How to set up Dolphin as default file manager?

Question

I've recently came back to Ubuntu from Kubuntu, but I really like Dolphin. Is there any way how to set it up as default file manager?

score 49 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 01 '20 at 13:55

49

To view the current default for opening directories:

xdg-mime query default inode/directory

To set Dolphin as default:

xdg-mime default org.kde.dolphin.desktop inode/directory

To set Thunar as default:

xdg-mime default thunar.desktop inode/directory

Run either on the terminal as regular user. If you want to set the default to another file manager, install the file manager, and find the correct .desktop file by searching in /usr/applications/ on the command-line.

Related files:

/usr/share/applications/defaults.list system-wide defaults
$HOME/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list
$HOME/.config/mimeapps.list where xdg-mime saves configuration

Sources:

edited Aug 01 '20 at 13:55

Flimm

41,766

answered Aug 22 '13 at 16:34

Rucent88

1,978

this actually works if you are using synapse. The solution should be a combination of all the above answers. – Avinash R Feb 25 '14 at 12:16
1

Thank you, this is exactly what I was looking for. Also, if you want to set PCManFM, the file name is all lowercase, pcmanfm.desktop. – Aaron Franke Dec 15 '16 at 06:28
Is this still valid for 16.04? Didnt seem to work for me. – M. Becerra Feb 02 '17 at 19:45
This works for me with Ubuntu 16.04 and seems to be the easier solution. – GeekInDisguise Jun 14 '18 at 10:23
Perfect. It is a better solution than the selected as answer because you dont have to install any other program – Joshua Salazar Sep 17 '18 at 14:38
still xdg-open uses the default file manager of Ubuntu to open a directory for me (instead of using Dolphin) – aderchox Jul 19 '20 at 08:01

score 33 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 24 '13 at 22:55

33

Steps:

Open a terminal, e.g. using Ctrl+Alt+T
Install exo-utils by running the following command in the terminal:
```
sudo apt-get install exo-utils
```
Run the following command in the terminal:
```
exo-preferred-applications
```
In the window that opens, click on Utilities
On the File Manager section, click the drop-down menu arrow + Other...
Find /usr/share/applications directory
Adjust to show all files and select dolphin.desktop (wherever you find it)
Click close

edited Feb 24 '13 at 22:55

Braden Best

231

answered Dec 31 '12 at 01:37

Hristo

378

5

I couldnt get this to work in Ubuntu 15.04. – Ubuntuser May 16 '15 at 06:20
3

Didn't work for me either on Ubuntu 14.04. – Fiksdal Mar 30 '16 at 09:36
2

Is this still valid for 16.04? Didnt seem to work for me. – M. Becerra Feb 02 '17 at 19:45
8

Not working: exo-preferred-applications /usr/bin/exo-preferred-applications: 11: exec: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/xfce4/exo-1/exo-helper-1: not found – tribbloid Aug 30 '17 at 18:28
1

@tribbloid -- https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=892010 -- At step 2, use sudo apt install libexo-1-0 exo-utils – loxaxs Apr 14 '18 at 16:23
4

No way to get this to work on Ubuntu 18.04 either. – Raveren May 02 '18 at 06:02
2

This did not work for me on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. – Flimm Aug 01 '20 at 13:49

score 7 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 17 '17 at 08:08

7

Adding to Rucent88 answer:

For me the dolphin desktop file was stored in /usr/share/applications/org.kde.dolphin.desktop. So

xdg-mime default org.kde.dolphin.desktop inode/directory

did the trick.

Keep in mind to have a look where the desktop link is located. Have a look at the file list of your installed file manager to see how the desktop link is called if you can't find it.

answered Apr 17 '17 at 08:08

Elektropepi

171

2

If this is an addition, perhaps you should suggest an edit to it. – muru Apr 17 '17 at 08:26

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 06 '15 at 03:17

3

also it works only with:

xdg-mime default dolphin.desktop inode/directory application/x-gnome-saved-search

From: http://www.fandigital.com/2013/01/set-nemo-default-file-manager-ubuntu.html

answered Jun 06 '15 at 03:17

Indacochea Wachín

723

The link seems to be broken. – Flimm Aug 01 '20 at 13:56
Hi Flimm the link is down – Indacochea Wachín Aug 08 '20 at 14:00

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 11 '21 at 00:32

In My, Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS below solution worked. Not sure, is there are any consequences for this approach.

In file /usr/share/applications/defaults.list modified entry inode/directory=org.gnome.Nautilus.desktop to inode/directory=org.kde.dolphin.desktop

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 30 '23 at 15:25

As exo-preffered-applicatiosn from exo-utils have been depreciated and moved to xfce4-settings. Use the following steps:

Open the terminal Ctrl+Alt+T.
Install xcfe4-settings sudo apt install xfce4-settings
Type xfce4-mime-settingsin terminal.
A window will appear, click on Utilities in it.
Go to File Manager section and click on others
Open /usr/share/applications directory and set from exectuable files to all files.
Select for org.kde.dolphin.desktop and open it.
Close

How to set up Dolphin as default file manager?

6 Answers6

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