How to customize newly launched Ubuntu 14.04. I have curated a list of top 11 must know tweaks to customize Ubuntu 14.04. Ubuntu 14.04 comes with exciting new features and for most users, the new Ubuntu 14.04 may be completely different. So here is the list of top 10 must-do tweaks to customize Ubuntu 14.04 as per your need.
How to Customize Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty Tahr
1. Install Gnome and Unity Tweak Tool
We all know how powerful Gnome and Unity is – It’s one of the most easy to manage tool for Ubuntu desktop interface. With Unity and Gnome tool you can customize your Ubuntu’s look and feel. It helps you to customize the appearance of Ubuntu desktop.
To install Unity and Gnome, type the following command (one after another):
sudo apt-get install unity-tweak-tool
sudo apt-get install gnome-tweak-tool
If you don’t want to write tow separate commands to install Unity and Gnome one by one, you can type the following single command:
sudo apt-get install unity-tweak-tool gnome-tweak-tool
You may be asked your system password, input you password to install. To open Unity, open Dash and type Unity. Now you can see unity tool icon, click it to access.
2. Install New Minimize on Click Fuction – CompizConfig Settings Manager CCSM
Ubuntu 14.04 comes with “minimise on click” Unity feature which allow app windows to be minimised by clicking on its respective icon in the Unity Launcher. It will function just like a Window OS click launcher and the app windows can be restored once user re-click on the app icon. The minimise option will be turned off by default and users will have to enable it via CompizConfig Settings Manager (CCSM).
sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager
Once installed, go to Dash and type CCM and open CompizConfig Settings Manager. Under Compizconfig Settings Manager, click Ubuntu Unity Plugin and under the Launcher tab, tick the option “Minimize Single Window Applications (Unsupported).”
3. Show Username on the Panel Bar
Displaying your username on the panel bar is like adding signature to your Ubuntu. You can add name to Ubuntu panel bar in two ways:
Using Terminal – type the following command:
gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.session show-real-name-on-panel true
Using Unity Tweak Tool (See first customization – how to install Unity/Gnome Tweak Tool)
- Open the Unity tweak tool (open Dash and type Unity and click on UNity tool icon)
- Under Unity tab select Panel option
- Now under indicators tab, click “Show my name.”
If you ever wish to remove your name from the panel bar, type the following command in the Terminal to remove name from panel:
gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.session show-real-name-on-panel false
This command will remove your username form the panel bar and it will be restored to the default settings.
4. Disable Online Search and Shopping Suggestions From Ubuntu 14.04 Dash
When you search an application in Dash, it show few online suggestions – shopping and search options. This is really annoying and looks bad, when suggestions crop up into the Dash interface.
Luckily, we have a command and a script to disable online search and suggestions. To disable it, open the Terminal and type the following commands:
To disable online search:
wget -q -O – https://fixubuntu.com/fixubuntu.sh | bash
To disable shopping suggestions:
gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.Lenses disabled-scopes “['more_suggestions-amazon.scope', 'more_suggestions-u1ms.scope', 'more_suggestions-populartracks.scope', 'music-musicstore.scope', 'more_suggestions-ebay.scope', 'more_suggestions-ubuntushop.scope', 'more_suggestions-skimlinks.scope']“
Please write the second line of the command in a single sentence.
5. Install Java and Flash in Ubuntu 14.04
Open the Terminal and type the following command:
To install Java in Ubuntu 14.04
sudo apt-get install icedtea-7-plugin openjdk-7-jre
To install Java in Ubuntu 14.04
sudo apt-get install flashplugin-installer
You can also install unsupported updates from canonical partners. Open System Settings > Sofwtare & Updates > Other Software (tab) and tick all options to get additional support.
6. Access and Manage Your Online Accounts – Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, Windows Live and Yahoo!
You can manage all your online accounts- Facebook, Flickr, Gmail, Google Drive, Twitter, Windows Live and Yahoo! from Ubuntu 14.04. To start accessing you online accounts, go to System Settings > Online Accounts and cofigure each of your online accounts you wish to use.
7. Change Launcher Icon Size and Auto-Hide The Launcher
Many people don’t like the default launcher in Ubuntu 14.04, it takes extra space and looks bulgy. Luckily, you can auto-hide it and you can also change the launcher icon size to adjust it according to your screen.
To auto-hide the launcher, go to Sytsem Settings and click Appearance. Now to auto-hide the Ubuntu 14.04 launcher, under Appearance tab, select Behavior and click Auto-hide the launcher. (slide the button to ON).
To change the launcher icon size, go to Appearance and under Look tab, set the lauher icon size slider to a new size.
8. Add Show Desktop Icon in the Launcher and Enable Workspaces Icon
Show desktop icon is one of the most widely used icon in any OS – Linux or Windows. By default, the new Ubuntu 14.04 launcher dock doesn’t show the workspaces nor the show desktop icon.
Here is how to get show desktop and workspaces icon in the launcher.
- Go to System Setting > Appearance
- Click Behavior tab and select (tick) “Enable Workspaces” and “Add show desktop icon to the launcher.”
9. Remove White Dots From Ubuntu 14.04 Login Screen
By default, Ubuntu 14.04 login screen shows tiny white stars/dots across the screen. This is a bit annoying and here is the way to remove white dots/tiny stars from the Ubuntu 14.04 login screen.
Open the Terminal and type the following commands:
sudo xhost +SI:localuser:lightdm
sudo su lightdm -s /bin/bash
gsettings set com.canonical.unity-greeter draw-grid false;exit
10. Customize Ubuntu for Multimedia – Install Media Codecs and Enable DVD Playback
To install all the media codecs and plugins, open the Terminal and type the following command:
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras
Enable DVD playback
Type the following command in the Terminal to enable DVD playback:
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
This step is very useful for users who enjoy watching movies on their Ubuntu PC or work upon multimedia files.
11. How to Enable / Disable Overlay Scroll Bar
Ubuntu 14.04 comes with the overlay scroll bar – which remains auto-hidden and is only shown when you hover your mouse over the edge of the screen. You can disable it and switch to the normal scroll bar.
To disable the overlay scroll bar, type the following command in the Terminal:
gsettings set com.canonical.desktop.interface scrollbar-mode normal
To bring the overlay scroll bar back, type:
gsettings reset com.canonical.desktop.interface scrollbar-mode
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