Simple OS 1.0.5Next
Bug-fix release · planned for early November 2026
- Battery level of Bluetooth headphones (#37)
- A “Default apps” page in the Control Center: browser, mail, PDF and more (#38)
- A “Startup apps” page: turn programs that start at login on and off (#39)
- Whatever 1.0.4 users report
Simple OS 1.0.4Released
Bug-fix release with a new ISO · released 14 October 2026 · Release notes
Tested on a Lenovo ThinkBook, and in virtual machines set up like an older BIOS PC (Dell OptiPlex 9020) and a UEFI laptop with Secure Boot.
- The screen locks when you leave, and videos keep it on (#25)
- The power button opens the power menu instead of shutting down at once (on some laptops: hold it for about a second)
- Brightness slider in Control Center → Display
- Wi-Fi country set automatically from the time zone
gitincluded- Installer: runs only once, no switching off while it works, “remove the USB stick” before the restart (#62, #64)
- Setup Wizard skips the internet step when you're online (#63)
- Installations in other languages get their language and language packs (#31)
- No “new keyring” prompt after the first login (#32)
- Install next to another system on older BIOS PCs; other systems stay in the boot menu after updates
- Confirmed on real hardware: night light, microphone, external monitors, Mouse & Touchpad, Date & Time, Bluetooth pairing with a keyboard and phone
Simple OS 1.1Planned
Feature release · about 2–3 months after 1.0
- Display scaling for high-resolution screens: a Scale setting from 100 to 200% in Control Center → Display
- Language & Region page, and translations of the Simple OS tools
- A small app to test the webcam
- A calendar that opens when you click the clock in the taskbar
- Better dual boot with Windows: a warning about Windows Fast Startup and a note about the clock
- Faster start and smaller system: smaller initramfs, AppArmor profiles, zstd compression (#19)
- Tests on more hardware: NVIDIA desktop, AMD laptop, dual boot with Windows, Secure Boot
Simple OS 2.0 on Debian 13Planned
Simple OS 1.x is based on Debian 12 “Bookworm”. Debian 12 gets security updates through Debian LTS until June 2028, so 1.x stays safe to use while 2.0 is prepared.
Simple OS 2.0 will be based on Debian 13 “Trixie”. That brings a newer kernel, newer graphics drivers (Mesa) and newer firmware. A lot of things have to be checked again for this: NVIDIA drivers, the installer, night light, Secure Boot and the Simple OS tools.
| Step | When |
|---|---|
| Preview ISO based on Debian 13 | Q1 2027 |
| Public beta | Q2 2027 |
| Simple OS 2.0 | When the upgrade has been tested on several real computers |
What happens to existing installs? Not decided yet. The preferred way is a guided upgrade tool that creates a restore point first. The alternative is a fresh install that takes your home folder along.
IdeasNot scheduled
- Optional automatic security updates
- Fingerprint reader support with a setup page
- Accessibility: screen reader, large cursor, high-contrast theme
- Help screenshots for printers and scanners
- Sending a problem report to GitHub with one click, privacy first
- Automatic test builds on every change
- A version for ARM computers (low priority)
Open issues
| Issue | Status |
|---|---|
| #19 zstd instead of xz compression | Decision in 1.1 (the ISO would get about 18% bigger) |
All Simple OS issues on GitHub →
Simple Organizer
The current version is 3.5.1 (16 October 2026), a bug-fix update for 3.5.0. 3.5.0 added “Don't move”, search, sorting and CSV export in the preview and rules with several conditions. 3.5.1 fixes the six issues found afterwards. The tests run automatically on GitHub.
No dates yet. These are the next things on the list:
- Watch mode that sorts new files as soon as they appear
- Flatpak or AppImage package for Linux
- Code-signed Windows version, so SmartScreen doesn't warn anymore
- Run the automated tests on Linux too