Table of Contents

Ubuntu Desktop - Things to after installing 18.04

Enable Additional Repositories

Ubuntu doesn’t come, by default, with enabling additional repositories. Before updating and upgrading your Ubuntu system must allow the additional canonical repositories.

Ubuntu has several repositories from where it provides software for your system. These repositories are:

  • Main – Free and open-source software supported by Ubuntu team
  • Universe – Free and open-source software maintained by the community
  • Restricted – Proprietary drivers for devices.
  • Multiverse – Software restricted by copyright or legal issues.
  • Canonical Partners – Software packaged by Ubuntu for their partners

Enabling all these repositories will give you access to more software and proprietary drivers.


Check for Update and Upgrade

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Upgrade to a newer version, if needed.

sudo apt dist-upgrade

WARNING: Only do this step if you absolutely want to move to a new version. This may take your system away from running an LTS (Long-Term Support) version.


Install Latest Graphics Drivers

Enable proprietary drivers. To install and see the availability of the proprietary drivers for your hardware,


Customize Gnome Shell

Install the Gnome Tweak Tool.

GNOME Tweak Tool, the settings manager for GNOME lets you customize the Ubuntu desktop according to your liking.

With the GNOME Tweak tool you can accomplish the following:

sudo apt install gnome-tweak-tool

Install Gnome Shell Extensions

Gnome Shell Extensions is the best tool to customize your Linux.

Run the gnome-tweak-tool and tweak as needed.


Change the Theme

Gnome Shell Extensions is the best tool to customize your Linux.

Run the gnome-tweak-tool and tweak as needed.


Third-party Media Codecs & Extras

By default, Ubuntu does not provide any media codec to play multimedia files. So to enjoy movies, music, and entertaining application, you need to install media codecs. Use the following code into Terminal.

To be able to play media files like MP#, MPEG4, AVI etc., run:

sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras

Recommend to install the free version of libavcodec also to avoid an issue while performing media task with video editors or transcoder. Use the following code.

sudo apt install libavcodec-extra

Moreover, to enable encrypted DVD playback, you have to install libdvd-pkg.

sudo apt install libdvd-pkg

Enable Night Light

According to recent studys, the blue light emanating from your PC or Laptop may cause considerable amount of eye strain. Hence, you can turn on the Night light feature that will automatically adjust the blue light.

Go to menu:

Settings > Devices > Displays and toggle the Night Light on.


Install Applications


Tweaks For Ubuntu Power Management

Here are some tips, which help to get optimum output from Ubuntu Linux OS…

Apart from these tips, you can follow to install TLP, which helps to keep the laptop cool and safe.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:linrunner/tlp
sudo apt update
sudo apt install tlp tlp-rdw
sudo tlp start

You can also Install Laptop Mode Tools, which helps to reduce power consumption by slowing down Hard disk speed and kernel control. To install it run the following command.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps
sudo apt update
sudo apt install laptop-mode-tools

After installing, get the GUI for further customization. Run the command.

gksu lmt-config-gui

Enable Firewall and Install Antivirus

Ubuntu has a firewall called UFW which is pretty good and straightforward. But you need to enable it first. You can either enable it through command or install a GUI for UFW.

To enable the firewall to execute:

sudo ufw enable

UFW is quite intuitive to use. To disable firewall execute:

sudo ufw disable

Managing UFW via GUI

sudo apt install gufw

System Cleanup

You can clean partial packages using a command:

sudo apt autoclean

You can auto cleanup apt-cache:

sudo apt clean

You can clean up of any unused dependencies:

sudo apt autoremove