How to Change Themes on Ubuntu with Gnome Tweak Tool
Part 1 of 3:
Installing GNOME Tweak Tool and Shell Extensions
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Press the Control+Alt+T keys together to open the terminal.- Linux keyboard shortcuts are the same using a Mac or PC keyboard.
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Type sudo apt-get install gnome-tweak-tool into the Terminal, then hit ↵ Enter. This will contact the official repository to download the GNOME Tweak Tool package. When prompted, enter your account (current) password and the download and installation will proceed.- The "sudo" command grants security privileges of the super user. The apt-get command handles the Advanced Packing Tool (APT) to install the package.
- Installing packages requires an active network connection. Do not disconnect from the network until installation is complete.
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Type sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/gnome3 into the Terminal, then hit ↵ Enter. This will give you access to the PPA (Personal Package Archive) to access GNOME Shell Extensions and its themes since they cannot be downloaded through the official repository.[1] -
Type sudo apt-get update into the Terminal, then hit ↵ Enter. This will make sure the PPA content is up-to-date. -
Type sudo apt-get install gnome-shell-extensions-user-themes into the Terminal, then hit ↵ Enter. This will install the GNOME Shell Extensions with user theme support enabling you to download and install custom themes to use with the Tweak Tool. -
Restart your computer. The GNOME Tweak Tool requires a restart for extensions installed to the tool.
Part 2 of 3:
Acquiring GNOME Shell Themes
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Press the Control+Alt+T keys together to open the Terminal. -
Type in gnome-shell --version and press ↵ Enter.[2] This will display the version of GNOME Shell that is installed. -
Search for and download compatible shell themes. Sites like GNOME-Look will host user-created themes that can be used with the Tweak Tool.- Make sure the theme is compatible with the version of GNOME installed on your computer. Theme creators will post compatibility information along with the theme details.
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Double click the downloaded .zip to extract the folder containing the theme. Note, not all theme downloads will be a zip file. Installation processes for themes will vary depending on how they are built. Theme download pages will list specific instructions on how to install the theme.- Some themes will have dependencies that must be installed to use the theme properly. A dependency is a script or piece of software utilized by the theme, but not included in its own installation.
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Copy or move the theme folder into your '.themes' directory. This directory is located in 'home > [USERNAME] > .themes', where [USERNAME] is the name of the account you are logged into.- If this folder does not appear, create it by right-clicking and selecting New Folder. The '.themes' name is important as that is where the Tweak Tool will search for available themes.
Part 3 of 3:
Setting Themes with GNOME Tweak Tool
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Launch GNOME Tweak Tool from the Applications menu. -
Click the 'Shell Extensions' tab. This button is on the left side of the window and will open a list of options for the GNOME Shell Extension. -
Set 'User Themes Extension' to ON. This will enable the GNOME Shell Extension to use custom themes.[3] -
Click the 'Themes' tab. This button is below the Shell Extensions button and displays a list of Theme option. -
Select the dropdown menu next to 'Shell Theme' and choose a theme from the list. The menu will display the themes you have installed to your '.themes' folder. The theme will change with your selection.
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Kareem Winters
Update 04 March 2020















