How to use GNOME 45's new Activities indicator

With the release of GNOME 45, the old Activities button is gone and the new Activities indicator is used instead. Here's what it means and how to make the most of this new indicator.

Why is the old "Activities" button no longer available?

​"Activities" is a static label that doesn't convey much information. GNOME conducted user surveys and usability testing to see what people thought of the experience, and many simply found the label too vague.

Clicking the button will display "Activities Overview" . Once you know that information, you never need to read it again. Many people never even click it, but instead move the cursor to the upper right corner or use keyboard shortcuts.

Because the Activities Overview is where you go to launch apps, and opening apps is the first step in completing most tasks, GNOME developers felt this area of ​​the experience needed refinement. After various tests, the new Activities indicator was born.

How the new Activities indicator works

The Activities indicator has no labels and instead relies entirely on iconography to convey information. The indicator is a series of dots, with one dot larger than the others. The new indicator not only shows an overview but also relays information at a glance while adding additional functionality.

1. Each dot represents an open workspace

GNOME lacks the toolbar or taskbar that you often see in most other desktop interfaces. As a result, there is no minimize button on any of your windows. Instead, you are encouraged to arrange your windows on any workspace that you can also consider a virtual desktop like on Windows.

Before GNOME 45, you couldn't tell how many workspaces there were without first opening the Activities Overview. The new indicator solves this problem by placing a dot in the top left of the screen for each workspace you open. If you are arranging 4 workspaces, you will see 4 dots.

Again, one dot in this line is larger than the others. This is your currently open workspace. Stretching this dot will help you see how many workspaces you have open to the left or right of the current workspace. That means, at a glance, the new Activities indicator now shows how many workspaces you have open and where you're currently working in the list.

2. Switch workspaces by scrolling over the indicator

You can switch between open workspaces by hovering over the indicator and using the mouse wheel (or the equivalent gesture on your trackpad). This is especially useful for people who use GNOME on their desktop.

Laptop users can quickly switch between workspaces by swiping with three fingers left or right anywhere on the screen. The workspace indicator is not immediately accessible but it is very close. However, you always have the option to return to the shortcut instead. By default it is Ctrl + Alt + Left or Right Arrow .

Say goodbye to the application menu

With the introduction of the workspace indicator, GNOME has also discontinued another part of its interface that has been in place since version 3.0 launched in 2011. The application menu that appeared next to the Activities button no longer appears.

This menu has a dual function: It shows which windows have focus and serves as a replacement for the traditional menu bar, where you can access certain options. The second role never really took off, and most apps use it to provide quick access to the App Details page or Quit button.

With GNOME 45, the workspace indicator is in the upper left corner of the screen. You no longer need to install an extension to remove the app menu. But there are still other extensions that can complete the GNOME experience.

David Pac

Update 17 October 2023