Unity is Ubuntu's default interface since Ubuntu 11.04. Its main components are the panel (at the top of the screen), the launcher (on the left), and the dash (revealed by clicking the Ubuntu button or tapping the Super or Windows key).
277
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11answers
247k views
What are Unity's keyboard and mouse shortcuts?
In Unity, are there any pre-defined shortcuts, e.g. to open the dash or unhide the launcher?
217
votes
11answers
341k views
How can I configure Unity?
Are there any configuration options for the Unity desktop?
There are multiple valid answers for this question spanning over several versions of Ubuntu. For your convenience an index of each below ...
172
votes
14answers
130k views
How can I edit/create new launcher items in Unity by hand?
Will Unity allow making custom launcher icons from .desktop files or via menu editing system? (Right now the launcher doesn't give the option to "keep in launcher" on all programs.
For some programs ...
138
votes
2answers
172k views
Can I move the Unity launcher?
I can’t get used to the new Unity system. I’d like to move the left Unity panel to the bottom of screen (like Windows 7 – more similar is better).
But I can't find a way. Is it possible?
135
votes
36answers
91k views
What lenses for Unity are available?
This question is present as a matter of historical interest. While you are encouraged to help maintain its answers, please understand that "big list" questions are not generally allowed on ...
120
votes
10answers
34k views
How to change tooltip background color in Unity?
In a lot of applications the tooltips are just plain ugly (White text on black background, way too much contrast) or even unreadable (black or dark blue text (Hyperlinks) on black background). I want ...
114
votes
4answers
27k views
How do I modify or disable the HUD's use of the Alt key?
A number of games, Emacs, and the terminal make extensive use of the Alt key. Can Unity be configured to respect this key, rather than launching the HUD with it?
108
votes
11answers
25k views
How do I disable mouse magnet on middle edge with multi monitors?
I use Ubuntu 12.04 on a two screen setup. Multiscreen on 12.04 has generally become much better, but there is one thing that really gets on my nerves: there's a mouse magnet of sorts on the middle ...
102
votes
3answers
29k views
What's the right terminology for Unity's UI elements?
I've sent a few mails to the Ayatana mailing list regarding some UI suggestions for Unity, but I'm afraid I keep confusing the right terms for the UI element, so I would like to have some ...
94
votes
10answers
56k views
How do I reset my Unity configuration?
I've been messing around with Unity and broke something, how do I "start over"?
89
votes
14answers
52k views
How to pin Eclipse to the Unity launcher?
How can I pin eclipse indigo 3.7 I have 'installed' at /opt/ to the taskbar?
I have tried launching eclipse and right-clicking to choose the 'keep in launcher' option. But when I click that icon, ...
88
votes
9answers
63k views
How can I keep recent files from appearing in Unity?
I sometimes browse erotic media files but I would like to avoid having them appear in files & folders / recent. How can I do that?
The old "making .recently-used.xbel a folder" trick from 10.10 ...
85
votes
6answers
49k views
How can I configure Unity's launcher auto-hide behavior?
This has been an issue for me with Unity since its release.
I'd like to make the the launcher auto-hide. Especially on Netbooks, where screens are small, the launcher is quite wide, making it ...
83
votes
10answers
40k views
What can replace system monitoring in the top Gnome Panel in Unity?
I'm used to have System monitoring in the top Gnome Panel: CPU, Temperature, Net, Fan-Speed. (see screenshot below)
In Unity, the Top Panel is locked for window name and global menu, so I can't add ...
82
votes
7answers
29k views
How do I disable the global application menu?
I'm fairly excited for Unity, as it looks like a promising new direction for Ubuntu. However, I do have a concern - will it be possible to use Unity without the global menu?
I have my window manager ...
77
votes
5answers
16k views
Why is Ubuntu 11.04 switching to Unity?
I understand from Jono Bacon's blog that Ubuntu will be switching to Unity as the default desktop in the upcoming 11.04.
What's not clear is "Why?".
Could someone explain the benefits of Unity over ...
74
votes
14answers
34k views
Unity doesn't load, no Launcher, no Dash appears
When I login, nothing happens.
I am presented with my desktop wallpaper.
No Dash, no Launcher, nothing.
70
votes
8answers
37k views
Am I using Unity or Unity 2D?
Unity and Unity 2D look very much alike, so how can new users easily find out whether they are running Unity or Unity 2D?
69
votes
9answers
35k views
How can I reduce or increase the number of workspaces in Unity?
I was reading about how to get multiple workspaces in the mutter version of Unity, however since Compiz is replacing Mutter how do I go about adding and removing workspaces in Compiz version of Unity?
...
65
votes
4answers
38k views
How do I set focus follows mouse?
Is there a way to set up "focus follows mouse" behavior in Ubuntu 11.10, 12.04, and 12.10 Unity?
63
votes
4answers
34k views
How do I revert Alt-tab behavior to switch between windows on the current workspace?
Enabling Bias alt-tab sorting to prefer windows on the current viewport as described here made no difference. How can I get back the exact same behavior as 11.04, so that alt-tab only switches between ...
57
votes
6answers
27k views
How can I remove duplicate second Unity Launcher on a Dual Screen setup?
See attached image. On my dual screen display I have a Unity Launcher on the left hand screen and also on the right hand screen. Both work perfectly fine.
I don't want two Unity Launchers. Every time ...
56
votes
7answers
11k views
Is there an easy way to rearrange or move the icons in the Unity launcher?
It looks like the only time that you can choose where an icon goes on the unity launcher, is when you add it. Is there a way to rearrange the order of an icon after it has been added?
56
votes
2answers
15k views
What are some of the issues with ccsm and why would I want to avoid it?
