How to customize Xubuntu 17.04 or Xfce on Ubuntu 17.04

Many Ubuntu users are switching desktops. And although many choose Plasma and Gnome as alternatives, it is also true that there is a third option that is equally stable and lighter that many users prefer. This option is called Xfce. Xfce is the default desktop for Xubuntu, Ubuntu's official lightweight flavor. The installation of Xfce is very simple in Ubuntu.

We have the option of installing through the package "xubuntu-desktop" or directly doing a clean installation with the Xubuntu installation image. Once installed, Xfce is a very friendly environment, but you can still make some changes to make it more user-friendly or functional.

Desk panels

Xfce uses panels like MATE or the old Gnome 2.X does. Xfce has a top panel, a panel that we can leave as is and we will add a second panel on top. We will achieve this by right clicking on the upper panel and going to the option "add Panel". Once we add the second panel, we can modify it to work as a dock.

For this we only have to go to the option Panel Preferences and select the latest panel (the one with the highest number). This panel can have the applications we want, even the applications menu. We only have to add items to the panel. There is a faster option and it offers us the same service as the second panel, that is Plank, a dock that also works with Xfce.

Plank on Xubuntu

Personalization of wallpaper, icons and desktop themes

Now we have to customize desktop theme, icons and wallpapers. The desktop background is easy to modify. We just have to right click on the desktop and go to Desktop Settings. There we will have several tabs that will allow us to modify the desktop.

Desktop Wallpapers, Icons and Desktop Themes. If we don't like the elements that Xubuntu offers, we can go to xfce-look and download the item we like. Then we unzip the item in the folder .theme if it is a desktop theme; In .icons if it is an icon or .fonts if it is a text font.
Once this is done, we return to the previous menu and modify the elements to our liking. By last we go to Window Manager within Settings. In this window we will modify all aspects of the desktop theme. We not only modify the appearance but we can also change the buttons of the window.

Flat design in Xubuntu

Once this is done, Xubuntu or rather, Xfce is now as we want it, more useful and with a more personal appearance Do not you think?


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