Is Maze Linux based on Arch?

Yes. Maze Linux is built on Arch Linux and follows a rolling-release model, so you always get current packages. You get Arch's power without the manual assembly — a complete, hardened KDE Plasma 6 desktop is ready on first boot.

Do I have to configure the security and privacy tools myself?

No. AppArmor, firewalld, Maze Guard, auditd, Tor, VPN and MAC randomization are already enabled and configured out of the box. Local AI via Ollama is also ready to run, fully offline.

Can I try it without installing?

Yes. Maze ships as a Live ISO — boot it from USB and try the full desktop before installing. When you're ready, a guided installer sets it up in minutes.

Does Maze Linux collect any telemetry?

No. Maze has zero telemetry — nothing phones home and there is no tracking. Privacy is the default, not an option you have to turn on.

What are the hardware requirements?

A 64-bit (x86-64) CPU with UEFI (no BIOS/Legacy), at least 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended, 16 GB for local AI) and 40 GB of disk space. Secure Boot and full-disk encryption are supported.

Is it free and open source?

Yes. Maze Linux is free to download and use, and built on open-source software.

Maze Linux / Wiki

Maze Linux Wiki

Maze Linux desktop

Maze Linux is a security-, privacy- and AI-focused desktop built on Arch Linux. It ships a complete, hardened KDE Plasma 6 Wayland desktop with security tools, anonymity software, and a local AI runtime already configured and enabled — ready from first boot.

Start here

Installation Guide — write the ISO, boot live, install
First Boot / MOK — the blue screen on first reboot is not an error
After Install — first steps once the installer finishes

When something goes wrong

Won't Boot? — five steps, top to bottom
Diagnostics — maze-doctor, maze-boot-check
Kill Switches — "why isn't my camera working?"

Keeping the system healthy

Updating — what happens on every pacman -Syu
Snapshots & Rollback — undo a bad update
Kernel Management — the recovery kernel

Reference

Tools & Apps — every built-in app explained
Maze Connect — phone ↔ desktop
Security Reference — what's running and why
Privacy Reference — anonymity stack and MAC randomization
Secure Boot — the signing chain in detail
AI & Development — Ollama, local LLMs and the dev toolchain
FAQ — common questions
Known Limitations — what Maze does not do

Quick facts


Base	Arch Linux (rolling release)
Desktop	KDE Plasma · Wayland · SDDM
Architecture	x86_64 · UEFI only (no BIOS/Legacy)
Release	2026.09.22 (rolling, date-versioned)
ISO size	~4.85 GB
License	GPLv3

System requirements

	Minimum	Recommended
Boot	UEFI required	UEFI + Secure Boot
CPU	x86_64	—
RAM	4 GB	8 GB+ (16 GB for local AI)
Disk	40 GB	100 GB+
ESP	512 MB	1 GB+ (room for two kernel images)

What's pre-enabled

Layer	Tool
Mandatory access control	AppArmor
Host firewall	firewalld / nftables
Network attack detection	Maze Guard
Antivirus	ClamAV + QLAM
Audit logging	auditd
MAC randomization	Maze Cloak
Encrypted DNS	DNSCrypt-proxy
Local AI runtime	Ollama
Anonymity layer	Entropy Shield (Tor + I2P + DNSCrypt)
Automatic snapshots	snap-pac + btrfs
Signed boot chain	Secure Boot + signed Unified Kernel Image

USB device blocking (USBGuard) is installed but off by default — you turn it on in Maze Hardware. See Kill Switches.

Getting help

Open an issue on GitHub for bugs or feature requests. Attach the output of sudo maze-doctor — it answers most questions on its own.