From Windows to Ubuntu: 4 Missing Desktop Conveniences

The moment you switch a daily driver from Windows to Ubuntu, certain expectations—system-level conveniences you didn’t notice until they vanished—quickly become obvious. A recent first‑person piece catalogued four Windows conveniences the author missed after moving to Ubuntu: a one‑click system reset, an automatic restore‑point style system restore, integrated OCR in screenshot and image viewers, and deep phone integration (Phone Link). That article captures a common migration pain: Linux distributions like Ubuntu are powerful and flexible, but they don’t always ship the same desktop conveniences many Windows users now take for granted.

Background​

Ubuntu’s popularity rests on a clear promise: a free, open‑source desktop that runs on a wide range of hardware without the strict platform lockdown or purchase model Windows now enforces. But the two OS lines have diverged in the last decade: Microsoft has baked a number of consumer‑facing utilities directly into Windows (one‑click reset, integrated OCR across snips and images, and deep phone‑to‑PC integration via Phone Link), while Ubuntu and GNOME have favored a modular, Unix‑style toolset and third‑party apps. That difference in philosophy explains many of the missing features—but it doesn’t eliminate the frustration everyday users feel when the small conveniences are absent.
Before diving into each missing tool, note two facts every Windows‑to‑Ubuntu migrator should understand:

• Windows 10’s formal support lifecycle ends October 14, 2025, which is pushing users to choose either Windows 11 or an alternative OS. (support.microsoft.com) (learn.microsoft.com)
• Microsoft has been adding OCR and text‑extraction features to its inbox apps, most recently adding a Text Extractor to Snipping Tool in 2025, and OCR capabilities are present in the Photos app and other Microsoft products—making text extraction a system‑level expectation for many users. (blogs.windows.com) (support.microsoft.com)

---

System Reset: the one‑click “start over”​

What Windows does that Ubuntu doesn’t​

Windows offers an integrated, one‑click System Reset flow that allows users to refresh or reinstall the OS while optionally preserving user files. For many, this is the simplest recovery path when something breaks: it’s predictable, fast, and built into Settings.
Ubuntu Desktop has no single, supported “Reset to factory defaults” button that reinstalls system files while optionally keeping personal data. You can restore settings, reinstall packages, or perform a fresh OS install—but there’s no standard, built‑in “reset” wizard that normalizes the experience across hardware and configurations.

Why that matters​

A one‑click reset reduces support time and user anxiety. It removes the need to:

• Create bootable media or hunt for USB tools like Etcher or Ventoy.
• Decide which partitions to preserve or format during a reinstall.
• Manually back up and restore an individualized list of packages and config files.

Ubuntu users can approximate a reset, but it’s fragmented:

• Use dconf to reset GNOME settings to defaults (powerful but limited to desktop settings). (blog.emka.web.id)
• Use tools like the third‑party “Resetter” (community apps exist but aren’t an official desktop feature and have had mixed maintenance histories). (omgubuntu.co.uk)
• Reinstall the system from a Live USB and choose the “reinstall while keeping /home” option—this requires external media and manual steps. (help.ubuntu.com)

Technical and product design tradeoffs​

Ubuntu’s package model and the Unix philosophy (separate tools, user choice) make a universal “reset” harder to design safely. System state spans package manager state, user config files in home, snaps, third‑party PPAs, kernel versions, custom drivers, encryption, and disk layouts (LVM, ZFS, BTRFS), which complicates an atomic reset operation that won’t silently destroy important user data.
Recommendation for Ubuntu desktop teams: ship a supported, ergonomically‑safe “Refresh” flow that:

• Creates and validates a snapshot or backup before starting.
• Reinstalls core packages and resets system config while giving clear, conservative defaults about user data.
• Targets common desktop setups first (ext4 or BTRFS with standard layouts) and explicitly documents incompatibilities.

