Hello,
Is there a way to upgrade Zorin 16 Pro to Zorin 17 Core?
It seems that I will need to pay each time a release is out, so I need to pay for Zorin 17 Pro then Zorin 18 Pro then Zorin 19 Pro .... until Zorin 93847 Pro.
This is not the purpose of me using Linux in the first place, I don't need the extra layouts and the extra apps which I never use.
Any advice please?
If you go the applications menu, you should find a Upgrade Zorin OS listed there. Once you launch it, it will show the available options that you have. I think it should be possible to upgrade between different versions and also from plans, it should be there. Make sure to check this page for details:
This is what I get:
Please take a look at this thread. It seems that while there's no explicit option right now, it is possible to get there by not entering the activation code.
Sadly, no. If you follow the entire thread, the "skip" still leads to activation for Pro.
it was a very stupid idea opting for the pro version from the first place.
While my current Zorin 16.3 Pro will be supported until 2025 for security updates, I will switch to Linux Mint Cinnamon, I checked people doing customization and it seems better than Zorin!
Good bye Zorin.
I also like the customization options that other D.E.s can offer.
It is not just about what something "looks" like. It is about having your tools in ready reach and adjusting the system to meet your workflow instead of adapting yourself to what the system wants you to do.
The Mint Team grew fed up with Gnome dictating its workflow beliefs onto users: Whether or not they can have icons on the desktop. Or whether there should be a toolbar or settings behind hamburgers.
Not to mention removal of options over time.
So, they developed Cinnamon, avoiding being beholden to the whims of fickle Gnome Extensions.
Hopefully, this exploration benefits you as a GnuLinux user.
I wonder if you would have felt as strongly had the Upgrader Tool not locked you into a choice.
On the one hand, you showed your support to an OS, even if you did not use all that came bundled with it. ( I think you mostly wanted the MacOS layout).
But on the other, you did not want to be married to the Pro version for life.
That is a really important consideration.
I completely understand your point about customization and workflow. For me, it wasn’t just about looks either. Over time, I felt trapped as a Zorin Pro user, especially after realizing that Pro versions will reach end-of-support in 2025, meaning I’ll have to reinstall everything from scratch with every new release. It's not just the installation—think about the time spent reconfiguring the system to your liking again.
While I initially supported Zorin by going Pro (mainly for the MacOS layout), it’s become clear that paying for each new release is not sustainable for me. Moreover, Zorin simply doesn’t offer the same level of customization that I want. Unlike Linux Mint, Zorin lacks a community-driven ecosystem for addons, extensions, and apps, making it harder to tailor the system exactly to my needs.
What I value most now is stability. With Linux Mint, I can get a more flexible, customizable environment without worrying about frequent reinstallation. Mint allows me to upgrade easily with a simple dist-upgrade, so I don’t need to start from scratch every few years. The system fits into my workflow, not the other way around.
For me, it’s about saving time, ensuring stability, and having more control over how my system evolves.
I have installed Linux Mint in a VM and I'm exploring it, of course I will try it extensively before i get convinced about my decision.
Iam in Midland TX and several months ago many peoples computers and few business just failed. Since switching to Zorin have had several birthdays now 86 and need help upgrading to Zorin 17.2 OS Pro. I am having trouble just posting here. Zorin sent me the upgrade and tried to install it. I get an error after a few minutes Zorin thinks the computer is not plug in wanting me to check it again. The computer was plug in the whole time and can't get past this point. Also my Zebra printer is not recognize and need to reinstall after the upgrade is installed.
Thank you,
Larry @ EZorb Calcium.
With your purchase of Zorin OS Pro you should've gotten an email address. You can reach out to that contact for support with your installation. Make sure to outline exactly what the error message says and if you've made any changes to the system since then.
In my experience, often times it's just much better to do a fresh installation of the OS. Upgrades can be tricky and they either work flawlessly, or it's leave a mess behind that is tricky to work around.
Doing a fresh install from scratch means wasting time.
Imagine you have too much apps you rely on, samba, syncthing, WWW, FTP, SSH, VPNs and you use all that, you have to reinstall everything then reconfigure it, who will compensate me for the wasted time? The upgrade should work if not then it means it wasn't coded correctly by Zorin team
@EZorb, can you please start a new topic to address your issue?
I was about to separate it out, however, @zenzen's reply addresses the O.P. and your post, which would also have to be split in two.
So, it may be easier if you can begin a new thread.
I think these two factors are your primary ones.
You would like to be able to upgrade the system from Pro to Core, but the Zorin Upgrader lacks this option.
You face some risks in upgrading due to Gnome Versions which becomes much less of an issue on Linux Mint which uses Cinnamon D.E. or XFCE.
While it was great of you to support Zorin OS by choosing Pro, that is something you did, not are obligated to do each time. It does sound like Mint may be a better fit for your needs as a user.
I think it depends on your personal needs and use case. For me, a fresh install is not a waste of time at all, as it gives me the chance to clean up files and folders that tend to pile up over time, make changes to my workflow, etc.
It's true that it takes time to install and configure applications, but that can be automated. Even without scripting experience and whatnot, a lot of programs have options to import & export settings and other type of files e.g., bookmarks. This goes a long way to ease the transition from fresh install to working setup.
Another reason why you may want to spend some time looking into this is when you need to setup a different computer. Based on the software examples that you've given, I assume that you work with other computers frequently. Having the ability to setup another computer automatically from scratch is certainly useful. Maybe testing a new product and you need a mirror of your production environment, for example. Or perhaps you simply spilled some coffee accidentally over your workstation and need a replacement ASAP.
But anyway, that's a whole other topic.
Going back on-topic, I don't disagree with that it should be possible to upgrade from Pro to Core. I thought it already was, but hopefully this is already being worked on.
As far as upgrades working out of the box, well, once again I don't disagree with you — it's hard to argue against things working. But consider that even Microsoft has had many problems in the past with upgrades, sometimes failing spectacularly.
I'm not bashing Microsoft, nor making excuses for the Zorin developers, but pointing out the fact that upgrades are notoriously difficult to get right. Sometimes, a little more work means less wasted time.