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You can make Ubuntu feel much more like Windows 10 by changing its layout, application menu, window behavior, theme, icons, and wallpaper. The steps depend on your Ubuntu edition: the guidance here is for standard Ubuntu Desktop with GNOME, not Kubuntu or Xubuntu, which use different desktop environments.
Before adding extensions or following older panel instructions, check which Ubuntu release and desktop environment you use. Ubuntu’s default GNOME desktop already includes the Ubuntu Dock, desktop icon support, the Yaru theme, Ubuntu font, and minimize and maximize title-bar buttons, so you can start by rearranging what is already installed. Ubuntu’s GNOME documentation describes those defaults.
1. Confirm your Ubuntu release and desktop environment
Panel and extension directions for standard Ubuntu GNOME do not automatically apply to other Ubuntu flavors. In particular, Kubuntu uses KDE Plasma and Xubuntu uses Xfce; their settings and customization tools differ. Ubuntu’s older Windows-like configuration guide explicitly targets the standard Ubuntu desktop using GNOME, and its page was last edited in 2014, so treat its specific controls as legacy guidance rather than current, universal steps.
Check your release in Settings → About. To confirm the desktop environment, look at the desktop and session you selected at sign-in; if you are unsure, check your system information or ask your administrator before installing GNOME Shell extensions. Package availability and extension compatibility can vary by release. For example, the Ubuntu Noble 24.04 package archive lists GNOME customization packages including Ubuntu Dock, Ubuntu Tiling Assistant, GNOME Shell Extension Manager, and GNOME Tweaks.
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2. Put the main controls in a Windows-style layout
The most noticeable change is moving everyday controls into a bottom taskbar-like panel. A Windows-familiar arrangement typically puts the application launcher at the left, pinned or running applications beside it, and status icons and the clock at the right. Ubuntu’s legacy guide describes a bottom panel with a main menu, window list, notification area, and clock. The exact way to assemble those pieces depends on your GNOME Shell version and available extensions.
Start with the built-in Ubuntu Dock: use its settings to position it along the bottom and adjust its behavior, then pin the applications you use most. A dock provides quick-launch icons and indicators for open apps, but it may not behave exactly like a traditional Windows taskbar or include a complete window list and notification area. If you want those features, look for a GNOME Shell extension that explicitly supports your installed Shell version. Check its documentation and current compatibility before installing; do not assume an older tutorial’s extension or menu path still works.
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3. Add familiar window snapping
Ubuntu Tiling Assistant is a GNOME Shell extension intended to add Windows-like snap assist when arranging windows. Its support is version-sensitive: the project documentation says it generally targets the most recent GNOME Shell release, and older releases may not have current features or fixes.
- Identify the GNOME Shell version used by your Ubuntu release.
- Open the Tiling Assistant project page and check its stated compatibility and installation guidance against that version.
- Install only if the project supports your Shell version, then sign out and back in if the extension’s instructions require it.
- Test snapping with a non-critical window. If the extension is unavailable or behaves incorrectly, disable or remove it rather than forcing an incompatible installation.
4. Change the visual style: theme, icons, and wallpaper
Visual resemblance comes from several separate choices. A shell theme affects GNOME’s interface, a GTK theme may affect supported application controls, an icon theme changes application and folder symbols, and wallpaper changes the background. Choose a Windows-inspired theme and icon set from a source you trust, and follow the instructions for your Ubuntu release. Ubuntu’s community icon guide is old (last edited in 2014), so verify that its paths and interface labels match your system before using it.
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GNOME Tweaks may provide controls for appearance options not exposed in the standard Settings app; availability depends on the release. Ubuntu’s Noble 24.04 archive lists GNOME Tweaks as a package. A theme download does not necessarily restyle every application: apps can use different toolkits, and Snap applications may not match the selected system theme. Ubuntu described work toward better Snap theme integration in a 31 December 2020 article, but that historical account is not a guarantee of universal theme matching today.
- Shell appearance: changes GNOME interface elements such as menus and panels.
- Application theme: changes supported application controls; individual apps may not follow it.
- Icons: changes symbols used for apps, folders, and some interface elements.
- Wallpaper: changes the desktop background without changing application behavior.
5. Fix common mismatches
An application still looks different
That does not necessarily mean the theme failed. Theme support varies by application and packaging format, so check whether the affected app supports the toolkit theme you selected. The cited Ubuntu discussion of Snap theme integration is from 2020 and does not establish that every Snap app currently follows the system theme.
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The menu or panel instructions do not match your desktop
Confirm you are running standard Ubuntu GNOME, not Kubuntu, Xubuntu, or another desktop session. Then check that an extension supports your GNOME Shell version. Older community guides may refer to controls or installation locations that have changed.
A theme reverts after locking or sleeping
One Ubuntu 22.04 user reported a GTK theme resetting after lock or sleep in an Ask Ubuntu discussion. That is an individual report, not evidence of a general current Ubuntu bug. If it happens on your system, note your release, desktop session, theme, and whether the issue occurs after sign-in or wake before troubleshooting that particular setup. The report and its context are on Ask Ubuntu.
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