-end interfaces, and created a bespoke content management system. Bobby also enjoys video gaming, and has written for several outlets, including a stint as Editor-in-Chief at Switch Player Magazine and contributions to online magazine, SUPERJUMP. Bobby uses a Mac for day-to-day work and an Android phone for distractions. Since its arrival on the scene, Linux has faced a persistent myth that refuses to die: it’s difficult to use for everyday people, especially compared to a more familiar operating system, like Windows. It’s endured so much that many people are unaware of Linux’s desktop benefits. In fact, Linux pioneered many desktop features that are assumed to have been invented by Windows or macOS. From virtual desktops to tiling windows, some have been adopted by rivals, but few imitations have improved on the original. Two-dimensional virtual desktops For fans of spatial awareness and memory Like many enduring desktop innovations, virtual desktops were invented at Xerox PARC. Commodore Amiga fans might take issue with this, but that computer’s Workbench desktop could only run as a single instance, even though multiple screens were available for separate programs. Unix’s X Window System really introduced virtual desktops to a wider world in the early 1990s. It would take Apple the best part of 20 years to adopt the feature for Mac OS X 10.5, while Microsoft took 25 years to introduce it in Windows 10. Sadly, these competitors failed to implement a key aspect of Linux’s virtual desktops: a two-dimensional grid layout. This format is vital to heavy users of virtual desktops since it assists spatial memory and can make navigation more efficient. Mac OS X actually used a 2D layout for Spaces at first, but abandoned it after a few years. Paste on middle-click Functional before the scroll wheel One of the most visible differentiators of the three most popular home systems has always been the mouse and how many buttons it has. One button; you’re on a Mac. Two buttons; that’s Windows. Three buttons; Linux. Of course, this has changed over the years, as Windows PCs have gradually adopted more buttons, and even macOS supports right-clicking nowadays. But Linux has always made the most of a three-button input, and its default behavior for the middle button often takes new users by surprise. When enabled, paste on middle-click lets you select some text, then middle-click a preferred destination to have it copied and pasted in one single step. Focus follows mouse More pointer-based shenanigans Another mouse-related feature that many Linux users have come to rely on, even if it’s practically unheard of in the Windows and Mac worlds. This setting is as straightforward as its name suggests: windows will focus automatically when you move your mouse pointer over them, without requiring a click anywhere. This feature may sound strange, maybe even detrimental to your normal workflow. But it’s great for certain types of multitasking, like when you’re running a software installer in the background and it needs occasional input. It’s important to note that, while the feature is somewhat available on Windows 11, it’s both hidden (in Accessibility settings; look for “Activate a window by hovering over it with the mouse”) and poorly implemented. In Microsoft’s version, windows not only gain focus, but move to the front of the stack too. This can be annoying and slightly defeats the purpose of the original, more nuanced setting. Tiling beyond basic snap layouts Windows that organize themselves In 2009, Windows users learned about an incredible feature called Aero Snap, which let them drag a window towards an edge and cause it to resize to half or full screen. Later versions of the OS have added more flexibility, with corner-snapping and more complex snap layouts. Apple’s macOS caught up some 15 years later with the introduction of Window tiling in Sequoia. These features owe a lot to the tiling window managers that have existed in the Linux world as far back as the 1980s. Programs like ratpoison, i3, and Sway let you organize windows in complex grids, with two main advantages over their imitators: automation and keyboard control. Considering the overriding philosophy of Linux, this is hardly surprising. The OS has always aimed to empower users through automation and scripting, giving them unprecedented control over the underlying system. And Linux power users are probably the most keyboard-focused, especially compared to mouse-loving Mac users. Less redundant duplication, more screen real estate Famously introduced by Apple’s Macintosh in 1984, and confusing Windows users ever since, a single menu bar at the top of your screen is an alternative to per-window menus. While this is very much a personal choice, fans of this interface design—especially users of macOS—may prefer it for several reasons. For a start, a unified menu saves a lot of real estate, freeing up vertical space for every single window you have open. You can never actually use more than one menu at a time, so being able to see them all simultaneously offers little real benefit. A global menu also benefits from Fitts’s law: it’s much easier to quickly access a menu at the very top of your screen than one somewhere in the middle. This persistent menu can also encourage apps to follow standards, ensuring users enjoy a consistent experience. KDE Plasma supports a global menu, and other graphical shells—like GNOME and Xfce—offer the feature via configuration or extensions. Sadly, the global menu isn’t quite as widely supported by applications as it is on macOS—although, even there, some apps like Google Chrome manage to violate it. But you’ll still get closer to the real thing than you will on Windows. Configurable hot corners Nobody should put this feature in the corner Many Linux distributions and desktop environments let you associate special actions with each corner of your screen, so that moving the mouse pointer activates them. You can set a corner to take a screenshot, show the desktop, show workspaces, and much more. The feature originated with the macOS predecessor, NeXTSTEP, in the 1980s, but Linux distributions took a few decades to catch up. Windows, however, does not support hot corners at all, although the OS briefly flirted with them in Windows 8 and 8.1. This implementation was a bit undercooked, however, with limited actions and little configurability. Starting with Windows 10, they were phased out altogether. Linux is not perfect, but it’s been more influential than some would credit I didn’t even have space to mention GUI package managers, updating without restarting, or fancy windowing effects. It turns out that Linux has pioneered, refined, or built upon many desktop features that either have been borrowed by competitors or should have been.