Alright, you have got Debian 13 up and running. Clean desktop, quiet terminal, and that fresh sense of accomplishment. But Debian doesn’t hand you everything on a silver platter. It assumes you know what you are doing, or at least, it gives you the tools to figure it out.
So here’s what I have learned over the years, top 10 things to do after installing Debian 13, in no particular order. Think of it as a way to make this powerful system feel like yours.
1. Install Updates
Before anything else, the first command, sudo apt update, checks for “What’s new?” The following sudo apt upgrade actually applies all the latest security patches and bug fixes it just learned about. I usually run them together. So open a terminal and type:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
Sometimes it pulls down just a few minor fixes, but other times, it quietly patches something critical you didn’t even know was broken. If it updates the kernel, a quick restart is probably a good idea.
Pro-Tip: Sometimes, when trying to run sudo apt update, the system shoots back an error:
[yourusername] is not in the sudoers file
It means your user account doesn’t have administrative privileges. Something that should have been set during installation, but sometimes slips through, especially if you’re doing a minimal or advanced install. If you see that error, don’t sweat. You likely still have access to the root account, especially if you enabled it during setup.
Switch to root:
su -
Enter the root password. Now you are in.
First, check if the sudo package is even installed:
apt list --installed | grep sudo
If it’s not there, install it:
apt install sudo -y
Now add your user to the sudo group:
usermod -aG sudo, lpadmin yourusername
Replace yourusername with your actual username. Not sure what it is? Type whoami as your regular user (maybe in a new terminal window).
After this, log out completely or just restart. Now, after re-login sudo should work using your regular username and password in a fresh terminal window.
2. Check If Your Hardware Actually Works: The Non-Free Stuff
The default install sticks strictly to open-source drivers, which means your shiny new laptop’s Wi-Fi dongle or sound card might play dead. The issue often is not Debian itself, but its strict policy on including only fully open-source firmware.
This is where we make a practical choice. Adding the non-free and contrib repositories unlocks drivers for a lot of common hardware.
sudo sed -i.bak 's/main$/main contrib non-free/' /etc/apt/sources.list
Then, update again:
sudo apt update
Now, you can search for and install firmware packages like firmware-linux, which is a meta-package for a lot of common hardware. This single step often solves a majority of post-installation hardware issues.
3. Install Essential Tools
Debian doesn’t come with everything. Some useful tools are missing simply because they are not considered “essential” by default. But for actual use? They matter. Run this:
sudo apt install curl wget vim git htop rsync vlc p7zip-full
Some people swear by nano, and that’s fine. But if you’re going to edit config files regularly, learning a bit of Vim saves time in the long run. And htop? Way better than top for spotting what’s eating your RAM. Oh, and VLC is your best friend to play an MP3 or a random video file. They are the duct tape of the Linux system.
Maybe you need a browser like Brave for its privacy features or Chrome for Dev tools. You will typically grab the .deb file directly from their websites.
Chrome : https://www.google.com/chrome/
Brave : https://brave.com/linux/
If you use a cloud service like Dropbox or Nextcloud, getting its client installed makes everything feel connected. You’ll usually download a .deb package from their site. Once it’s installed and logged in, it quietly syncs in the background, which is far nicer than constantly uploading files through a web browser.
4. Tweak the Shell Experience
Out of the box, the shell works. But typing ls -la every time gets old. So tweak your .bashrc.
Open it:
nano ~/.bashrc
Scroll to the bottom and add in a few helpful aliases:
alias ll="ls -alF" alias update="sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y" alias cleanup='sudo apt autoremove && sudo apt autoclean' alias gs="git status" alias serve="python3 -m http.server 8000"
You can also customize your prompt to show username, hostname, and current directory more clearly.
Bash completion is probably already there, but if not, sudo apt install bash-completion means you can press Tab to finish filenames and commands. It feels like the terminal is helping you instead of just obeying.
5. Try Flatpak for Apps That Just Won’t Stay Updated
While Debian’s APT repository is vast, it often lags behind when it comes to newer versions of desktop apps like Firefox, LibreOffice, or Spotify. That’s where Flatpak shines. Install it:
sudo apt install flatpak flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
Now you can grab newer versions of apps. Spotify, Discord, even Blender—they are all on Flathub. Flatpak is a distro-independent package manager that keeps these apps sandboxed and updated independently of the system, reducing conflicts. Sandboxing can be finicky. Some apps don’t integrate perfectly with your theme or file picker. But overall, the trade-off feels worth it, especially if you use your machine for creative work or communication.
