You might want to go through with setting up Gnome through Gnome Guide first.

Better-Looking Fonts

The Adwaita series font is pretty good, but I find the IBM Plex series to be more modern and pleasing.

Fedora

sudo dnf install ibm-plex-fonts-all

Arch

sudo pacman -S ttf-ibm-plex

Debian/Ubuntu

sudo apt install fonts-ibm-plex

To apply

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface font-name "IBM Plex Sans 11"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface document-font-name "IBM Plex Sans 12"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface monospace-font-name "IBM Plex Mono 11"

To reset

gsettings reset org.gnome.desktop.interface font-name
gsettings reset org.gnome.desktop.interface document-font-name
gsettings reset org.gnome.desktop.interface monospace-font-name

GNOME Extensions

Universal benefits

Tips

🌟 indicates currently used by the editor aier.

Tech details: Why do extension settings use dconf write?

Extensions installed from extensions.gnome.org keep their settings schemas inside their own folder, where the gsettings command cannot find them (you would get a No such schema error). dconf write needs no schema, so extension settings use it — system settings elsewhere in this wiki use gsettings.

🌟AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem Support

Adds AppIndicator, KStatusNotifierItem and legacy Tray icons support to the Shell.

🌟Lilypad (pairs well with AppIndicator)

Tidies the tray icons in your top bar — hide the ones you rarely touch.

Auto Power Profile

Automatically switches between power profiles (Performance / Balanced / Power Saver) based on whether you're on AC or battery, and on the current battery charge level.

Battery Health Charging

Set a battery charging threshold / limit / mode to maximise laptop battery lifespan. Many laptop brands work out of the box; some need extra kernel modules (see the extension's compatibility list).

🌟Blur my Shell

Adds customisable blur effects to GNOME Shell elements for a polished look.

🌟Caffeine

Prevents screen dimming and suspension on demand.

Clipboard Indicator

Provides a clipboard history and quick paste menu in the top panel.

Windows-like <Super>v keyboard shortcut

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings toggle-message-tray "['<Super>M']"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/clipboard-indicator/toggle-menu "['<Super>V']"

🌟Copyous (elegant alternative to Clipboard Indicator)

A modern clipboard manager with support for text, code, images, files, links, characters, and colours.

Install dependencies (needed for the SQLite clipboard-history backend)

Fedora

sudo dnf install libgda libgda-sqlite

Debian/Ubuntu

sudo apt install gir1.2-gda-5.0 gir1.2-gsound-1.0

Arch

sudo pacman -S libgda6

Windows-like <Super>v keyboard shortcut

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings toggle-message-tray "['<Super>M']"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/copyous/open-clipboard-dialog-shortcut "['<Super>V']"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/copyous/database-backend "'sqlite'"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/copyous/clipboard-position-vertical "'bottom'"

🌟GNOME Fuzzy App Search

Enables fuzzy matching in Activities search to find apps without exact names.

🌟Just Perfection

Tweaks or hides nearly every GNOME Shell UI element for fine‑grained control.

My settings

# Hide searchbar in overview (you can still search
# by just typing)
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/just-perfection/search false

# Hide window titles when hovering over windows in
# overview
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/just-perfection/window-preview-caption false

# Always show workspace switchers no matter how many
# workspaces are opened (especially useful for dynamic
# workspace users)
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/just-perfection/workspace-switcher-should-show true

# Make workspace switchers larger
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/just-perfection/workspace-switcher-size 13

Shotzy

Image search on Google Lens, OCR and QR scan directly from the built-in GNOME Screenshot tool.

Night Theme Switcher

Switcher between light and dark theme depending on sunrise/sunset.

Make the light mode shell light.

dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/nightthemeswitcher/commands/enabled true
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/nightthemeswitcher/commands/sunrise "'gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme prefer-light'"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/nightthemeswitcher/commands/sunset "'gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme prefer-dark'"

Others

Kando Integration

Allows you to use the Kando Menu in Gnome Wayland sessions.

Download the zip for the configuration files to achieve the effect in the video below.

Dash to Dock

Moves the dash out of overview into a dock for quicker app launching and window switching.

My settings

Go to the extension's settings --> Appearances, turn on Shrink the dash to make the dash smaller and slicker.

Fix the keyboard shortcut

Dash to Dock pops up the dock with Super+Q by default, which clashes with Close window shortcut from Gnome Guide. Move it to Super+W:

dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/dash-to-dock/shortcut "['<Super>w']"

🌟Stage Manager (alternative to Dash to Dock)

macOS-style window management: groups your open windows into "stages" and stacks the rest as thumbnail cards down the left edge, so only one group is on screen at a time.

Hide the dash to make room

Stage Manager lives down the left edge, so the app dash just gets in the way. Hide it with the Just Perfection extension (listed above):

dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/just-perfection/dash false

Tiling Shell

Brings tiling window management to GNOME, allowing automatic window arrangements in customisable layouts.

Focus changer

Switches focus to the window sitting left, right, above, or below the current one with customisable keyboard shortcuts.

🌟Alphabetical App Grid

Sorts the app grid alphabetically to make apps easier to find.

My settings

Position of ordered folders --> Start, to make folders appear before apps.

GTK4 Desktop Icon NG

Allows for links, folders, and files in the desktop.