I've seen some people complaining about how unstable Compiz Config Settings Manager ("ccsm") is and how it can break people's desktops if they're not careful.
What are some of the known problems of ...
51
votes
2answers
13k views
How do I install the Ask Ubuntu Unity Lens, and how do I use it?
I heard about the Ask Ubuntu Unity Lens over in the chat, and I was wondering how to install it. What are the step-by-step instructions to get it installed, activated and once that's done, how do I ...
50
votes
5answers
13k views
How do I build Unity from source?
I'd like to know how I would build Unity from source code in the current development release. Please cover the following topics:
Which packages are needed to compile Unity?
Where would I get the ...
48
votes
7answers
69k views
How can you remove Unity?
In previous versions of Netbook Remix I was able to disable the netbook-launcher and just have a blank desktop. I liked the speed of the Netbook version but not the interface, this worked well for ...
46
votes
3answers
10k views
Can auto-hide for the application menu be turned off in Unity?
Will there be a way to disable auto-hide behavior of global application menu in Unity. While I would prefer to have this behavior disabled by default (as it is bad UX), it looks like it's here to ...
44
votes
5answers
21k views
How do I put a web application on the Launcher?
Sometimes I see pictures of screenshots with people with web applications and nice icons on their launcher, how can I set this up?
44
votes
1answer
8k views
What is nux and what's it used for?
This question mentions that Unity will use nux as the toolkit.
What exactly is nux?
43
votes
10answers
10k views
Why can't I use the Unity launcher icon to minimize applications/windows?
I don't know if this is a feature or a bug, but clicking on an active application's launcher icon doesn't minimize it. It is terribly inconvenient for folks using a persistent Unity bar to click ...
42
votes
3answers
22k views
How can I run Unity in a virtual machine?
Originally it was the case that Unity could not run in tools like Virtualbox.
How can I now do so?
40
votes
2answers
3k views
How do I make a Theme from scratch for Unity?
I'd like to make a theme from scratch for Unity.
What knowledge and information/skills are needed? Are there any tools or templates out there for something like this already? I don't have any Python ...
38
votes
4answers
7k views
How to hide recent files and most used apps?
How can I hide recent files that my Ubuntu Netbook's unity menu shows when I click on the files and folder icon?
Okay ! I watch porn sometimes and right after that it appears in the files and folder ...
37
votes
3answers
6k views
What is the “Grave” button?
The quick help of Unity (long press on the Super button) shows that Switch windows of current application can be triggered by Alt+Grave keyboard shortcut. What is Grave?
Here it is:
37
votes
1answer
30k views
What is the “show desktop” keyboard shortcut?
I just upgraded to 11.10 from 11.04. Previously the shortcut to show the desktop was Super key + D (same as in Windows), But now it is not working. What is the new shortcut?
36
votes
3answers
35k views
How do I restart Unity
I know about unity --reset command.
But how can I simply restart Unity without resetting its profile?
35
votes
4answers
13k views
How does Unity work in multi-monitor configurations?
Unity in 10.10 appeared to be focused around single monitor configurations with a single tasking workflow. This works quite well on a netbook which has limited screen real estate.
How does the ...
34
votes
6answers
14k views
How do I add and remove the Workspace Switcher launcher from the Unity launcher?
How can I remove the Workspace Switcher launcher from the Unity dock?
34
votes
5answers
9k views
Is it possible to make indicator-appmenu ignore a specific application?
The new indicator-appmenu in Maverick breaks the LyX menu: the application menu is not shown either in the application window nor in the applet. (See Bug report.)
As a workaround while the bug is ...
33
votes
6answers
25k views
Is there a hardware temperature sensor indicator?
Well, just like the title says : is there any hardware sensors indicator so i can add it to unity's panel?
I only found applets for the older gnome panel.
33
votes
0answers
10k views
Is there a Unity equivalent of the GNOME panel 'show desktop' applet? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to add a “Show desktop” icon to the launcher?
I miss the symbol to show the desktop with just one click when using Unity instead of the classic desktop.
Is there a ...
32
votes
13answers
31k views
How to add a “Show desktop” icon to the launcher?
I recently upgraded from 10.04 to 12.04, and there is no show desktop in the launcher. I know I can use Ctrl+Super+D, but is there a way to get it in the launcher?
Edit:
I just installed the "show ...
32
votes
1answer
4k views
Why is Unity 2D being discontinued?
As reported by Phoronix, the news from UDS appears to be that development on Unity 2D will stop, with the focus being on a single, unified implementation.
Obviously maintaining two codebases to do ...
30
votes
5answers
64k views
How do I change the default session for when using auto-logins?
When autologon is active, lightdm will start the Unity 3D session, not the 2D (or any other shell that I want to auto-login to).
Is there a way to start the shell I want automatically (autologon)?
...
30
votes
7answers
7k views
How can I change the Unity launcher delay?
I find the sidebar to appear and disappear terribly slow. How can I change the delay?
29
votes
4answers
29k views
How can I disable recent documents in Unity?
How do I disable the tracking and display of recently opened files (and whatever else is remembered) in a default installation of Ubuntu? (This question originally concerned 11.10, but now that I'm on ...
29
votes
2answers
4k views
Why is Unity a “slow” desktop environment?
Background
First of all, this is not a question about opinions. I am assuming that we are talking about Unity 3D and on a computer with decent graphics configuration. By "desktop environment", I am ...
28
votes
1answer
22k views
Tips and Tricks for Unity
We have the new Unity shell in Ubuntu, what are the fun new stuff we need to know or look forward to?
27
votes
6answers
8k views
How can I set default terminal used?
How can I set default terminal used Unity in 11.10?
I would like to use ctrl-alt-t default hotkey to start no default terminal. The default terminal is gnome-terminal in 11.10. Where can I change the ...
