TL;DR
To create desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu, try these five methods:
- In the Terminal, create an executable shortcut on the desktop in Ubuntu with the
nano ~/.local/share/applications/shortcut_name.desktopcommand and add the necessary content to the file for the particular app. - Alternatively, you can create Ubuntu desktop shortcuts using Nautilus File Manager to navigate to the desired application’s .desktop file and copy it to the Desktop folder.
- Try GNOME Tweaks to create desktop shortcuts. Install it and enable its Show Icons option. Then, create a .desktop file, and drag-and-drop it onto the desktop.
- Use the Desktop Icons GNOME Shell extension to create desktop shortcuts. You can install it from the official GNOME Extensions website.
Once you create desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu, you may want to customize them. To do this, you can change icons in Properties, add keyboard shortcuts in settings, or organize shortcuts into folders. However, you may face some common issues, such as shortcuts not working, incorrect icons, or broken links may occur. All of them can easily be fixed.
Check out our comprehensive guide below to learn more about how to create desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu in five easy ways.
Desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu provide an efficient way to access frequently used files and applications, enhancing productivity and saving time. Customizable icons and names cater to user preferences when creating desktop shortcuts. There are two main types of desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu: application shortcuts for quick program launches and file/folder shortcuts for accessing common files or folders. This guide offers a step-by-step process for creating and customizing desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu.
How to Create Desktop Shortcuts on Ubuntu [5 Simple Ways]
To create a desktop shortcut in Ubuntu, you can use Ubuntu Terminal, Nautilus File Manager, GNOME Shell Extensions, GNOME Tweaks, or third-party applications like AppEditor or Arronax. Let’s have a closer look into each method here:
1. Ubuntu Terminal
- Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the Terminal app and execute the following command.
nano ~/.local/share/applications/shortcut_name.desktopReplacing shortcut_name with your desired shortcut name.
- In the nano editor, add the following content to the file, replacing the placeholder values with appropriate details:
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Application
Name Exec=/path/to/application
Icon=/path/to/icon
Type=Application Terminal=false - Press Ctrl + O to save the file, and then press Ctrl + X to exit the nano editor.
- Run the command below to make the shortcut executable.
chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/shortcut_name.desktop- Type and press Enter to create an executable shortcut on the desktop.
ln -s ~/.local/share/applications/shortcut_name.desktop ~/Desktop- You’ll see a shortcut created for the application on your Ubuntu desktop.
- To securely launch the created desktop shortcut, right-click on it and click Allow Launching.
- Now, you can easily launch the Terminal app via your Ubuntu desktop.
2. Nautilus File Manager
- Navigate to the Search bar in the Application menu and look for “Files” or “Nautilus,” then open the file manager.
- Navigate to the Computer folder, then go to /usr/share/applications or /usr/local/share/applications.
- Locate the desired application’s .desktop file and right-click on the .desktop file and select Copy. However, if you don’t see the desktop shortcut for an application, you’ll have to create it using the first method explained in the article.
- Now, head back to the Home folder, and click the Desktop folder in the right pane of the file manager window.
- Right-click on an empty area in the Desktop folder and select Paste.
- Right-click on the created desktop shortcut and select Properties.
- In the Permissions tab, check the Allow executing file as program option.
3. GNOME Tweaks
- To install GNOME Tweaks, run the following command in the Terminal:
sudo apt install gnome-tweaks- Wait for the installation to complete, and enter your admin password if prompted.
- Navigate to the App tab at the corner, search for GNOME Tweaks, and double-click it.
- In the app, choose the Icons style. By default, the desktop icons will be enabled.
- Now, open the text editor and create a new file with a .desktop extension. Add the following appropriate information for the apps to create desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu:
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Application
Name Exec=/path/to/application
Icon=/path/to/icon
Type=Application Terminal=false - Save the .desktop file to your Desktop folder and exit.
- Now, navigate to the directory where you have saved this text file.
- Then right-click on it, select Properties, go to the Permissions tab, and check the Allow executing file as program option to make it executable.
- Now, you just have to simply drag and drop the file onto your desktop. However, you’ll see a small cross on the icon and an error message.
- To fix this, right-click the shortcut icon and select Allow Launching.
- Once done, double-click on the icon and launch the application via the shortcut created on the Ubuntu desktop.
