Over the last year, we covered different themes for Ubuntu; most of them being GTK themes inspired by material design and flat design. It has been a while since our last theme article and I figure today will be a day to present you with a somewhat mega list.
My compilation includes a few themes already featured on FossMint together with others you probably haven’t heard about yet. If you are keen on personalization and UI beauty then I’m sure that my compilation will blow your mind.
Theme Installation
The following installation instructions are similar for every other theme available in a compressed format with the only difference being the specific theme you select.
- Download your preferred variant theme.
- Extract the zip file to
~/.themes/directory in your Home folder. - Use GNOME/Unity Tweak Tool to select the theme.
1. ArcMPD Theme
ArcMPD is, as the name implies, an Arc-based translucent GTK theme for Minimalists.
ArcMPD Theme Icons
2. Flat Remix Gnome Theme
Flat Remix Gnome theme is currently my favorite shell theme on this list. It is modern, beautiful and simple theme inspired on material design with a modern “flat” colors with high contrasts and sharp borders. It comes with its own icon pack! and also available in Light and Dark version.
Flat Remix Gnome Theme
Install Flat Remix Gnome theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:daniruiz/flat-remix $ sudo apt-get update $ sudo apt-get install flat-remix-gnome
On Fedora based distributions.
$ sudo dnf copr enable daniruiz/flat-remix $ sudo dnf install flat-remix-gnome
3. Ant Theme
Ant theme is a modern flat GTK theme with an eye candy UI and 3 color variants, Ant, Ant Dracula, and Ant Bloody.
Ant Themes for Linux
4. Canta Theme
Canta theme is an eye candy flat Material design theme with glossy eye-candy tabs and windows with rounded border-radius.
Canta Theme for Ubuntu
5. Paper Theme
The Paper theme, being of the Paper project, is one of the best themes available today and you can set it up together with its icon set and custom cursors.
Paper Theme for Ubuntu
Install Paper theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:snwh/pulp $ sudo apt-get update $ sudo apt-get install paper-gtk-theme # if you want to install the icons and colors $ sudo apt-get install paper-icon-theme $ sudo apt-get install paper-cursor-theme
6. Arc Theme
Arc theme, arguably the most popular and modern flat GTK Theme with transparent elements and 3 variants, Arc, Arc-Darker, and Arc-Dark.
Arc Theme for Ubuntu
Install Arc theme, add repository and install manually on Ubuntu 18.04 as shown.
$ sudo sh -c "echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/Horst3180/xUbuntu_18.04/ /' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/home:Horst3180.list" $ sudo apt-get update $ sudo apt-get install arc-theme
On Fedora 25 distributions.
# dnf config-manager --add-repo https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:Horst3180/Fedora_25/home:Horst3180.repo # dnf install arc-theme
7. United GNOME
United GNOME is a Unity-inspired theme for the Gnome shell. It allows you to keep the Unity look & feel while maintaining the excellent functionality of the Gnome desktop.
United Gnome Light Theme
8. Matcha Theme
Matcha theme is a beautiful flat Arc-based theme with transparent elements. It is the perfect dark mode GTK theme with even multiple ARC variants for window control buttons.
Matcha Theme for Ubuntu
9. Blue Face Theme
Blue Face is a GTK theme was developed with Facebook lovers in mind as it allows you to give your desktop a Facebook-like look with its overall blue color scheme.
Facebook Like Theme for Ubuntu
10. Adapta Theme
Adapta is a modern beautiful and adaptive theme that was built according to Material Design guidelines with dependence on Material Design resources especially its fonts.
Adapta Theme for Ubuntu
Install Adapta GTK theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
$ sudo apt-add-repository ppa:tista/adapta $ sudo apt-get update $ sudo apt-get install adapta-gtk-theme
On Fedora based distributions.
$ sudo dnf install adapta-gtk-theme-gtk2 adapta-gtk-theme-gtk3 gnome-shell-theme-adapta
11. Pop Theme
Pop is an eye candy Adapta-inspired theme reminiscent of Unity’s color scheme with its brown and orange color settings.
Pop Theme for Ubuntu
Install Pop theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:system76/pop $ sudo apt update $ sudo apt install pop-theme
12. Vimix Theme
Vimix is a flat Material design theme based on nana-4. Its beautifully crafted icons will give your desktop a glossy look which comes in 3 variants, Grey, Doder, and Ruby.
Vimix Theme for Ubuntu
Install Vimit theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:noobslab/themes $ sudo apt-get update $ sudo apt-get install vimix-flat-themes
13. Qogir Theme
Qogir is a flat design Arc-based theme with blue and white overall color scheme and a dark shell theme variant. As far as I’m concerned, Qogir is the cooler sibling of Blue Face and is bound to improve your overall desktop experience.
