Debian 13 “Trixie” desktop preview
See what Debian looks like before you download it. Open the menu, launch apps, move windows and switch to dark mode in a mockup of the default desktop. There’s nothing to download and no virtual machine.
distro.watch rebuilt this desktop in HTML from official screenshots and default settings, and checked it on Oct 2, 2026. The Ceratopsian wallpaper by Elise Couper (CC BY-SA 4.0 or GPL-2+) is redrawn in a simplified form using its original colors. App icons are simplified stand-ins.
What does Debian look like?
Debian 13 “Trixie” with its default GNOME 48 desktop looks close to upstream GNOME. There is no dock on the desktop: a black top bar holds the workspace indicator, clock and quick settings, and after login you land in the Activities overview, where a dash at the bottom holds Firefox ESR, Evolution, Files, Software, Text Editor, Calculator and Help. The blue Ceratopsian artwork fills the background.
GNOME as its developers ship it
Debian adds no dock or desktop icons. You open apps from the Activities overview, which appears right after login, or by clicking the workspace indicator at the top-left.
Pinned apps
Debian’s GNOME settings pin Firefox ESR, Evolution, Files, Software, Text Editor, Calculator and Help to the dash. The grid button at the end opens all apps.
Ceratopsian artwork
Debian 13’s theme, inspired by the Toy Story dinosaur Trixie, appears on the wallpaper, login screen, installer and boot screens.
A close button only
Windows follow GNOME’s defaults: one close button and no minimize or maximize. Double-click a title bar to maximize.
GNOME is one choice of many
The installer’s default desktop is GNOME, but it also offers KDE Plasma, Xfce, Cinnamon, MATE, LXQt and LXDE. Those look very different.
Try the real Debian
This preview shows the layout, theme and default apps. It can’t show speed, hardware support or the real apps. Boot Debian from a USB stick to test those on your own computer before you install.
Sources
Debian desktop: common questions
What does Debian look like?
Debian 13 “Trixie” with its default GNOME 48 desktop looks close to upstream GNOME. There is no dock on the desktop: a black top bar holds the workspace indicator, clock and quick settings, and after login you land in the Activities overview, where a dash at the bottom holds Firefox ESR, Evolution, Files, Software, Text Editor, Calculator and Help. The blue Ceratopsian artwork fills the background.
What desktop environment does Debian use?
Debian 13 “Trixie” (GNOME) uses GNOME 48 with the Adwaita with the Ceratopsian artwork theme. Other Debian desktops (KDE Plasma, Xfce, more) look different from this preview.
Is this preview a real Linux system?
No. It is an interactive mockup that distro.watch built in HTML to match Debian 13 “Trixie”’s default layout, theme and apps. Nothing is downloaded, installed or run, so it can’t show performance or whether your hardware works.
How can I try Debian for real without installing it?
Write the Debian ISO to a USB stick and boot from it. The live session runs the real desktop on your own computer, so you can check Wi-Fi, graphics, sound and suspend before installing.