Tilo

Add the desktop to Ubuntu or Debian

Add Tilo beside the desktop already on the machine. It uses the same local account and home directory and does not replace the distribution.

Before changing packages

  • Install pending distribution updates first.
  • Keep the current display manager when the package manager asks; Tilo adds a session to it.
  • Close applications before signing out.

1. Check your system

Check that this computer runs Ubuntu 24.04 or Debian 13 on amd64. The public repository does not require an account or access token.

2. Add the Tilo repository

These commands add the signed public Tilo package repository to your existing package manager.

sudo install -d -m 0755 /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL \
  https://code.podesta.ai/api/packages/qos/debian/repository.key \
  -o /etc/apt/keyrings/forgejo-tilo.asc

# Ubuntu 24.04 uses noble. On Debian 13, replace noble with trixie.
echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/forgejo-tilo.asc] https://code.podesta.ai/api/packages/qos/debian noble main" \
  | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/tilo.list

3. Install the session

sudo apt update
sudo apt install tilo-session

When installation finishes, sign out, select your account, use the session or cog menu to choose Tilo, and sign in. Your previous desktop remains in that menu.

First sign-in

The first-start screen creates a new Tilo collaboration identity or connects this device with an existing recovery copy. It then offers a short, skippable tour. It does not copy another desktop's extensions or private settings.

Your existing home directory remains available. Tilo creates a private Personal workspace; nothing is shared until you invite someone. Normal Linux applications appear in search and run normally. Native Tilo apps additionally gain workspace history, shared state and the common action interface.

Update

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade tilo-session

The desktop session follows the distribution's update and rollback rules. Installing it as a session does not turn the host distribution into the image-based Tilo operating system.

Switch back or remove it

To switch desktops, sign out and select the previous session at the sign-in screen. This changes no files.

To remove the Tilo package, first sign in to another desktop, then run:

sudo apt remove tilo-session
sudo apt autoremove

Removing the session leaves your workspace data in your home directory. Export or delete it separately from Settings → Workspaces. Read Remove Tilo safely before removing the last copy.