Chapter 1. Enabling desktop icons

You can enable the desktop icons functionality and move files to the desktop.

1.1. Desktop icons in RHEL 9

Desktop icons are provided by the Desktop icons GNOME Shell extension, which is available from the gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons package.

Desktop icons in GNOME Classic

The GNOME Classic environment includes the gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons package by default. Desktop icons are always on, and you cannot turn them off.

Desktop icons in GNOME Standard

In GNOME Standard, desktop icons are disabled by default.

To enable desktop icons in the GNOME Standard environment, you must install the gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons package.

1.2. Enabling desktop icons in GNOME Standard

This procedure enables the desktop icons functionality in the GNOME Standard environment.

Prerequisites

  • The Extensions application is installed on the system: 

    # dnf install gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons

Procedure

  1. Open the Extensions application.

  2. Enable the Desktop Icons extension.

    Enabling desktop icons in GNOME Standard

1.3. Creating a desktop icon for a file

This procedure creates a desktop icon for an existing file.

Prerequisites

  • The Desktop icons extension is enabled.

Procedure

  • Move the selected file into the ~/Desktop/ directory.

    desktop icon for a file

Verification steps

  • Check that the icon for the file appears on the desktop.

    desktop icon for a file 2