File Manager, Settings, and Workspaces

File management, system settings, and workspace management are the three core operations for daily Ubuntu desktop use. Ubuntu 26.04 has made significant improvements in all three areas. This article covers their usage and practical tips.

Nautilus File Manager

Ubuntu 26.04 ships with Nautilus (the “Files” application), the default GNOME desktop file manager providing an intuitive graphical file management interface.

Basic Operations

• Open File Manager: Click the Files icon on the Dock (GNOME does not bind Super + E to the file manager by default; if you want that shortcut, set it manually under “Settings > Keyboard > Custom Shortcuts”)
• Browse Files: The left sidebar shows common locations (Home, Documents, Downloads, Trash, etc.)
• New Folder: Right-click an empty area and select “New Folder”, or press Ctrl + Shift + N
• Search Files: Click the search icon in the toolbar or press Ctrl + F to search by file name and content

View Modes

Nautilus supports multiple view modes:

• Grid View: Displays files as icons, ideal for browsing images and media files
• List View: Shows detailed file information (size, modification date, type, etc.), suitable for file management tasks

Switch quickly using the view toggle buttons on the right side of the toolbar.

File Operation Shortcuts

Tabs and Panels

• Press Ctrl + T to open a new tab in the file manager
• Press F9 to toggle the sidebar
• Drag files to the tab bar to quickly move files between locations

Connecting to Remote Servers

Click “Other Locations” at the bottom of the left sidebar to enter a remote address in the bottom address bar:

• SMB Shares: smb://server-address/share-name
• FTP Servers: ftp://server-address
• SFTP/SSH: sftp://username@server-address
• WebDAV: davs://server-address/path

System Settings

Ubuntu 26.04’s System Settings (GNOME Settings) provides a unified configuration entry point. Click the gear icon in the top-right system status area to open it.

Common Settings

Appearance

• Switch between light/dark/automatic themes
• Adjust accent color
• Set desktop and lock screen wallpapers
• Switch dark theme and accent color

Display

• Adjust resolution and refresh rate
• Configure multi-monitor arrangement
• Set scaling factor (for HiDPI screens)
• Enable Night Light mode to reduce blue light

Sound

• Select output/input devices
• Adjust volume and microphone sensitivity
• Set system alert sounds

Keyboard

• View and customize shortcuts
• Add custom key bindings
• Switch keyboard layouts and input sources

Users

• Manage user accounts
• Set automatic login
• Change password and avatar

Using GNOME Tweaks for Advanced Settings

Some advanced settings are not in the default settings panel. Install GNOME Tweaks:

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

GNOME Tweaks provides additional settings including:

• Font selection and font scaling
• Window title bar button layout (minimize, maximize buttons)
• Mouse acceleration configuration
• Startup application management
• GNOME extension management

Workspace Management

Workspaces are GNOME’s virtual desktop feature, allowing you to group windows for different tasks into separate workspaces to keep your desktop organized.

Basic Operations

• View Workspaces: Press the Super key to enter the Activities Overview; workspace thumbnails appear on the right
• Switch Workspaces: Super + Page Up/Down or three-finger swipe left/right on the touchpad
• Move Window to Another Workspace: Super + Shift + Page Up/Down

Workspace Settings

Under “Settings > Multitasking” you can configure workspace behavior:

• Dynamic Workspaces (default): Automatically adds and removes workspaces as needed
• Fixed Workspaces: Manually set a fixed number of workspaces
• Multi-Monitor Workspace Behavior: Choose whether workspaces apply only to the primary monitor

Efficient Workspace Tips

1. Assign workspaces by project: For example, Workspace 1 for development (editor + terminal), Workspace 2 for browser and documents, Workspace 3 for communication tools
2. Use keyboard shortcuts for quick switching: More efficient than using the mouse
3. Drag windows to workspaces: In the Activities Overview, drag window thumbnails directly to the target workspace

Summary

Mastering the file manager, system settings, and workspace management is the foundation for efficient Ubuntu desktop use. Nautilus provides a full-featured file operation experience, system settings centrally manages nearly all common configurations, and workspaces help you organize your multitasking environment. We recommend using keyboard shortcuts in your daily workflow to boost efficiency.