Removing desktop icons

Question

In Ubuntu 14.04 Unity places Computer, Home and Trash icons on the desktop. I've tried using Unity-Tweak to remove them but they're still there. How can I remove them?

score 18 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 14 '14 at 10:29

18

Run this command from a terminal:
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background show-desktop-icons false

Or to do it with GUI open dconf-editor and go to org -> gnome -> desktop -> background and uncheck "show-desktop-icons."

answered Jul 14 '14 at 10:29

Pabi

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Neither method worked; icons are still there even after a reboot. – dantalion23 Jul 14 '14 at 10:58
You can try if disabling them individually works e.g.: gsettings set org.gnome.nautilus.desktop trash-icon-visible false – Pabi Jul 14 '14 at 11:10
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Do you have nemo installed? Then try: gsettings set org.nemo.desktop trash-icon-visible false – Pabi Jul 14 '14 at 11:12
nemo was the problem; your method worked, thank you. – dantalion23 Jul 14 '14 at 11:21

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 06 '22 at 09:44

0

Install "Tweaks" sudo apt install gnome-tweaks.
Open "Tweaks" > "Extensions" > "Desktop Icons" > Click gear symbol > Disable "Show the personal folder in the desktop" & "Show the trash icon in the desktop".

Ubuntu Tweaks disable desktop icons

answered Apr 06 '22 at 09:44

goulashsoup

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Hello. Are you sure Gnome Tweaks existed over 7 years ago? – David Apr 06 '22 at 10:12
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Probably not, but its one of the 1. results so everyone ends up here... – goulashsoup Apr 06 '22 at 10:26

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 14 '14 at 10:57

0

Try putting cursor over the item you want to move and right click , I think you will get a unpin from desktop option or it may drag down to rubbish bin if you click hold and drag.

answered Jul 14 '14 at 10:57

user304808

1

That doesn't work in 14.04. – Pabi Jul 14 '14 at 11:10

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Dec 09 '16 at 18:51

I tried all of the tips on the web, but none of them worked, so I did a very rudimentary thing as follows, and it worked. You can remove the "Install Ubuntu" icon permanently, but I just hid it as follows so that I can launch the installer when I really need to install Ubuntu on the main hard disk:

Open the terminal.
sudo mkdir /usr/share/applications/UNWANTED_LAUNCHERS
sudo mv /usr/share/applications/ubiquity.desktop /usr/share/applications/UNWANTED_LAUNCHERS/

(*Note: The visible file name, "Install Ubuntu 16.04 LTS" with spaces in it does not work for the terminal. You must use the real file name, "ubiquity.desktop", which Ubuntu actually find it by.)

Your answer seems disjointed please restructure it so you can deliver your solution to the question better. — George Udosen, Dec 09 '16 at 19:32

Removing desktop icons

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