# Getting started

> What WolOS is, what you need, and the first ten minutes.

Source: https://wolos.pages.dev/manual/getting-started

## What it is

WolOS is a desktop operating system for the PC you already own. It has a menu bar at the top, a Dock at the bottom, Search, a Control Center, Settings and a Store, so the first minutes feel familiar. Underneath it is Arch Linux, pinned to a tested snapshot, with WolKernel and a Rust system layer that keeps the desktop calm.

## Why

Most people want a computer that starts, stays quick and gets out of the way. WolOS aims for that: no terminal needed for everyday things, updates that can be undone, and a system that does nothing when you do nothing.

## How

1. **Download** the ISO from the [Download](/download) page and check its SHA-256 sum.
2. **Write it to a USB stick** of 4 GB or more with any image writer (balenaEtcher, Fedora Media Writer, `dd`), or attach it to a virtual machine.
3. **Start from the stick.** The menu offers *Install WolOS* and *Try WolOS*. Try runs the whole desktop from memory and changes nothing on the disk.
4. **Install** when you are ready. The installer shows exactly what it will change before it writes anything; see [Installing WolOS](/manual/install).
5. **First start.** If the computer uses Secure Boot, a blue key screen appears once; the password is `boot`. See [Secure Boot](/manual/secure-boot).

### Around the desktop

| Where | What it does |
|---|---|
| Menu bar | The app's menus on the left, status and the Control Center on the right |
| Dock | Your apps; running apps get a dot |
| Search | Apps, files, Settings pages and plugin results in one box |
| Control Center | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, sound, brightness, Low Power Mode and tiles from plugins |
| Store | Curated apps, Kits and every package source through wopkg |
| Settings | Everything else, including Privacy & Security and Assistants & Automation |

### Status

WolOS is in active development. The image installs offline and boots; the full desktop is still being proven on real hardware, so expect rough edges and report what you hit on [GitHub](https://github.com/wonderlandos/wolos/issues).