Ubuntu has run on more desktops than any other Linux distribution for good reason: it absorbs the rough edges of open-source computing so that ordinary users do not have to. First released in October 2004, it has since accumulated two decades of refinement, and its current long-term support release continues that tradition of pragmatic usability. Whether you are returning after years away or committing to Linux for the first time, understanding where Ubuntu hides its most useful features - and where its defaults fall short - makes an enormous difference in daily experience.
Getting the Desktop to Look and Feel Like Yours
Ubuntu ships with a capable but conservative visual setup. The first adjustment worth making is also the simplest: activating dark mode. Click the status icons in the upper-right corner of the desktop and select "Dark Style." The switch is system-wide and immediate.
Beyond darkness, Ubuntu's default orange accent color is not the only option. The Appearance section of the Settings app offers a range of accent colors, each of which applies across system menus, buttons, and interface elements. It is a small change that makes the desktop feel genuinely personal rather than factory-installed.
Display configuration deserves attention early. Ubuntu defaults to 60Hz even when connected to a monitor capable of higher refresh rates. The Display page inside Settings exposes the full range your hardware supports; selecting the highest available rate produces a noticeably smoother experience. Display scaling belongs on the same checklist - particularly on high-resolution screens where interface elements can otherwise appear uncomfortably small.
For users who want deeper control over visual behavior, the Gnome Tweaks application - available free from the Ubuntu App Center - unlocks options the standard Settings app omits. These include font rendering adjustments and icon theme selection. One particularly underrated feature in Gnome Tweaks is middle-click paste: selecting text with the cursor automatically copies it to a secondary clipboard, and middle-clicking anywhere pastes it instantly. Users who work across multiple documents or terminals often find this accelerates their workflow considerably.
Software, Accounts, and the Ecosystem Gap
The default Ubuntu installation is deliberately minimal. Firefox comes included; a music player, photo organizer, and video player do not. The Ubuntu App Center fills most gaps. LibreOffice handles office documents. VLC plays virtually every video and audio format. Rhythmbox, Shotwell, and Showtime cover music, photos, and video playback respectively within the Linux-native ecosystem.
The App Center is not exhaustive, however, and this matters. Google Chrome is not available through it - it must be downloaded directly from Google's website as a .deb installer package. The same applies to several other widely used commercial applications. Valve's Steam client illustrates a subtler version of this issue: the App Center carries it as a sandboxed Snap package, but the version distributed directly through Valve's website operates without that sandboxing layer and tends to exhibit fewer compatibility problems with Windows games running through Steam's Proton compatibility layer.
Ubuntu's Gnome desktop integrates with online accounts in ways that are useful but uneven. Google and Microsoft 365 credentials entered through the Online Accounts section of Settings feed calendar events into the desktop's calendar pop-up and expose files via the Files application - with the caveat that the current LTS release has dropped Google Drive file access from the Files app. Microsoft OneDrive remains accessible. The Gnome Calendar and Gnome Contacts applications pull from these same accounts, while Evolution handles email. The connections are not as effortless as on a platform built around a single corporate account system, but they function reliably once configured.
Security, Backups, and the Features Most Users Ignore
Ubuntu applies security updates automatically, which is a sensible default for most users. The Software Updater application handles broader system updates and should be run periodically. This combination keeps the system current without requiring the kind of manual maintenance that gave Linux a demanding reputation in earlier years.
Backups remain the most consistently neglected part of any computing setup, regardless of operating system. Ubuntu's extended installation includes Déjà Dup Backups; the minimal install omits it but makes it available through the App Center. Once installed, it supports local backup to external drives and encrypted cloud backup to Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. Scheduling automatic backups takes only a few minutes and eliminates a category of risk that hardware failure or accidental deletion can otherwise make irreversible.
VPN support is built into Ubuntu's network settings and covers the OpenVPN, PPTP, and WireGuard protocols. Users whose VPN provider offers a Linux application - ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Proton VPN all do - will find those applications more convenient than manual configuration, particularly for switching server locations. Users whose provider lacks a Linux client can still import a configuration file through the Settings app's Network section.
Gaming and the Extensions That Change What Ubuntu Can Be
Linux gaming has advanced substantially over the past several years. Steam's Proton compatibility layer, developed for the Steam Deck, now runs a significant portion of the Windows gaming library on Linux without modification. For titles outside Steam's catalog, Lutris provides access to the Epic Games Store and GOG through a single interface that handles the underlying compatibility configuration automatically.
The Gnome extension system represents Ubuntu's most underappreciated layer of customization. Installing the Extension Manager application from the App Center opens access to a library of community-built extensions that alter menus, animations, the lock screen, and window behavior. For users who miss a traditional applications menu, the Apps Menu extension restores one. For users who want spectacle, extensions like Burn My Windows and Compiz Windows Effects add visual behavior - burning window close animations, elastic window movement - that has been a Linux desktop tradition since the mid-2000s. These are not productivity tools; they are demonstrations of how much latitude the platform genuinely offers.
Ubuntu's staying power across two decades stems from a consistent design philosophy: reduce the distance between a working Linux system and an accessible daily driver. The defaults handle the fundamentals. The depth is there for anyone willing to look one layer deeper.
