diff --git a/cspell.config.yaml b/cspell.config.yaml
index e25efb82..48c9e118 100644
--- a/cspell.config.yaml
+++ b/cspell.config.yaml
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ ignorePaths:
   - "**/node_modules/"
   - .vscode/extensions.json
   - patches/*.patch
+  - "**/github_brechtsanders_winlibs_mingw.json"
 words:
   - aarch
   - aminya
diff --git a/src/gcc/gcc.ts b/src/gcc/gcc.ts
index dd627dc3..10b3c293 100644
--- a/src/gcc/gcc.ts
+++ b/src/gcc/gcc.ts
@@ -110,32 +110,44 @@ export async function setupGcc(version: string, setupDir: string, arch: string,
             { name: "libstdc++-devel" },
           ])
         } else if (isUbuntu()) {
-          installationInfo = await installAptPack([
-            {
-              name: "gcc",
-              version,
-              repository: "ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test",
-              key: { key: "1E9377A2BA9EF27F", fileName: "ubuntu-toolchain-r-test.gpg" },
-            },
-            {
-              name: "g++",
-              version,
-              repository: "ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test",
-              key: { key: "1E9377A2BA9EF27F", fileName: "ubuntu-toolchain-r-test.gpg" },
-            },
-          ])
+          if (version === undefined) {
+            // the default version
+            installationInfo = await installAptPack([{ name: "gcc" }, { name: "g++" }])
+          } else {
+            // add the PPA for access to more versions
+            installationInfo = await installAptPack([
+              {
+                name: "gcc",
+                version,
+                repository: "ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test",
+                key: { key: "1E9377A2BA9EF27F", fileName: "ubuntu-toolchain-r-test.gpg" },
+              },
+              {
+                name: "g++",
+                version,
+                repository: "ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test",
+                key: { key: "1E9377A2BA9EF27F", fileName: "ubuntu-toolchain-r-test.gpg" },
+              },
+            ])
+          }
         }
       } else {
         info(`Install g++-multilib because gcc for ${arch} was requested`)
         if (isArch()) {
           await setupPacmanPack("gcc-multilib", version)
         } else if (isUbuntu()) {
-          await installAptPack([{
-            name: "gcc-multilib",
-            version,
-            repository: "ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test",
-            key: { key: "1E9377A2BA9EF27F", fileName: "ubuntu-toolchain-r-test.gpg" },
-          }])
+          if (version === undefined) {
+            // the default version
+            await installAptPack([{ name: "gcc-multilib" }])
+          } else {
+            // add the PPA for access to more versions
+            await installAptPack([{
+              name: "gcc-multilib",
+              version,
+              repository: "ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test",
+              key: { key: "1E9377A2BA9EF27F", fileName: "ubuntu-toolchain-r-test.gpg" },
+            }])
+          }
         }
       }
       break
diff --git a/src/versions/default_versions.ts b/src/versions/default_versions.ts
index 137bd03d..f9c80913 100644
--- a/src/versions/default_versions.ts
+++ b/src/versions/default_versions.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { isArch } from "../utils/env/isArch.js"
+import { isUbuntu } from "../utils/env/isUbuntu.js"
 
 // passing "" to a tool installed by a package manager (apt, brew, choco) will result in the default version of that package manager.
 // the directly downloaded tools require a given version ("" doesn't work).
@@ -30,8 +31,10 @@ export const DefaultVersions: Record<string, string | undefined> = {
   kcov: "42", // https://github.com/SimonKagstrom/kcov/releases
   task: "3.38.0", // https://github.com/go-task/task/releases
   doxygen: isArch() ? "1.11.0-4" : "1.11.0", // https://www.doxygen.nl/download.html // https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?suite=all&arch=any&searchon=names&keywords=doxygen // https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/doxygen // https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/doxygen/
-  gcc: isArch() ? "13.2.1-3" : "13", // https://github.com/brechtsanders/winlibs_mingw/releases and // https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?suite=all&arch=any&searchon=names&keywords=gcc
-  // mingw: isArch() ? "12.2.0-1" : "8", // https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?suite=all&arch=any&searchon=names&keywords=mingw-w64 // https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/mingw-w64-gcc/
+  gcc: process.platform === "win32"
+    ? "13"
+    : undefined, // use the default version on Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, macOS, etc.
+  // mingw: isArch() ? "12.2.0-1" : "8", // https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/mingw-w64-gcc/
   powershell: "7.4.5", // https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases/tag/v7.4.5
 }
 
@@ -44,14 +47,7 @@ export const MinVersions: Record<string, string | undefined> = {
 // - the newer ubuntu versions use the first entry (e.g. v20),
 // - the older ones use ""
 export const DefaultLinuxVersion: Record<string, Record<number, string> | undefined> = {
-  gcc: {
-    24: "13",
-    22: "13",
-    20: "11",
-    18: "11",
-    16: "11",
-    14: "11",
-  },
+  // https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?suite=all&arch=any&searchon=names&keywords=mingw-w64
   mingw: {
     24: "8.0.0-1",
     22: "8.0.0-1",