For users of Ubuntu, especially those who appreciate a personalized desktop environment, the Unity Tweak Tool is an indispensable utility. If you’re looking to customize the look and feel of your Ubuntu system, particularly the Unity desktop, this tool provides a wide array of settings to tailor your experience. While Ubuntu Tweak was a popular choice in the past, Unity Tweak Tool has emerged as a robust and actively maintained alternative, especially for modern Ubuntu versions. This guide will walk you through the simple process of installing Unity Tweak Tool on your Ubuntu system, ensuring you can start customizing your desktop in no time.
Why Choose Unity Tweak Tool for Ubuntu Customization?
Unity Tweak Tool is designed to give you control over various aspects of your Unity desktop environment. It neatly organizes customization options into an easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users. Unlike digging through configuration files or using command-line interfaces for every tweak, Unity Tweak Tool provides a graphical approach to personalize your Ubuntu experience.
Key Features of Unity Tweak Tool:
- Themes: Easily change GTK themes, window themes, icon themes, and cursor themes to revamp the visual appearance of your desktop.
- Icons: Customize the icons used throughout your system, giving your desktop a fresh and unique look.
- Fonts: Adjust fonts for applications, window titles, and the desktop interface to improve readability and aesthetics.
- Window Manager Settings: Configure window behavior such as animations, window snapping, window spreading, and even set up hotcorners for quick actions.
- Workspace Options: Manage workspaces, enabling you to optimize your workflow and multitasking capabilities.
- Unity Launcher Customization: One of the most sought-after features is the ability to move the Unity Launcher. Users can easily reposition the launcher to the bottom of the screen or keep it in its default left-side position.
Installing Unity Tweak Tool on Ubuntu: A Quick Guide
Installing Unity Tweak Tool on Ubuntu is straightforward, thanks to its availability in the official Ubuntu repositories. You can install it using the apt-get package manager directly from your terminal. Here’s how:
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have an active internet connection and access to the terminal on your Ubuntu system. You can open the terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
Installation Command
The command to install Unity Tweak Tool is simple and requires administrative privileges, which you can obtain using sudo. Along with Unity Tweak Tool, the command also includes gnome-tweak-tool. gnome-tweak-tool is another customization tool, particularly useful if you are using the GNOME desktop environment or parts of it. Installing both can provide a broader range of customization options for your system.
sudo apt-get install unity-tweak-tool gnome-tweak-toolStep-by-Step Installation Process
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Open Terminal: Press
Ctrl+Alt+Tto open the terminal. -
Enter the Installation Command: Type or paste the command
sudo apt-get install unity-tweak-tool gnome-tweak-toolinto the terminal. -
Enter Password: You will be prompted to enter your user password. Type your password and press Enter. Note that as you type, you won’t see any characters appearing on the screen – this is normal security behavior in Linux.
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Confirm Installation: The system will display a summary of the packages to be installed and the disk space they will require. Type
Yand press Enter to confirm and proceed with the installation. -
Wait for Installation to Complete: The installation process will begin, and the terminal will display progress messages. Wait for the process to finish. This might take a few minutes depending on your internet speed and system performance.
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Installation Complete: Once the installation is complete, you will return to the terminal prompt. There will typically be a message indicating that the installation was successful.
Launching and Using Unity Tweak Tool
After successful installation, you can launch Unity Tweak Tool in several ways:
Launching from Terminal
You can simply type unity-tweak-tool in the terminal and press Enter. This will immediately launch the application.
Launching from the Application Menu (Dash)
Alternatively, you can launch it graphically through the Ubuntu Dash.
- Open Dash: Click the Ubuntu icon at the top-left corner of your screen or press the Super key (Windows key).
- Search for Unity Tweak Tool: Type “Unity Tweak Tool” in the search bar.
- Launch the Application: Click on the Unity Tweak Tool icon to launch the application.
Once launched, you will be greeted with the Unity Tweak Tool interface, presenting you with various categories of settings to customize your Ubuntu desktop. Feel free to explore each category and adjust settings to personalize your Ubuntu experience.
Customizing your Ubuntu desktop with Unity Tweak Tool opens up a world of personalization, allowing you to make your system truly your own. From changing themes and icons to tweaking window behavior and workspace settings, Unity Tweak Tool is your go-to application for desktop customization on Ubuntu. Start exploring the options and enjoy a tailored Ubuntu experience!
