Getting to Know GNOME 50

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS ships with the GNOME 50 desktop environment, which brings significant improvements in performance, visual effects, and interaction design compared to its predecessors. This article will help you quickly familiarize yourself with the core interface elements of GNOME 50 for efficient desktop use.

Activities Overview

Click the Activities button in the top-left corner of the screen, or push the mouse into the hot corner, to enter the Activities Overview. In this view, you can:

• See thumbnails of all currently open windows
• Type keywords in the top search bar to quickly find apps, files, and settings
• Switch between different workspaces

GNOME 50 has optimized the animation transitions in the Activities Overview for smoother switching.

Top Bar

The top bar is always visible at the top of the screen and contains these key areas:

• Left: Activities button — click to enter the overview
• Center: Date and time — click to expand the calendar and notification panel
• Right: System status area, including network, volume, battery, power button, and other quick controls

In GNOME 50, the Quick Settings panel has been further enhanced with more quick toggles, such as dark mode switching, screen recording, Do Not Disturb mode, and more.

Dock Taskbar

Ubuntu 26.04 displays a Dock taskbar on the left side of the screen by default (provided by the Ubuntu Dock extension). You can:

• Pin frequently used apps: Right-click an app icon and select “Add to Favorites”
• Quickly switch windows: Click an open app’s icon to switch to its window
• Adjust position and size: Under “Settings > Ubuntu Desktop” you can move the Dock to the bottom or right side, and adjust icon size

If you prefer a clean desktop, you can set the Dock to auto-hide in the Ubuntu Desktop settings.

App Grid

Click the app grid button at the bottom of the Dock (the nine-dot icon) to view all installed applications.

• Drag and drop to rearrange app icons
• Create app folders by dragging one icon onto another
• Use the top search bar to quickly filter apps

Workspaces

GNOME 50 uses dynamic workspaces, automatically creating new workspaces as needed:

• In the Activities Overview, workspace thumbnails are visible on the right
• Use Super + Page Up/Down to switch between workspaces
• Use Super + Shift + Page Up/Down to move the current window to an adjacent workspace
• Three-finger swipe left/right on the touchpad also switches workspaces

GNOME 50 New Feature Highlights

GNOME 50 brings several noteworthy improvements:

Performance Improvements

• The Mutter compositor continues to be optimized, reducing frame latency and improving animation smoothness
• Better support for high refresh rate monitors (120Hz, 144Hz, etc.)
• Improved handling of mixed refresh rate multi-monitor setups

Interface Improvements

• File manager (Nautilus) interface updates with more view options
• System Settings app features a new navigation structure for easier access to settings
• Notification system further optimized with notification grouping support

Touch and Gestures

• Improved touchscreen gesture support
• Three-finger swipe left/right to switch between workspaces
• Three-finger swipe up/down to enter the Activities Overview

Common Keyboard Shortcuts

Mastering these shortcuts will significantly boost your efficiency:

Related Articles

• Default App Changes — Learn about default application changes in Ubuntu 26.04
• File Manager — New features and tips for the GNOME 50 Nautilus file manager
• Wayland Compatibility — Common Wayland session compatibility issues and solutions

Summary

GNOME 50 delivers a modern, smooth, and efficient desktop experience on Ubuntu 26.04. Spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself with the interface elements and shortcuts above, and you’ll be up and running quickly. Continue reading the file management and system settings sections to further master desktop operation techniques.