4. GNOME Shell Extensions
- Install the Desktop Icons GNOME Shell extension from the GNOME Extensions website.
- Then, execute the command below to install the GNOME Extensions on your Ubuntu system:
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extensions- Once the GNOME extension is installed, navigate to the Application menu and search for the extensions.
- Find the Desktop Icons NG (DING) that you installed earlier in the first step. Then, turn it on to enable all the apps and file shortcuts to appear on your Ubuntu desktop.
- You can click the Settings menu to further customize the shortcuts on your Ubuntu desktop. However, to create desktop shortcuts on the Ubuntu desktop, you’ll have to follow the first method outlined in this guide. This is because GNOME will just allow you to view, customize, and use them via Ubuntu Desktop and not create them.
3 Troubleshooting Tips for Desktop Shortcuts on Ubuntu
Here are some common issues that may arise when creating and using desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu, as well as solutions for fixing these errors:
1. Shortcut Not Working
If your desktop shortcut on Ubuntu is not working, it may be because the target file or application has been moved or deleted. To fix this error, navigate to the directory where the shortcut was created. Then, check the command field to ensure that the file path is correct. If the path is incorrect, update it with the correct path. You can use the which command followed by the name of the application to get the path of a file of a certain application in Linux.
2. Incorrect Icon Image
If the desktop shortcut on Ubuntu has an incorrect or generic icon, you can change it to a custom icon. To do this, right-click on the shortcut and select Properties. In this window, click on the icon just above the Name field and select a new icon from the list. Or you can browse for any image file on your Linux system.
3. Broken Shortcut Link
Sometimes, a shortcut may become broken or inactive due to changes in the system. To fix this, recreate the shortcut file with the .desktop as the steps outlined in the methods section of this article. Here is the syntax for the file content that you’ll need to create using the nano text editor via the Terminal or just a simple gedit text editor from the Application menu in Ubuntu.
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Application
Name Exec=/path/to/application
Icon=/path/to/icon
Type=Application Terminal=false To Wrap Up
Creating desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu can be done through various methods, such as using the Ubuntu Terminal, Nautilus File Manager, GNOME Shell Extensions, GNOME Tweaks, and more. Each method has its advantages and makes desktop customization more accessible. However, you might encounter issues like non-functional shortcuts, incorrect icons, or broken links, these can easily be resolved with the steps outlined in the article.
If you are interested in further exploring Ubuntu’s customization capabilities, read my articles on how to improve desktop organization and view memory consumption to optimize system performance. You can also check out our guide on keyboard shortcuts to increase your productivity on Ubuntu. By further enhancing your knowledge in these areas, you’ll be better equipped to take full advantage of the numerous features and capabilities Ubuntu has to offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove a desktop shortcut on Ubuntu?
To remove a desktop shortcut on Ubuntu, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the shortcut you want to remove.
2. Select Move to Trash or press the Delete key on your keyboard.
3. If necessary, empty the trash to permanently delete the shortcut.
Can I create desktop shortcuts for websites in Ubuntu?
Yes, you can create desktop shortcuts for websites in Ubuntu. One way to do this is by using your web browser to create a .desktop file for the website. Here’s how to do it using Google Chrome:
1. Open Google Chrome and navigate to the website you want to create a shortcut for.
2. Click on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and select More tools > Create shortcut.
3. Choose a name for the shortcut and click Create.
4. A .desktop file will be created in your desktop folder, and the shortcut will appear on your desktop.
How do I back up my desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu?
To backup your desktop shortcuts on Ubuntu, follow these steps:
1. Open the Nautilus File Manager.
2. Navigate to your desktop folder (usually located at /home/your_username/Desktop).
3. Select all the desktop shortcuts you want to back up.
4. Copy the selected shortcuts to an external drive, a different directory on your computer, or a cloud storage service to create a backup.
Can I create a desktop shortcut for a specific file or folder in Ubuntu?
Yes, you can create a desktop shortcut for a specific file or folder in Ubuntu. One simple way to do this is by creating a symlink (symbolic link) using the ln -s /path/to/source /path/to/destination command in the Terminal app. Alternatively, you can use Nautilus File Manager to create a shortcut by copying the desired file or folder to the desktop and selecting Create link when pasting it.
