My Ubuntu Setup¶

Customizing your Ubuntu can significantly enhance your user experience. In this guide, I will walk you through the steps to set up a beautiful and functional theme on your Ubuntu system.

Ubuntu Theme Setup¶

Before we start, take a look at this website gnome-look where you can find various themes, icons, and cursors for your Ubuntu desktop. I'm going to use one of my favorite themes called Orchis-theme. Of course, you can choose any theme you like.

Step 1: Install gnome-tweaks¶

To fully customize your Ubuntu theme, you need to install gnome-tweaks.

Bash

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gnome-tweaks gnome-shell-extensions

To open gnome-tweaks, there are two ways:

Open your terminal and type gnome-tweaks.
You can search for "Tweaks" in your application menu and launch it from there.

Step 2: Download and Install Orchis Theme¶

I'm going to git clone the Orchis theme repository and install it.

Bash

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/Orchis-theme.git

After cloning the repository, navigate to the cloned directory and run the installation script:

Note

There are a lot of options where you can configure the theme. Make sure you read the README file section in the cloned repository.

Bash

cd Orchis-theme
./install.sh
./install.sh -h

# Here is the option that I selected
./install.sh -d $HOME/.themes -t all --tweaks black

Make sure the theme is installed in the ~/.themes directory.

Step 3: Change your theme in gnome-tweaks¶

After installing the theme, open gnome-tweaks and navigate to the Appearance section. Here, you can change your Applications, Cursor, and Icons themes.

Bash

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme "Orchis"

Icons Setup¶

For the icons, I will use the candy-icons.

Step 1: Download zip file¶

Bash

wget https://github.com/EliverLara/candy-icons/archive/refs/heads/master.zip -O /tmp/candy.zip

Step 2: Unzip the file¶

Extract the .zip file to the icons directory either one of the following locations:

/usr/share/icons/
~/.local/share/.icons/
~/.icons/

Bash

unzip /tmp/candy.zip -d ~/.icons

Step 3: Change your icons in gnome-tweaks¶

Bash

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface icon-theme "candy-icons"

Gnome Extensions¶

Gnome extensions can significantly enhance your desktop experience. I will install a few useful extensions.

Step 1: Install Extension-manager¶

Bash

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-manager

Step 2: Open Extension-manager¶

Bash

extension-manager

Step 3: Install Extensions¶

You can search for the following extensions and install them:

Add to Desktop: This extension allows you to add applications to your desktop easily.
GNOME Fuzzy App Search: This extension enhances the search functionality in GNOME, making it more intuitive and faster.
App menu is back: This extension brings back the application menu, providing quick access to application-specific options.
Clipboard Indicator: This extension adds a clipboard indicator to the top bar, allowing you to manage your clipboard history easily.
Logo Menu: This extension replaces the default GNOME logo with a customizable menu, giving you quick access to system settings and applications.
Text Clock: This extension adds a text-based clock to the top bar, providing a clear and concise time display.
System Monitor: This extension adds a system monitor to the top bar, allowing you to keep an eye on your system's performance and resource usage.