What is GNOME Classic?

GNOME Classic is a feature for users who prefer a more traditional desktop experience. While GNOME Classic is based on modern GNOME technologies, it provides a number of changes to the user interface, such as the Applications and Places menus on the top bar, and a window list at the bottom of the screen.

You can use the Applications menu on the top bar to launch applications.

Window list

The window list at the bottom of the screen provides access to all your open windows and applications and lets you quickly minimize and restore them.

The Activities overview is available by clicking the button at the left-hand side of the window list at the bottom.

To access the Activities overview, you can also press the Super key.

At the right-hand side of the window list, GNOME displays a short identifier for the current workspace, such as 1 for the first (top) workspace. In addition, the identifier also displays the total number of available workspaces. To switch to a different workspace, you can click the identifier and select the workspace you want to use from the menu.

Switch to and from GNOME Classic

You need to have the gnome-shell-extensions package installed to make GNOME Classic available.

Install gnome-shell-extensions

To switch from GNOME to GNOME Classic:

  1. Save any open work, and then log out. Click the system menu on the right side of the top bar and then choose the right option.

  2. A confirmation message will appear. Select Log Out to confirm.

  3. At the login screen, select your name from the list.

  4. Click the settings button in the bottom right corner.

  5. Select GNOME Classic from the list.

  6. Enter your password in the password entry box.

  7. Press Enter.

To switch from GNOME Classic to GNOME:

  1. Save any open work, and then log out. Click the system menu on the right side of the top bar, click your name and then choose the right option.

  2. A confirmation message will appear. Select Log Out to confirm.

  3. At the login screen, select your name from the list.

  4. Click the options icon in the bottom right corner.

  5. Select GNOME from the list.

  6. Enter your password in the password entry box.

  7. Press Enter.