Ubuntu Unity

Ubuntu Unity is an official Ubuntu flavor featuring the classic Unity7 desktop environment. Unity was the default desktop for Ubuntu 11.04 through 17.04, and is now community-maintained as an official flavor. For users who miss that era, this is the best way to relive the classic experience.

Key Features

• Unity Launcher: The iconic left-side launcher bar for quick access to favorite applications
• Unity Dash: Global search interface activated by pressing the Super key to search apps, files, and content
• Global Menu: Application menus integrated into the top panel, saving vertical space
• HUD (Head-Up Display): Press Alt to search menu items by text, no need to browse through menus
• Scopes and Lenses: Extensible search framework

System Requirements

Installation

Option 1: ISO Image Installation

Visit the Ubuntu Unity website  to download the 26.04 LTS ISO image.

Option 2: Install on Existing Ubuntu

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ubuntu-unity-desktop

After installation, log out and select the Unity session at the login screen.

Unity Launcher

The left-side Launcher is the most iconic element of the Unity desktop:

Basic Operations

• Click an icon: Open an application or switch to its open window
• Drag applications: Drag app icons from the Dash to the Launcher to pin them
• Right-click menu: Each application provides quick actions (Quicklist)
• Number badges: Display unread message counts and other counters
• Progress bars: Show download or copy operation progress

Customization

# Adjust Launcher icon size
gsettings set org.compiz.unityshell:/org/compiz/profiles/unity/plugins/unityshell/ icon-size 40
 
# Set Launcher to auto-hide
gsettings set org.compiz.unityshell:/org/compiz/profiles/unity/plugins/unityshell/ launcher-hide-mode 1

Unity Dash (Global Search)

Press the Super key to open the Dash, which is the core interaction method of Unity:

Search Capabilities

• Type an application name to search and launch it
• Search local files and folders
• Search recently used documents
• Calculator function (type math expressions directly)

Scopes and Lenses

The Dash search capability is extended through Scopes and Lenses:

• Application Lens: Search installed and installable applications
• File Lens: Search local files
• Music Lens: Search your local music library

Global Menu

Unity integrates application menu bars into the top panel:

• When the mouse moves to the top panel, the active window’s menu appears automatically
• When a window is maximized, the title bar merges with the top panel, saving even more space
• This design is especially efficient on large screens

HUD (Head-Up Display)

The HUD is one of Unity’s most innovative features:

1. Press the Alt key to activate the HUD
2. Type the menu action you want to perform (e.g., “save”, “undo”, “export”)
3. The HUD fuzzy-matches all menu items and displays results
4. Press Enter to execute the selected action

This means you never need to remember which submenu an item is in — just type a keyword.

Window Management

Unity uses the Compiz window manager, supporting rich window operations:

Window Snapping

• Drag a window to the left/right screen edge: Half-screen display
• Drag a window to the top: Maximize
• Double-click the title bar: Maximize/restore

Window Switching

• Alt + Tab: Switch between applications
• Alt + `: Switch between multiple windows of the same application
• Window Spread: Click a Launcher icon of an app with multiple open windows

Default Applications

Who Is It For

• Veteran users who miss the classic Unity desktop from Ubuntu 11.04-17.04
• Users who appreciate efficient interaction methods like global menus and HUD
• Users accustomed to a left-side launcher layout
• Power users who prioritize keyboard-driven efficiency
• Users who want to experience a unique design philosophy from Linux desktop history