Qogir Theme for Ubuntu
14. Materia-Theme
Materia (formerly Flat-Plat) is a beautiful Material Design theme that has a built-in compatibility with Oomox theme designer.
What makes it even more awesome is its support for Ripple effect animations and it comes with 3 color variants and 2 size variants.
Materia Theme for Ubuntu
Install Materia Remix Gnome theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
$ sudo apt install materia-gtk-theme
On Fedora based distributions.
$ sudo dnf copr enable tcg/themes $ sudo dnf install materia-theme
You can also install three variants (Materia, Materia-dark, Materia-light) via Flathub using following commands.
$ flatpak remote-add flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo $ flatpak install flathub org.gtk.Gtk3theme.Materia $ flatpak install flathub org.gtk.Gtk3theme.Materia-dark $ flatpak install flathub org.gtk.Gtk3theme.Materia-light
15. Aqua Shell Theme
Aqua Shell theme features an overall blue color scheme that is quite different from Blue Face. I assume fans of DC Comic’s Aquaman will love it the most.
Aqua Shell Theme for Ubuntu
16. macOS High Sierra Theme
macOS High Sierra is a perfect shell theme for a complete macOS UI/UX on Ubuntu and its dark version is available in the form of macOS High Sierra DARK.
macOS High Sierra Theme for Ubuntu
Download macOS High Sierra Theme
17. Minimal Conception Theme
Minimal Conception’s aim is to provide you with a simple interface that will keep clutter away from your workspace and maintain minimalist beauty at the same time.
Minimal Conception Theme for Ubuntu
Download Minimal Conception Theme
18. Windows 10 Light Theme
How would you like to experience Windows? with this Windows 10 Light Theme’s latest UI on your GNOME or Unity desktop? Download this one and see if it doesn’t win your heart.
Windows Light Theme for Ubuntu
Download Windows 10 Light Theme
19. Sector-X Theme
Sector-X sounds like a theme developed in a secret alien lab, and maybe it is. It is a dark back shell theme that will give your desktop a ninja persona.
Sector-X Theme for Ubuntu
20. Axiom Theme
Axiom Theme for Ubuntu
21. NumixPack Theme
If you’re not already familiar with the Numix project then you are missing. Numix Pack is a flat, material design-inspired theme that comes with its own icon set and color variants!
NumixPack Theme for Ubuntu
22. Copernico Theme
As you might have guessed, Copernico Theme is inspired by flat design and you can edit and compile its SCSS files for further customization.
Copernico Theme for Ubuntu
23. T4G-Shell-theme III
T4G-Shell-theme III is a transparent dark shell theme variant of the T4G Shell theme, however, you can use it as a stand-alone shell theme. This is a good choice if you’re a fan of Windows’ translucent UI feature.
T4G Shell Theme for Ubuntu
24. Glassfull Theme
Glassful is a transparent theme featuring slightly sharp corners with blue-based transparent elements. Just likeT4G-Shell-theme, Glassfull features a translucent app background.
Glassfull Theme for Ubuntu
25. Granite Theme
Granite is a cleaned up and simplified Gnome theme that is inspired by GTK’s popular color scheme and dark theme layout.
Granite Theme for Ubuntu
26. Human Shell Theme Collection
The Human Shell Theme Collection features a grey semi-transparent color scheme and layout that remains true and yet modern to the typical Gnome look.
It is available in 3 variants, default, mobile, black, and next; and works best with macOS-like icons and macOS-like docks.
Human Shell Theme Collection
Download Human Shell Theme Collection
27. Darqlassic Theme
Darqlassic is a simpler modified dark theme version of Gnome 3.16’s standard theme. You can edit the SCSS file in the gnome-shell/gnome-shell-sass/_color.scss by running sass --sourcemap=none --update in the gnome-shell folder. Don’t forget to hit Ctrl + F2 to refresh the theme each time you update it.
Darqlassic Theme for Ubuntu
28. Ambrosia Theme
Ambrosia is for fans of a dark blue UI and it provides the best performance and functions when used in conjunction with the Dash to Dock extension e.g. you will have a focus indicator on the currently open application.
Ambrosia Theme for Ubuntu
29. Vertex Theme
Vertex is a cool 3-color-variant theme that features a modern element scheme true to the typical Gnome look. It comes with 3 variants including the default variant with dark header-bars, a dark variant, and a light variant.
Vertex Theme for Ubuntu
30. Petitlepton Theme
Petitlepton is a beautiful theme inspired by Adwaita and Material Design so you can trust it to be minimalist and clean-looking.
Petitlepton Theme for Ubuntu
That concludes my list! Did I mention your favorite picks? Did I blow your mind? Perhaps I left out awesome shell themes that you’ve enjoyed using.
Let me know your suggestions in the discussion box below.