---

System Restore: snapshots, restore points, and Timeshift​

Windows restore points vs Linux snapshots​

Windows System Restore creates system snapshots and register points for key OS components, letting you roll back after a bad driver, faulty update, or problematic install. It’s automatic and integrated with Microsoft’s servicing model.
On Ubuntu desktop the nearest mainstream equivalent is Timeshift (a well‑known community tool that provides scheduled snapshots using rsync or BTRFS snapshots), but Timeshift is not part of a default Ubuntu Desktop install; it’s a user‑installed utility. Timeshift captures system‑level snapshots and lets you restore the system state, making it the most direct counterpart to Windows’ System Restore—but requiring setup and a destination for snapshots. (github.com)

Why Ubuntu users feel the gap​

• Without Timeshift or another snapshot tool already configured, recovery typically means booting from external media and reinstalling the OS.
• Ubuntu’s default tooling doesn’t create periodic, system‑level restore points automatically for desktop installs.
• Some specialized Ubuntu flavors and Ubuntu Core (the device‑focused distribution using snaps) include recovery modes and factory reset flows, but that doesn’t help the majority using Ubuntu Desktop. (documentation.ubuntu.com) (fautso.canonical.com)

Practical options today​

• Install and configure Timeshift: automatic snapshots (rsync or BTRFS) are possible and restoration can be performed from a live environment when required. This is a pragmatic, widely‑used approach but it requires user initiative. (github.com)
• Use BTRFS/ZFS subvolume snapshots on a root filesystem designed for snapshots—if you want near‑instant rollbacks, this must be planned at install time.
• For casual users, a guided canonical restore experience bundled into the desktop would lower the bar and reduce reinstall fatigue.

---

OCR in screenshots & images: small feature, outsized value​

Where Windows leads​

Microsoft has progressively integrated OCR across core apps:

• Snipping Tool received a Text Extractor (Text Extractor / Text Actions) to copy text directly from a screenshot. (blogs.windows.com)
• The Photos app can scan an image and allow you to select and copy text. (support.microsoft.com)

These features turn screenshots and images into actionable data without third‑party tools—a convenience that saves time for people who frequently work with screenshots, PDFs, or photos of text.

Ubuntu today​

Ubuntu and GNOME do not ship a native screenshot-to‑text extractor by default. The community has built several scripts and small apps that marry Flameshot/GNOME screenshot portals with Tesseract OCR or other tooling to replicate Windows‑style functionality, but these are user‑installed, third‑party solutions. Examples include community projects and small utilities on GitHub that bind screenshot capture to tesseract and clipboard copy. (github.com) (github.com)

The UX and privacy angle​

Third‑party OCR scripts often rely on local Tesseract, which keeps data on device (a privacy win compared to cloud OCR). But they lack:

• UI polish and discoverability (no single keyboard shortcut or Settings toggle out of the box).
• Accessibility integration and language auto‑detection baked into mainstream apps.

A native GNOME/Ubuntu screenshot extractor would unify the user experience and bring local OCR to the people who expect it—while keeping privacy benefits of local models.

---

Phone integration: Phone Link vs KDE Connect and GSConnect​

Windows Phone Link​

Microsoft’s Phone Link (formerly Your Phone) integrates calls, SMS, notifications, file‑sharing, and app streaming with Windows. It can show recent photos, send/receive SMS and calls, and offers AI‑powered suggested replies—features that make a PC feel like an extension of your phone. Microsoft continues to extend the experience (iPhone support improvements, iOS file sharing in testing, and privacy caveats for Android 15’s “sensitive notification” protections). (microsoft.com) (theverge.com) (theverge.com)

Linux counterparts​

Ubuntu doesn’t ship a Phone Link equivalent by default, but the Linux ecosystem has mature alternatives:

• KDE Connect (and GNOME’s GSConnect extension) provide rich phone‑to‑desktop features: notifications, file transfer, remote input, clipboard sharing, and media controls. KDE Connect is cross‑platform and open source, and it’s arguably the most feature‑complete phone integration tool in the Linux world. (kdeconnect.kde.org)

