Questions tagged [unity]

For questions regarding the Unity desktop environment, including configuring and using Unity. Unity has been the default Ubuntu desktop environment from Ubuntu 11.04 to Ubuntu 17.04.

Unity was default interface for Ubuntu on PCs, TVs, and phones. It is the result of design and development work lead by Canonical and the Ubuntu community. Unity became the default Ubuntu desktop environment with the release of Ubuntu 11.04. In Ubuntu 17.10 and later Unity has been discontinued in favor of GNOME as the default desktop environment for Ubuntu.

Design and discussion happens on the unity-design mailing list (formerly called Ayatana). Discussion about implementation details and code happens on the unity-dev mailing list.

Based on the Compiz window manager, Unity has been Ubuntu's default interface since 11.04. An early version of Unity was also used as the interface of Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook Edition. Since Ubuntu 11.10, a 2D version using the Metacity window manager is available as the fallback for computers not powerful enough to run Compiz.

This tag is for questions relating to Unity in general.

If you have a question about a specific part of Unity and aren't sure what it is called, please see http://askubuntu.com/questions/10228/whats-the-right-terminology-for-unitys-ui-elements

9935 questions
565
votes
35 answers

Unity doesn't load, no Launcher, no Dash appears

When I login, nothing happens. I am presented with my desktop wallpaper. No Dash, no Launcher, nothing.
jrg
  • 60,611
305
votes
11 answers

How can I configure Unity?

Are there any configuration options for the Unity desktop? There are multiple valid answers for this question spanning over several versions of Ubuntu. For your convenience an index of each below (How can I tell which Ubuntu release I'm…
tchewning
  • 1,441
184
votes
12 answers

How do I reset my Unity configuration?

I've been messing around with Unity and broke something, how do I "start over"?
Jorge Castro
  • 71,754
167
votes
3 answers

What's the right terminology for Unity's UI elements?

I've sent a few mails to the Ayatana mailing list regarding some UI suggestions for Unity, but I'm afraid I keep confusing the right terms for the UI element, so I would like to have some clarification. Answer Index: Ubuntu 12.10, 12.04 LTS and…
Bou
  • 4,502
91
votes
12 answers

How can I move all the window controls to the right (or left)?

Downloaded Ubuntu tweak and set window controls to the right side. Only some programs follow the rule. Pidgin as an example has window controls on the right. But Chrome, Thunderbird, Geany, still have controls on the left. How can I move ALL window…
Matt Kaye
  • 1,019
45
votes
6 answers

How to speed up the Dash response?

Is there a way to speed up the Dash? When I press the super key for the first time it can take ~2 seconds for the dash to appear. Whereas if I use Synapse, it will appear instantly.
user72126
  • 451
42
votes
6 answers

Way to automatically resize 2 windows to take up half of the screen

I am trying to figure out if it's possible to do the following(or rather bind this action to a hot key): If on a workspace I have 2 windows, I want to maximize each one vertically and resize them horizontally to be half of the screen each and…
Alex
  • 2,208
40
votes
5 answers

Unity Clock Missing

I recently installed ubuntu 12.10 and it seems as though my clock is missing. I also don't see any options for date/time in the system settings panel. Am I missing something? Again this is with Unity.
Brian
  • 503
39
votes
6 answers

Dash (from Unity) does not showing Applications

I have a weird issue with Unity, it just stopped showing applications in the unity dash search menu. I can't launch application unless I run them from the terminal. I have tried to force unity re-installation with no success, and I could not find…
Moshe Beeri
  • 660
  • 1
  • 5
  • 7
35
votes
2 answers

Expose (OSX Style) Functionality in Unity

Does anyone know if there is a application window expose (a la Mac OSX) for the Unity Desktop. I've used the Compiz Expose Plugin, but that performs an "expose" on workspaces. I'm looking for something which will show me all of the active windows…
31
votes
1 answer

Tips and Tricks for Unity

We have the new Unity shell in Ubuntu, what are the fun new stuff we need to know or look forward to?
Vish
  • 557
29
votes
4 answers

How to install Unity 8?

I'm using Ubuntu 14.04 and found out that we can install Unity 8 on it. Will Unity 8 replace Unity 7 once I install it? And if it does can I switch back to Unity 7 if I want? How would one go about it?
Rizvida1
  • 299
  • 1
  • 3
  • 5
24
votes
3 answers

How do I reinstall Unity?

I tested out Unity 5, and of course, it broke things, so I tried downgrading by sudo apt-get install ppa-purge sudo ppa-purge ppa:unity-team/staging It removed Unity completely. apt-get install unity seemed to work, but the login screen now offers…
23
votes
3 answers

How do I know if my video card can run Unity?

I have an old laptop which has some 3D graphics support, how do I know if this will be enough for Unity to run?
ajmitch
  • 18,543
22
votes
1 answer

Programs never open in foreground

How can I make programs open in the foreground? Nautilus will open in the background, Remmina (the remote desktop program) also opens in the background. I have to click on the icon in the Launcher for it to come to the foreground. I would think any…
00fruX
  • 1,271
  • 1
  • 16
  • 32
1
2 3
36 37