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How to pin or add new apps to Ubuntu Netbook Unity Launcher?

with 27 comments



Pinning or adding new applications to Ubuntu’s Unity Launcher in Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.10 is a piece of cake, if you know how to do it. Unfortunately, the Unity launcher lacks configuration options that it baffles you the first time you use it. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to add new software/application shortcuts to the launcher.

Add New Applications To Ubuntu’s Unity Launcher

The first thing you need to do is launch the program of your choice that needs to be pinned to the Unity launcher. In the walk-through below, we’ll try and pin the Shotwell Photo Manager app to the Unity launcher.

To launch the app, first click on ‘Applications’ in the Unity launcher menu.

Applications Menu in Ubuntu Launcher

Search for the app of your choice. For instance, see below a search for ‘Shotwell’.

Searching for application to pin to Unity

Click on the application to launch it. Now, the icon of the application you just launched appears in the launcher.

Application Icon in Ubuntu Netbook Maverick 10.10

Right click on the icon, and choose ‘Keep in Launcher’.

Keep in Launcher

The application will now get pinned to the Unity launcher, and the icon will appear even after you have closed it.

That’s pretty easy, isn’t it? Let us know if you have any questions!

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Written by Killer Tech Tips

October 13th, 2010 at 5:15 pm

Posted in how to

Tagged with , ,

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  • Laci

    Yes, I can lock the Shotwell to the launcher, but I can’t lock others, like Skype, Chrome, etc.

    Can you solve this problem?

  • Mikael

    Chrome was locked without problems. But, how do I sort the icons? I’ve replaced Firefox with Chrome and removed the Firefox icon. I would like to have the Chrome Icon in the same position as Firefox had. I.e. on top.

  • @Mikael If you drag the icon out to the right you can then reorder it by moving it up or down the launcher.

  • Thanks for this tip.
    Though, as much as I love the Unity, I wish it was solved in better and more discoverable way.

  • gajahbiru

    I’m getting the same problem as Laci. When I right-click chrome there is no option to keep in launcher. unlike shotwell. Any idea why?

  • Kieran

    Try restarting, Chrome would not give the option until I restarted my netboook!

  • Schappenberg

    Hi,
    there are programs which are even not shown at the Application page, e.g. gvim which i’ve installed via the software center. I have to start gvim in the terminal because ‘Alt’+’F2’ isn’t working any longer. And i can’t pin gvim in launcher, there is no “Keep in Launcher” menu option.
    Sometimes, i don’t like new functions …
    regards
    Schappenberg

  • ari

    there is an empty space in my launcher. i’ve tried reordering the icons hoping the empty space would disappear but no luck. please give me some tips

  • Xshaka

    thank god. That was too easy but I could not figure that out. Im new to ubuntu. Thank you

  • AM

    This method does not work for applications that run fullscreen! Once you start the full screen application, the launcher will not be visible until you quit it completely, then there will be no visible icon. Remember that on a netbook fullscreen can be necessary due to the limited size of the display.
    Additionally, the user interface freezes often when switching back from fullscreen applications on Ubuntu 10.10 netbook edition. The only recovery without a reboot is to press the power button in order to get a poweroff confirmation, and screen refresh, returning to normal operation.

    This is extra disappointing since 10.10 is supposed to be a long term support release. Unity has clearly not undergone enough testing to be included in a sharp release.

  • dva

    Thank you!

  • This is a good post, I stumbled across your article while looking for . Thanks for sharing, I’ll be sure to recommend this site to others.

  • Jared

    Thank you Keiran. I was struggling with Chrome. The option to keep it in the launcher just didn’t appear until I restarted. Isn’t the whole point of Linux that you don’t have to do things like restart? 🙂 Endless restarts is one of the reasons I gave up Windows.
    Anyway, that solved the problem for me. Hope it helps others.

  • Jared

    Whoops. **Kieran**. Sorry….

  • Rob

    I have the same issue. The app I want is “Armagetron Advanced” a tron clone. Did you ever find an answer?

  • repunante

    It is still not possible to add some applications to the launcher using the “keep in launcher” technique, anyone knows how to do it? I was looking in gconf-editor but no luck.

  • Mark

    this doesn’t seem to work for all applicatios. I’m not lucky with Truecrypt. While the icon does appear on the right-hand side panel, a right click does not offer the “keep in launcher” option. Any ideas? (Running Ubuntu 10.10 on eeePC 901). Thanks!

  • Mark

    (sorry, I meant left-hand side panel, of course)

  • Draughtglobe

    Yaay, I bought a new netbook yesterday, and I managed to figure out how to add the applications on my own:P

    But now I’m seriously wondering how to change the ORDER of the applications in the list? Haven’t found it so far..

  • Draughtglobe

    I managed to change the order in the folder .gconf/desktop/unity/launcher/favorites/ manually by editing the “value” in every .xml of every app that I have on unity. (There are some inactive in there as well).

    I did this in console so that unity doesn’t overwrite my values if it get’s closed. I don’t know if it does that though.

    There’s probably a better way to do this than I just did. 😛

  • Danielle Grehan

    Thanks!! That helped ALOT!! = )

  • Chris Walsh

    I’ve got the same problem as Mark. Trying to pin Google Chrome to the launcher but only see “Google-chrome” and Close in the right click menu, Also running Ubuntu 10.10.

  • Flytoucan

    I had the same problem. You just have to reboot and then, the right clic menu will show the “Keep in launcher” option.

  • Owen_Bell

    You can change the order by click-dragging an icon away from the bar. It will “pop” out, and you can then drag it to the position you want it.

  • Osvaldo

    I was looking how to do it. Thanks

  • this doesn’t seem to work for all applicatios. I’m not lucky with Truecrypt. While the icon does appear on the right-hand side panel, a right click does not offer the “keep in launcher” option. Any ideas? (Running Ubuntu 10.10 on eeePC 901). Thanks!
    mulberry

    outlet

  • Forgewire

     Nonsense, some apps are not appear in luncher, and you cant drag them there. Unity is pile of rubbish