This tutorial shows how to install, remove, enable or disable Gnome Shell extensions and configure extensions’ preferences in Ubuntu, Fedora, etc Linux distributions with Gnome Desktop.

We usually install/uninstall Gnome Shell extension by either visiting extensions.gnome.org in web browser or using Extension Manager app, then manage them through either GNOME Extensions or Extension Manager.

For choice, Gnome has a built-in command line tool that can help sometimes without using a graphical user interface.

Why using Command Line

The command line tool gnome-extensions is useful for advanced users and developers for scripting purpose.

It’s also a good choice for installing extensions from local packages (e.g., ZIP archive) without internet connection. And, in some cases you may use gsettings command to configure extension preferences.

Install an Extension from Command Line

Besides using web browser or Extension Manager, user may manually install an extension by putting the source folder (usually [email protected]) to .local/share/gnome-shell/extensions directory.

Say you downloaded an extension package from extensions.gnome.org, by choosing Gnome Shell version and Extension version.

You may then install it by running command:

gnome-extensions install /path/to/extension.zip

The command do the job decompressing the ZIP archive (.tar.xz, .tar.gz etc also supported) and moving the source to the user’s extension directory mentioned above.

This method however need a log out and back in, before being able to enable the new installed extension.

List Installed Extensions from Command Line

To list all the installed extensions, simply use command:

gnome-extensions list

For choice, you may list user installed extensions via --user option, or system extensions via --system.

gnome-extensions list --user

And, use --enabled option for enabled extensions, --disabled for disabled extensions, and --details for more about extensions, including name, description, source URL, version, and state.

gnome-extensions list --user --enabled

Enable/Disable Extensions

Once you got the extension IDs via the command above, you may get more about it by running command:

gnome-extensions info [email protected]

Here replace the ID [email protected] with yours.

Then, enable or disable an extension by running command:

gnome-extensions enable [email protected]

or:

gnome-extensions disable [email protected]

Also replace the extension ID [email protected], and optionally add --quiet flag to ignore error messages (if any).

Configure Extension Preferences from Command Line

NOTE: if you just want to launch the graphical configuration dialog from command line, then use command (replace extension ID):

gnome-extensions prefs [email protected]

To configure extension preferences from command line, use gsettings command.

For system extensions, first run command below to list all the available keys and the values:

gsettings list-recursively org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock

Here replace dash-to-dock (Ubuntu Dock) to the extension name you’re going to configure. Or, press Tab twice before typing its name to print available choices.

After that, run similar command below to configure an extension key value:

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock always-center-icons false

Also replace extension name dash-to-dock, key-name always-center-icons, and key-value false according to the last command output.

Or, run command to reset an extension’s key value to default.

gsettings reset org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock always-center-icons

For user extensions, run gnome-extensions list --user to find the ID, then do following steps instead:

• First, print the extension info, Just Perfection for example, and find out the PATH.

  gnome-extensions info just-perfection-desktop@just-perfection

• Then, print the extension metadata according to its PATH, and find out the settings schema:

  cat /home/ji/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/just-perfection-desktop@just-perfection/metadata.json

  

• After found out the extension PATH and settings schema, set the following constants.

  SCHEMADIR=/home/ji/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/just-perfection-desktop@just-perfection/schemas
  
  SCHEMA=org.gnome.shell.extensions.just-perfection

  So that I can use $SCHEMADIR and $SCHEMA in next commands without typing full PATH and settings schema.

• Next, run command to list all the available keys and their values:

  gsettings --schemadir $SCHEMADIR list-recursively $SCHEMA

  

• Finally, according to last command output, run commands below to set or reset something:

  gsettings --schemadir $SCHEMADIR set $SCHEMA top-panel-position 1

  gsettings --schemadir $SCHEMADIR reset $SCHEMA top-panel-position

  Also replace the key and value accordingly.

For more, see the Ubuntu gsettings and gnome-extensions man-pages

Linux Mint, the popular Ubuntu and Debian based Linux Distribution, is going to add new system administration, information tools, and redesigned application menu in next release.

As you may know, Linux Mint has an official blog that updates monthly with news about the development process. In recent updates, it introduced some exciting new features that will include in next Linux Mint 22.3.

First, the Cinnamon menu is redesigned. As you see in the screenshot above, it features a left sidebar that displays user avatar, places (user folders), and favorite apps. While, user has the choice to disable any of them, and even disable the whole side-bar.

In addition, the search bar can be moved to either top or bottom of application menu. While, the system buttons (e.g., lock, log-out, power-off) can be placed to either follow the search bar or in the bottom of left sidebar.

The System Report tool is re-named to new “System Information”. It merged the old system info and system reports into single app window. And, it shows all the USB devices including their IDs, connection speeds, and power.

It as well shows you GPU info including the driver and hardware acceleration status, PCI devices, motherboard and BIOS info, and the previous system reports and crash reports.

A new tool “System Administration” is also added, which so far only supports configuring the boot menu. Though, there’s already popular third-party Grub Customizer tool can do the job.

With it, user may configure to either show or hide the boot menu, and set how long it will be displayed until a user action. And, it can add boot parameters which is useful for loading Kernel modules, debugging, recovering, or other purpose.

Other changes include:

• Support both traditional layouts and IBus input methods in keyboard settings and applet.
• Wayland support for both traditional layouts and IBus input methods.
• IM support and layout switch in on-screen keyboard.
• Add new XApp Symbolic Icons to replace the Adwaita symbolic icons

For more, see the official blog posts in Linux Mint website.

Linux Mint 22.3

Linux Mint 22.3 is NOT available at the moment. According to the release history, the third point release were mostly released on January or December. Meaning that Linux Mint 22.3 will be probably released in Jan. 2026 or Dec. 2025.

The Linux Mint source codes are available in this Github page. And, you may keep an eye on this page for the ISO image status.