Gaps vs expectations​

• KDE Connect/GSConnect must be installed and paired; they’re not preinstalled on Ubuntu Desktop in the same system‑deep way Phone Link is on Windows.
• Platform differences (Android vs iOS) and OS vendor restrictions (Apple’s tight iOS sandboxing) limit parity with Phone Link for all phone models.
• Some Android privacy changes (e.g., Android 15 sensitive notification categories) can reduce the fidelity of remote notifications unless the phone ships Phone Link as a system companion app or is configured with a companion device role. (theverge.com)

Practical recommendation​

Ubuntu could ship a desktop‑integrated companion workflow—bundling a recommended phone companion (KDE Connect or a canonical wrapper) and making pairing trivial—without sacrificing the open‑source ethos. That would deliver much of Phone Link’s convenience while respecting Linux privacy and security models.

---

Ubuntu’s strengths — and where pragmatic concessions make sense​

Ubuntu still wins on several fronts where Windows trips over policy and hardware limitations:

• Hardware reach and flexibility: Ubuntu runs well on older hardware and doesn’t require the strict TPM/CPU checks Windows 11 enforces.
• Package management and repairability: apt, snaps, flatpaks, and the kernel/driver model give power users a lot of tools to inspect and fix systems without reinstalling.
• Transparency and privacy: local OCR via Tesseract, KDE Connect’s peer‑to‑peer model, and the ability to inspect code make Ubuntu a better match for privacy‑minded users.

But the consumer‑convenience gap—one‑click reset, integrated restore‑points, built‑in OCR and phone integration—is real for users transitioning from a modern Windows desktop experience. Ubuntu can close that gap while staying true to its values by shipping supported, well‑documented, and opt‑in utilities that provide the same frictionless recovery and convenience.

---

Actionable steps for users switching today​

• Install Timeshift and set it to take automatic system snapshots to get a comfortable “restore point” workflow. (github.com)
• Add a screenshot OCR shortcut using Flameshot + Tesseract or one of the lightweight scripts available on GitHub until a native tool exists. (github.com)
• Install KDE Connect (or GNOME GSConnect) and enable pairing to recover most Phone Link functionality on Linux. (kdeconnect.kde.org)
• Keep a verified Live USB (Ventoy, Etcher) handy for recovery and reinstall—Ubuntu’s in‑place repair modes are limited compared to Windows’ setup.exe mount/repair model. (help.ubuntu.com)

---

Risks and caveats​

• Third‑party tools (Resetter, scripts that wire Flameshot to Tesseract, community wrappers) are not first‑class OS features: they may not be actively maintained, and they can have edge‑case failure modes. Use them with caution and back up important data first. (omgubuntu.co.uk)
• Snapshots and restore strategies require planning: store snapshots on a separate disk or partition and verify your restore process before relying on it for disaster recovery. Timeshift and BTRFS approaches differ in scope and tradeoffs. (github.com)
• Phone integration experiences vary by phone model and OS version—Android 15’s privacy changes and iOS restrictions will continue to create asymmetric behavior that no single Linux tool can fully hide. (theverge.com)

---

Conclusion​

Switching a daily laptop from Windows to Ubuntu is liberating in many ways, but it also illuminates the subtle, user‑facing features that make an OS feel “complete.” The gaps—system reset, system restore, integrated OCR in screenshot & image viewers, and frictionless phone integration—are not technical showstoppers, but they are meaningful productivity regressions for users raised on modern Windows convenience.
Ubuntu’s ecosystem already contains the technical building blocks to close most of these gaps: snapshots (Timeshift), local OCR (Tesseract + Flameshot), and robust phone connectors (KDE Connect). What’s missing is a consistent, officially supported desktop experience that packages, documents, and turns these tools into trusted, discoverable features.
If Ubuntu wants to court the Windows‑minded mainstream without sacrificing openness, the path is clear: invest in a small set of polished, supported desktop flows—one‑click refresh, integrated snapshot restore, native screenshot OCR, and a default phone companion pairing experience. Those four moves would dramatically narrow the perceived gap and make the transition to Linux far less jarring for everyday users.

---

Source: xda-developers.com 4 Windows tools I miss while using Ubuntu as my daily machine