Ubuntu’s Desktop Icons Extension Successfully Completes GTK4 Migration
The Desktop Icons NG (DING) GNOME Shell extension, which allows users to place icons directly on their Ubuntu desktop, has made significant strides recently with its completion of the GTK4 port. The latest version, v51.0.0, was released this month and introduces support for GNOME 51, which will be included in the upcoming Ubuntu 26.10 release.
This update enhances the extension by addressing several memory leaks and improving usability features. The development of the GTK4 port started last year and aims to align DING with the modern tech stack used across GNOME.
Visually, the update presents noticeable changes, including a revamped right-click context menu and a modernized file-opening dialog. One significant improvement is that the "Open with…" dialog no longer features a "Find new apps" button, making it more intuitive for users, as it previously attempted to launch the now absent GNOME Software.
Another enhancement has been made regarding clipboard interactions; the extension now reads the clipboard asynchronously, ensuring a faster response time when right-clicking on the desktop to display the menu.
Keyboard navigation has also seen improvements. Previously, distinguishing file stacks from regular files was challenging, but now users can open and close stacks via keyboard commands, enhancing accessibility for users relying on keyboard navigation.
Moreover, the filename extension detection for extracted archives on the desktop has been improved, ensuring that files such as .tar.zst extract correctly without needing additional tools.
For those using Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, the extension comes bundled within a metapackage, preventing easy updates to the latest version. However, it remains possible to upgrade manually via source code, though users should know that these changes won’t persist through system updates.
You can now find the latest version of Desktop Icons NG available on the GNOME Extensions website and look forward to experiencing these improvements when Ubuntu 26.10 is released on October 15, 2026.
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