GNOME Tweak Tool is a GNOME shell extension that you can use to modify the GNOME interface. Ubuntu today uses the Unity desktop environment, so to use the GNOME Tweak Tool you need the Ubuntu GNOME distribution. You will need to install the GNOME Tweak Tool, the Shell Extensions package, then download and install the themes in the ".themes" folder and finally set them up with the Tweak Tool. Don't forget to check that the themes you downloaded are compatible with the version of your operating system!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Install GNOME Tweak Tool and Shell Extensions
Step 1. Press Control + Alt + T to open the terminal
The keyboard shortcuts for Linux are the same as on Mac or PC keyboards
Step 2. Type sudo apt-get install gnome-tweak-tool in the Terminal, then hit Enter
This will contact the official repository to download the GNOME Tweak Tool package. When prompted, enter your account password and the system will proceed with the download and installation.
- The "sudo" command grants the security privileges of a super user. The apt-get command uses the Advanced Packing Tool (APT) to install the package.
- An active network connection is required to install the packages. Do not disconnect the system from the internet until the operation is complete.
Step 3. Type sudo add-apt-repository ppa: webupd8team / gnome3 in the Terminal, then hit Enter
This will give you access to the Personal Package Archive (PPA), GNOME Shell Extensions and related themes, which cannot be downloaded from the official repository.
Step 4. Type sudo apt-get update in the Terminal, then hit Enter
This way you can be sure that the contents of the PPA are up to date.
Step 5. Type sudo apt-get install gnome-shell-extensions-user-themes in the Terminal, then hit Enter
You will install the GNOME Shell extension with support for custom themes; consequently you will be able to download and install themes to use with Tweak Tool.
Step 6. Restart your computer
GNOME Tweak Tool requires reboot to use the extensions installed by the tool.
Part 2 of 3: Getting Themes for the GNOME Shell
Step 1. Press Control + Alt + T to open Terminal
Step 2. Type gnome-shell --version and press Enter
You will see the version of the GNOME Shell installed on your system appear.
Step 3. Search and download themes compatible with your shell
On sites like GNOME-Look you can find user-created themes to use as a Tweak Tool.
Make sure the theme is compatible with the version of GNOME installed on your computer. Creators usually post compatibility information along with theme details
Step 4. Double click on the.zip file you downloaded to extract the folder containing the theme
Note, not all themes are contained in a zip archive. The installation methods vary based on how the theme was created. On the theme page you will find specific instructions on how to install it.
Some themes require other programs to function properly. You will need to separately install the scripts and applications used by the theme but which are not contained in the installation files
Step 5. Copy or move the theme folder to the ".themes" directory
This folder is located in the path "home> [Username]>.themes", where [Username] is the name of the account you are logged in to.
If the folder does not appear, create it by right-clicking and selecting "New folder". The name ".themes" is important because that is where the Tweak Tool will search for available themes
Part 3 of 3: Setting Up Themes with GNOME Tweak Tool
Step 1. Open GNOME Tweak Tool from the Applications menu
Step 2. Click the "Shell Extensions" tab
You will see this button on the left side of the window. Press it and a list of options for GNOME Shell extensions will open.
Step 3. Set "User Themes Extension" to ON
This way you can add custom themes to your GNOME Shell.
Step 4. Click the "Themes" tab
You will see this button under Shell Extensions; press it and the list of theme options will appear.
Step 5. Select the menu next to "Shell Theme" and choose one from the list
The themes you have installed in the ".themes" folder will appear in the menu. Select the one you prefer and the change will be applied immediately.
Advice
- If you see an exclamation mark icon appear next to the Shell theme menu in Tweak Tool, reinstall the gnome-shell-extensions package.
- Note that you can only view shell extensions and menus in Tweak tool if you log in in GNOME mode and not in Unity mode, the default for Ubuntu. If you can't see the themes, switch to GNOME mode.
