47

I want to make Ubuntu dock like Windows taskbar

Ubuntu:

enter image description here

Windows:

enter image description here

(as you see Windows has three Explorer icons and Ubuntu has only one Files icon

Is it possible to uncombine/ungroup apps in Ubuntu?

user25
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4 Answers4

37

To mimic the Windows taskbar, install the extension "Dash to Panel". It immediately provides a Windows style bar at the bottom of the screen. It has plenty of configuration options, including the option you are after, i.e., ungrouping application buttons. 'Dash to Panel" is an excellent extension.

cxw
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vanadium
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    This is the amazing! You have made my life 10x easier with this plugin! I can confirm this works great with Ubuntu 18.04. – SS113 Jul 17 '18 at 01:34
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    After installation (at https://extensions.gnome.org/), the setting is found at Behaviour/Ungroup applications (Dash-to-Panel version: 23). – AlainD Sep 26 '19 at 11:55
  • Thanks a lot, that worked for me! And the app settings allow much more options than the regular Windows panel. The only thing I can't do is drag it by mouse to change it width... – Liker777 Jan 30 '20 at 16:24
  • It still doesn't fix the window+num shortcut. Separate windows of the same app share the same number. Any fix for this? – Linek Sep 09 '21 at 03:12
  • this extension is nice. Liked the multi monitor options. – MinhajulAnwar Sep 14 '21 at 01:51
15

in Ubuntu 20.04,

Install gnome tweaks and dash to panel extension
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gnome-tweaks
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-dash-to-panel
Then, restart PC/Laptop.

  1. Open Tweaks -> go to Extensions
  2. Enable Dash to panel
  3. In Dash to panel -> click Settings Icon
  4. In Behavior tab, enable Ungroup applications
  5. In Ungroup applications -> click Settings Icon
  6. Set Maximum width -> 0 (zero)

Dash to panel: Dash to panel

Ungroup Applications: Ungroup Applications

Hide label: Hide label

Thanks to @vanadium and @moony

mahfuz
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4

Follow up for previous answers. To install Dash to Panel extension (and others extensions) in Ubuntu 22.04 at first there is a need to install standalone Extension Manager (since installing extensions in Firefox is not working):

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-manager

source - Install Gnome Shell Extensions 22.04 LTS

After that it is possible to run Extension Manager app and inside it to find and install Dash to Panel extension.

Anton Samokat
  • 805
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    Beware. While this works (i.e. I can access the settings), it always crashes when selecting "ungroup buttons" or however it's called. One has to disable the extension and re-log in in order to make the system usable again. – Mikhail Orlov Oct 06 '22 at 08:56
  • @MikhailOrlov, yes, in Ubuntu 22.04 Dash to Panel extension works badly - there is bugs now. I returned to Ubuntu 20.04. On it this extension works normally. – Anton Samokat Oct 08 '22 at 16:16
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    Actually, I'd like to retract my message. Turned out, one has to set 100% width explicitly. Then while there might be a crashing message, it still shows and works. I can live with that. – Mikhail Orlov Oct 10 '22 at 18:02
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    Confirmed on Ubuntu 22.04 there is no "apt install gnome-shell-extension-dash-to-panel", however "Dash to Panel" is installable through the manager; was buggy but works as @MikhailOrlov mentioned with setting 100% (it somehow jumps to 90%). Sadly, even though it splits the app icons, it shows them on all monitors, not just the one you've opened the app on. – jave.web Feb 07 '23 at 10:51
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    Oh, my bad it can, it's under Behavior - "Isolate monitors", there's also "Isolate workspaces" – jave.web Feb 07 '23 at 11:15
  • If you can't find it in extension manager - try to search exactly "Dash to Panel" (quotes included) and change search filter to "Downloads" or "Recent"... somehow it does not prioritize by exact name match :/ – jave.web Oct 09 '23 at 14:09
1

There is a taskbar extension available.

Unfortunately, the development of that extension was halted on 15 december. However, Dash to Panel fully covers the functionality of Taskbar.

vanadium
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moony
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  • Unfortunately, the development of that extension was halted on 15 december. However, Dash to Panel fully covers the functionality of Taskbar. – vanadium Jan 13 '19 at 17:30