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Each time I open any application, it zooms to fill-up the entire desktop and so I am always forced to use "Unmaximize" using Alt+Space menu.

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4 Answers 4

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For GNOME 3.8 and later, it's

gsettings set org.gnome.mutter auto-maximize false

You can also set this by dconf-editor.

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  • on Ubuntu 20.04 why after issuing above command when I go a get on same it says true ? ... gsettings get org.gnome.mutter auto-maximize Feb 18, 2022 at 23:02
  • gsettings set org.gnome.mutter edge-tiling false
    – lolesque
    Mar 21, 2022 at 23:10
  • Worked in Ubuntu 22.04.
    – Daniel
    Aug 3, 2022 at 17:55
  • i get: No such schema “org.gnome.mutter” Operating System: Kubuntu 22.04 KDE Plasma Version: 5.24.7
    – SL5net
    Oct 17, 2023 at 17:55
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Three terminal commands that prevent auto-maximize in Ubuntu 18.04 and 20.04.

I ran these commands to prevent auto-maximize when a window touches the top
toolbar or the edges of the desktop in 18.04. From what I have read they prevent
auto-maximize for other causes as well. By the way, a double-click on a window's
titlebar will unmaximize it.

These commands are followed by a dconf change I had to correct after upgrading
to Ubuntu 20.04 from Ubuntu 18.04. FYI GNOME 3.36 is the default version for
the Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa desktop.

Years prior to upgrading from 18.04 to 20.04 I used the terminal to set these:

gsettings set org.gnome.mutter edge-tiling false

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.overrides edge-tiling false

These settings prevented windows from auto-maximize in 18.04 when they touch
the top toolbar or the edges of the desktop. I think I made the dconf change
I discuss in detail below to get these two commands to work in 18.04.
The 20.04 upgrade kept these two command settings.

However, after upgrading to 20.04, auto-maximize was back when I single-clicked
on any window's titlebar. @Bazon suggested this terminal command. I ran it:

gsettings set org.gnome.mutter auto-maximize false

This seemed to solve the problem until I did a complete shutdown that night.
When I restarted the computer the next day, the problem was back. I tried to avoid
clicking a window's titlebar as a work around for two weeks. Then it dawned on me
the dconf editor may have a setting for this.

I keep a diligent dconf changes file. So, I looked and found I had changed:

dconf editor: org > gnome > desktop > wm > preferences > action-double-click-titlebar

I had set Default [Off] with Custom value set to toggle-maximize in 18.04.
I probably had to do that to get the the first two commands above to take effect
in 18.04. These settings worked for me in 18.04 but not in 20.04.
I set Default [On] for Ubuntu 20.04 which also has auto-maximize set as it's default
and closed the dconf editor. That change eliminated the single-click auto-maximize
when clicking on a window's titlebar.

I did a [Restart] a few times that day and I did a complete shutdown that night.
The change was still in effect when I restarted the computer the next day.
These changes are still preventing auto-maximize for me. You may have to run all
three of the above commands to stop all auto-maximize occurrences.

Before the dconf change for 20.04, a single-click on file names with a .htm, .jpg,
.txt etc. extension in Files (Nautilus) or Xfe file managers would open them.
They all require a double-click to open them now.

If you should decide to install the dconf package, I suggest keeping a diligent
,easy to understand years later, record of any and all changes you make in dconf.
That file told me what and where to look for the solution to this problem.
The dconf editor has a warning message when you open it. Heed that warning.
The dconf editor has a lot of tempting options for changes. Do them one at a
time and make sure they work the way you expect before making more.
Most changes take effect immediately but may not after a complete shutdown
and [Restart].

I hope this prevents auto-maximize from making your computer time miserable.

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If you are talking about Metacity (GNOME Classic with no effects), it's possible that the maximize_windows option was enabled for some reason. To make sure it is disabled, open Terminal from the applications menu and enter this command:

gconftool --set --type=bool /apps/metacity/general/auto_maximize_windows False
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You can set the /apps/compiz-1/plugins/unityshell/screen0/options/automaximize_value key in gconf to 100:

gconftool-2 -s /apps/compiz-1/plugins/unityshell/screen0/options/automaximize_value -t int 100

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