6. Enable UFW firewall
Even on a personal laptop, basic security helps. First, disable direct root login:
sudo passwd -l root
You can still use sudo when needed. But removing the ability to log in as root makes brute-force attacks less appealing. Then set up a firewall. UFW is simple:
sudo apt install ufw sudo ufw enable
If you ever run a local web server or SSH into your machine, allow those ports. Otherwise, leave it closed. Fail2ban is also worth considering. It watches logs and blocks repeated failed login attempts. Useful if you expose SSH to the internet, even temporarily.
None of this makes you invincible. But it raises the bar just enough to discourage casual threats.
7. Customizing Your Desktop
The default desktop is clean, but it might not be for you. Enable dark mode. Pick a softer font. Small changes reduce fatigue. Diving into the settings to change themes, icons, and fonts is the quickest way to personalize your space. Websites like GNOME-Look.org and Store.kde.org are treasures of free themes, icon packs, and cursors.
Regardless of which DE you picked during install, spend some time tweaking it.
GNOME users: Check out Extensions like dash-to-panel (turns awkward top bar into something usable), Vitals (monitor system resources while you work), Floating Dock (for a different type of dock), etc.
KDE folks: Dig into System Settings. You can change window animations, adjust task manager behavior, and even set global shortcuts.
XFCE: Right-click menus still rule. But don’t forget to adjust power settings, default sleep timers can be aggressive.
8. Setup Backup Using Timeshift
One of the biggest mistakes new Debian users make is assuming “it won’t happen to me.” Then a misconfigured script wipes /home, or an update breaks the bootloader. Start using rsync to mirror your important files to an external drive:
rsync -av –exclude=’.cache’ /home/yourname /media/backup/
Or try Timeshift. It takes snapshots of your system state. Install it via APT or Flatpak. Set a reminder, backup weekly.
Make it routine. Use a drive other than your system drive for backup so that it will be easy to back up in case of a break.
No solution is perfect. But it’s lifesaving when updates go sideways.
9. Optimize Power and Performance (Especially on Laptops)
Battery life on Linux has gotten better, but it’s still not magic. My ThinkPad used to die in three hours. After installing tlp, suddenly it’s closer to six. Install it:
sudo apt install tlp tlp-rdw sudo systemctl enable tlp
It adjusts CPU frequency, spins down drives, and manages USB devices quietly, in the background. No setup needed.
For NVIDIA users, consider switching between integrated and discrete graphics using prime-select. Running the GPU full-time kills the battery and heats up your lap.
10. When the Command Line Feels Like Too Much: Meet Synaptic
I love the terminal, but sometimes you want a visual map of your software. Synaptic is an old-school GUI-based package manager that’s incredibly powerful. It lets you search, install, and remove software with a click. But its real strength is showing you everything that’s available and how it’s all connected. Install it:
sudo apt install synaptic -y
It’s an invaluable tool for both newcomers and experts who want fine-grained control. It feels like getting the master key to the software library.
Bonus Tip 1 – Explore
You have done the setup. The most important thing now is to explore. Want to edit photos? Install GIMP or Krita. Thinking about 3D modeling? Blender is right there. Search for Debian software of your type. The included Debian Software is a good place to start. The sheer scale of available software is Debian’s secret weapon. Don’t worry about breaking things! Learning to fix small issues is part of the fun.
Bonus Tip 2 – Join the Community (and Keep Learning)
This might sound outdated, but bear with me. Debian has one of the oldest and most knowledgeable communities in the Linux world. When something breaks, and it will, don’t Google blindly. Head to the official Debian Forums. Or you can hop onto Libera.Chat and join #debian. Ask a question. Wait a bit. Someone usually replies, not with a canned response, but with actual insight. The comprehensive Debian Documentation builds a deeper understanding than any quick fix ever could.
If you stick around, maybe one day you’ll help someone else. The ecosystem thrives because people share.
Final Thoughts
Installing Debian 13 is just the beginning. What transforms it from a generic OS into YOUR operating system are the thoughtful touches you add afterward. Debian doesn’t try to impress you. It doesn’t come with flashy animations or curated app stores. What it gives you is control and the responsibility that comes with it.
These ten steps and bonus tips? They’re not rules. They’re habits I have picked up after breaking things, forgetting backups, and wrestling with drivers. Some may not apply to you. Maybe you don’t need Flatpak. Maybe you trust the default repos completely. That’s fine. But give yourself the chance to shape the system. Because the real power of Debian isn’t in its stability, it’s in the freedom to make it yours.
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