Switching from Windows to Ubuntu

Press the Super key (Windows key) or move your mouse to the top-left corner. This opens the Activities overview, which shows:

• All your open windows, so you can click the one you want
• A search bar at the top -- just start typing to find apps, files, or settings
• Workspace thumbnails on the right side

This is how you launch apps, switch windows, and search for things. It feels weird for about a day, then it clicks. The search is genuinely faster than digging through a Start menu.

Ubuntu adds a dock on the left side of the screen (this isn't in stock GNOME -- it's Ubuntu's addition). Your favorite apps live here, and running apps get a dot indicator.

• Right-click any app in the dock to pin/unpin it
• Drag apps to reorder them
• You can move the dock to the bottom or right side: Settings → Appearance → Dock
• You can also set it to auto-hide so it stays out of the way

GNOME uses workspaces heavily. Think of them as multiple desktops you can flip between. Windows has this too, but GNOME makes it central to the experience.

• Super + scroll or Ctrl+Alt+Up/Down -- switch between workspaces
• In Activities overview, drag a window to a different workspace thumbnail
• GNOME automatically creates a new empty workspace as needed

A common workflow: keep your browser on workspace 1, your code editor on workspace 2, your chat apps on workspace 3. It keeps things organized without cluttering your screen.

• Super -- Activities overview (app launcher and window switcher)
• Super + A -- show all installed apps
• Super + L -- lock screen
• Super + Left/Right -- snap window to left/right half (same as Windows!)
• Super + Up -- maximize window
• Super + Down -- unmaximize / minimize
• Ctrl + Alt + T -- open terminal
• Alt + F2 -- quick command dialog
• Alt + Tab -- switch between apps (same as Windows)

These are the classic Linux packages. Fast, lightweight, deeply integrated with the system. Most things you install via sudo apt install are APT packages.

Pros: fast startup, small size, well-tested.
Cons: sometimes older versions (stability over bleeding edge).

Snaps are Ubuntu's own app packaging system. The Ubuntu Software Center uses Snaps by default. They're sandboxed, auto-update, and include all their dependencies.

Pros: auto-updates, sandboxed for security, work across distros.
Cons: slower startup (especially first launch), take more disk space, some people dislike the forced auto-updates and closed-source server.

# Install a snap
sudo snap install vlc

# List installed snaps
snap list

# Remove a snap
sudo snap remove vlc

Flatpak is the community alternative to Snap. It uses Flathub as its app store. Many people prefer Flatpak for desktop apps.

Pros: huge app selection on Flathub, sandboxed, you control when to update.
Cons: not pre-installed on Ubuntu (easy to add though), also uses more disk space than APT.

# Install Flatpak support on Ubuntu
sudo apt install -y flatpak gnome-software-plugin-flatpak
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

# Then install apps from Flathub
flatpak install flathub com.spotify.Client
flatpak install flathub com.discordapp.Discord

GNOME only shows a close button by default (yes, really). To add minimize and maximize buttons:

Open GNOME Tweaks → Window Titlebars → toggle on "Maximize" and "Minimize."

Or via the terminal:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences button-layout ':minimize,maximize,close'

Go to Settings → Appearance and under "Dock," change the position to "Bottom." You can also set its size and auto-hide behavior here.

If you want a taskbar-style layout instead of the dock:

1. Install the "Dash to Panel" GNOME extension
2. Install the "ArcMenu" extension for a Start menu
3. Move window buttons to the right (GNOME Tweaks → Window Titlebars)

With these two extensions, Ubuntu can look and feel very similar to Windows 10/11.

Some people prefer Flatpak over Snap. You don't have to remove Snap entirely, but you can install the Flatpak versions of apps instead:

# Set up Flatpak
sudo apt install -y flatpak gnome-software-plugin-flatpak
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

# Install an app via Flatpak instead of Snap
flatpak install flathub com.spotify.Client

# Remove the Snap version if you want
sudo snap remove spotify

Both work fine -- use whichever you prefer. Some people use a mix of both.

GNOME hides traditional system tray icons. Apps like Discord, Steam, and Dropbox that normally sit in the tray will seem to disappear when minimized.

The fix: install the AppIndicator Support extension. Open Extension Manager, search for "AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem Support," and install it. Your tray icons will appear in the top bar.