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Since I upgraded to Ubuntu 20.04 (with gedit 3.36.2), the gedit text editor no longer offers me the ability to filter recently opened files. The former UI is shown in this image:

List of recently opened files with a search bar on top

After the upgrade, the list no longer shows file paths and, crucially, lacks a search field. This search field was how I usually accessed my numerous text or markdown notes, so I'm looking for a way to restore this feature or something similar to it.

Some notes on what I've tried:

  • I'm looking specifically for an option that is fast to access, as I'm using this as my primary method of opening and organizing notes (dozens of times per day). Solutions that require multiple clicks aren't a suitable replacement.
  • The Quick Open plugin suggested in this answer does not find some of my recently opened files, even though they are shown in the "Recent" folder in Files.
  • The closest workaround I've found so far is pressing the super button to access the desktop environment's "Activities" search field, but that search isn't limited to text files and doesn't present the most recently opened files before I start typing.
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  • 1
    Does this answer your question? Is it possible to bring back the search box in gedit open recent files dropdown in 20.04?
    – FedKad
    Oct 29, 2020 at 14:38
  • @FedonKadifeli: It's mostly the same question (had not found the question when searching the site) but the accepted answer does not actually answer it. I'm not sure which files the Quick Open plugin searches, but there are recently opened files it never suggests even if I enter the full file name and there are no other files that match the search.
    – Tordanik
    Oct 29, 2020 at 16:31
  • then you may want to try pluma and see how it behaves... and that one has a hot key... though I think the hot key works on gedit too but i can't test it as I'm in a virtual
    – WU-TANG
    Oct 29, 2020 at 17:07

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Open the Open file picker (dialog box).

Select the "Recent" folder.

There is a search feature on that "Open file picker", which filters the recent files.

...and if the "Recent" folder is not showing for any applications:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.privacy remember-recent-files true

enter image description here

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  • I know about that option, but unfortunately it requires too many clicks for something that I'm using as my primary approach to opening text files (~ dozens of times per day). I still upvoted as it's useful for someone who needs to do such searches only occasionally, and thank you for the suggestion!
    – Tordanik
    Oct 29, 2020 at 16:22

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