Table of Contents
Logging In For The First Time
After installation finishes and the system reboots, you reach a login screen. On desktop systems, this is usually a graphical screen that shows your username or a list of users. Select your user and enter the password you created during installation.
Some setups might start in a text login. In that case you see a prompt like:
login:Type your username, press Enter, then type your password and press Enter again. The password will not be shown as you type, this is normal.
Once logged in, a desktop environment or a shell session starts, depending on how you installed Linux.
Always use a normal user account for everyday work. Only use the root account or sudo when you need administrative tasks.
Completing Initial Setup Wizards
Many desktop distributions show an initial setup or welcome wizard the first time you log in. This tool usually guides you through a few basic choices without needing to know system internals.
You can expect options such as:
Language and region. You choose the display language, formats for date and time, and sometimes the keyboard layout if it was not already chosen during installation.
Online accounts. Some desktop environments allow connecting services like Google, Nextcloud, or enterprise accounts. This can integrate calendars, contacts, and cloud files. You can skip these and add them later from system settings.
Privacy options. You might be asked whether to enable location services and usage reporting. You can usually turn these off if you prefer not to share data.
Appearance. Some systems let you choose light or dark theme, and sometimes the accent color. This only affects how things look.
You can revisit almost all these settings later through your system settings panel, so you do not need to worry about choosing something permanently at this stage.
Verifying Your System Identity
Right after installation, it is useful to know how your system identifies itself. This helps when searching for help or documentation.
You can open a terminal and run:
cat /etc/os-releaseThis shows information such as the distribution name and version. You might see lines like:
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION="22.04.3 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)"
The command uname -r shows your kernel version. Knowing these details makes it easier to follow guides specific to your system.
Some desktop environments show this information in a graphical tool, usually in a section like "About" under system settings.
Creating Additional User Accounts
If more than one person will use the computer, you can create extra user accounts. Doing this right away helps keep files and settings separated.
On most desktop systems you find user management inside system settings, under something like "Users" or "Accounts." You usually:
Unlock the panel with your password, if needed.
Click an "Add user" or "Add account" button.
Choose whether the new user is a standard user or an administrator.
Set a name, username, and password.
On systems where you only have a terminal or prefer it, you can create a user with:
sudo adduser newnameor on some distributions:
sudo useradd -m newname
sudo passwd newnameAdjusting permissions, groups, and sudo access for these accounts belongs to later chapters about users and permissions, so for first-time setup it is enough to create basic standard users for other people who will share the machine.
Adjusting Date, Time, and Timezone
Correct time settings are important for software updates, encrypted connections, and log files. Most installers try to guess the right timezone, but it is worth verifying.
In a desktop environment you can open system settings and look for "Date & Time." You can:
Ensure the timezone matches your location.
Decide whether to set the time automatically from the internet.
Choose whether to show a 24-hour or 12-hour clock.
If you are working only in a terminal, check the current time and timezone with:
timedatectlIf the timezone is wrong, you can list available zones with:
timedatectl list-timezonesand set one with:
sudo timedatectl set-timezone Region/CityFor example:
sudo timedatectl set-timezone Europe/BerlinUsually the system clock is synchronized via NTP when online, but that configuration is often already handled for you and does not need manual changes during first-time setup.
Setting Language and Keyboard Layout
Even if you chose a language and keyboard in the installer, you might want to adjust them after logging in.
In a graphical environment, language and keyboard settings are in the system settings application, typically under "Region & Language" or something similar. You can:
Change the display language or add extra languages.
Order preferred languages for applications.
Add keyboard layouts, such as US, UK, or layouts with special characters.
Set keyboard shortcuts to switch layouts.
On systems using only the terminal, language is usually controlled by environment variables like LANG. Some distributions provide a text tool such as dpkg-reconfigure locales or localectl to manage this, but the details of language configuration will be covered in more depth elsewhere.
Basic Power Settings and Screen Behavior
During first-time setup, it can be useful to adjust how your system behaves when idle. This is especially important for laptops.
In the power or energy section of system settings, you can typically configure:
Screen blanking. How long before the screen turns off.
Automatic suspend. Whether the system suspends itself when idle, on battery, or when the lid is closed.
Power profiles. For example balanced, power saving, or performance, if your environment supports it.
For desktop beginners, choosing a reasonable screen blank time and automatic suspend on battery can extend battery life while keeping the system convenient to resume.
Enabling Preferred Input and Accessibility Options
If you need special input methods, such as for complex scripts, or accessibility features, it is a good idea to enable them early.
Most desktop environments provide:
Input method frameworks to type in languages that require composition or special rules.
Accessibility features such as screen reader support, high contrast themes, larger text, and keyboard accessibility options like sticky keys or slow keys.
You can find these in "Accessibility" or similar sections in system settings. Enabling them during first-time setup ensures the system is comfortable and usable before you invest more time configuring other parts.
Installing Language Packs and Fonts
Some distributions install only a minimal set of language resources to keep the system small. Your first login might trigger a suggestion to install additional language support.
Accepting language pack installation can:
Add translations for more applications.
Install fonts needed to display certain scripts.
Improve spelling and input tools.
If the prompt appears, letting it finish ensures that text in your chosen language appears correctly in menus and applications.
You can also open system settings and look for "Language Support" or similar, where you can add more languages and install their support files.
Running Initial Maintenance Tools
Some systems offer a welcome application that includes basic maintenance steps. It might suggest:
Checking for updates.
Installing recommended codecs.
Enabling additional driver support.
Installing basic software bundles.
During first-time setup, you can use these tools to quickly get a working system without visiting many separate settings panels. For example, on some distributions you might see options to install multimedia codecs that allow playback of certain audio and video formats. This is often easier to enable from the welcome tool than to track down individual packages.
Creating a System Snapshot (If Available)
Certain distributions provide snapshot capability out of the box, sometimes using tools integrated with the filesystem. Right after installation and basic setup is an ideal moment to create a snapshot if your system supports it.
A snapshot lets you roll back the system to this clean state if a later change causes problems. The exact tools and methods depend on the distribution and are discussed in more detail in chapters about backups and snapshots, so for first-time setup it is enough to know that:
Creating an initial snapshot soon after installation provides a solid restore point.
You should do it after basic configuration but before installing many extra programs or making experimental changes.
If your system or welcome utility offers a simple button to create one, using it now is wise.
Understanding Where to Change Settings Later
During first-time setup you will see many settings for the first time, and you do not need to remember every choice. The important idea is that Linux systems keep most user-facing configuration accessible from a few predictable places:
Graphical system settings panels control desktop, power, hardware, language, and most personal options.
Text configuration files hold many system level settings.
Command line tools provide alternative and often more powerful ways to adjust the system.
The later chapters in this course go into detail on how to configure kernels, services, and advanced features. For first-time setup, you are simply establishing a comfortable and functional base that you can build on as you learn more.
You can safely reconfigure most first-time setup options later. Do not be afraid of making choices. Almost nothing you set here is permanent or destructive.
With these initial steps complete, your new Linux system is ready for regular use, and you have a clean baseline for all the learning and experimentation that will follow.