App Icons Taskbar

Windows-styled taskbar

My settings

# Stylise panel into Windows-styled task bar
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/clock-font-size "(true, 12)"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/clock-position-in-panel "'RIGHT'"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/icon-size "24"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/indicator-color-use-system-accent-color "true"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/indicator-location "'BOTTOM'"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/intellihide-key-toggle "['']" # ['<Super>i'], conflicts with Settings app shortcut key
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/isolate-workspaces "false"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/main-panel-height "(true, 40)"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/override-panel-clock-format "(true, '%a %R\\n%F')"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/panel-location "'BOTTOM'"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/aztaskbar/show-apps-button "(true, 0)"

# Requires Just Perfection extension; moves notifications to bottom right to match with task bar
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/just-perfection/notification-banner-position "5"

Show Desktop Plus (QoL additions to GTK4 Desktop Icons NG)

A button that shows your desktop, hiding all other windows. (Just like clicking the bottom right corner or Super + D in Windows)

My settings

dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/show-desktop-plus/button-position "'right-end'"
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/extensions/show-desktop-plus/enable-hotkey true # Super + D to show desktop

Contributors

aier9500Lunear01

Changelog

7/21/26, 4:08 PM

View All Changelog

• 2413a-Migrated personal stuff to its own "guide", more like a blog.on 7/21/26
• 2f426-gaze replacing howdy.on 7/19/26
• 7334e-update GNOME extensions section with new entries and tips for better customizationon 7/17/26
• af775-update Firefox user.js settings and remove Kando integration staron 7/15/26
• eb0c5-docs(guides): serve downloads same-origin as zips, not GitHub linkson 7/13/26
• ad572-docs(gnome): add Battery Health Charging + Auto Power Profile stars, Copyous SQLite deps & backendon 7/13/26
• 33924-aiers-gnome renamed to gnome-further-customisation to minimise personal brandingon 7/12/26
• 4ec6a-aier's Gnome -> Gnome Further Customisationon 7/12/26
• 4e0b9-Extensions schemas cannot be ported to Gsettings because Gsettings does not read extension config folders.on 7/4/26
• 7150e-1. Fresh Editor → editors-choice.md. Verified as getfresh.dev (sinelaw/fresh) — Rust terminal editor, VS Code-feel. Install tabs: AUR fresh-editor-bin + official script. Several GitHub lookalikes exist; agent confirmed canonical project across independent sources. 2. Focus changer → aiers-gnome.md under Others, next to Tiling Shell. Link verified, plain 2-sentence description, no screenshot (none available). 3. Ghostty GNOME fix simplified — dropped alt+shift+arrow rebinds and the duplicate GNOME quick-append block. One master quick append now; GNOME section teaches clearing "Switch to workspace above/below" in Settings, gsettings fallback in :::details. Schema keys source-verified from gschema XML. 4. New keyd settings propagated — your root default.conf moved to resources/key-remapping-with-keyd/, stale header comment fixed (said double-shift→caps; body actually uses [shift] layer capslock = capslock). Guide example, mapping table, and keyd-setup.sh heredoc all synced; folder got first README.on 7/4/26
• c64ca-Updated guidelines to prevent users from skipping over custom presets due to image taking up vertical spaceon 6/20/26
• 14932-reorder extensions simplifying sectionson 6/20/26
• 7464e-Link to external resources.on 6/19/26
• 51008-Minor tweaks, taking aiers-fedora-checklist to production within aier's gnomeon 6/19/26
• 03fe7-fix typoon 6/11/26
• 165cd-Removing aztaskbar default i shortcut key to not conflict with Settings app launcher shortcut key.on 6/11/26
• bdc42-Full Repository Security Review and Fixeson 6/4/26
• 5d70a-Add Tiling Shell extension with description for window management in GNOMEon 5/28/26
• 4f87b-Moved extensions to 'others' section. Updated descriptions for extension sections.on 5/24/26
• 28b48-Update video playback settings for demos in guides. Fix broken video.on 5/23/26
• b5534-Change team name, fixing links.on 5/21/26
• cc0a2-Adding logitech-linux-setup resource folder for dotfiles.on 5/13/26
• 21a6c-Fixing visual bug.on 5/13/26
• 95ba8-Add note for downloading Kando configuration fileson 5/13/26
• 56e54-Add new GNOME extension and update Timeshift instructions for clarityon 5/12/26
• d75df-Update guide title and enhance facial recognition section with Fedora-specific instructionson 5/12/26
• 520db-Fixing grammatical errors as well as improving fluidity of the guide.on 5/11/26
• f0e70-Show Desktop Pluson 5/8/26
• fb277-Move Alphabetical App Grid to 'Others' section.on 5/3/26
• 79305-+ Stylise for improved readability. + Demo photo for Copyous.on 5/3/26
• 4447f-Remove extension recommendations in the default Gnome guide.on 5/3/26
• d8b6c-Add demo assets and update aier's Gnome guide with Kando integration detailson 5/1/26
• 00c9a-#39 Reformat project so each markdown file has their own asset subfolder in the public asset folder.on 4/30/26
• 41235-GB Englishon 4/30/26
• 2348f-Grammatical adjustmentson 4/12/26
• cb358-Disable isolate workspaces for icons.on 4/10/26
• 4f62a-Major list structure overhaul and item updates.on 4/10/26
• 63839-Use better blur effects from Blur My Shell Instead of from Kiwi.on 2/17/26
• f5812-Replaced **bold with highlightson 2/4/26
• 8792e-Fixed container syntax error and consistency.on 1/13/26
• c3f67-Moved shortcuts to main Gnome guide.on 1/13/26
• ff00d-+ appindicator m category for tinted shell m alphabetical order for all items.on 1/13/26
• 650cd-Grammatical change and remove transparent move behavior from Kiwi extension.on 12/16/25
• 35118-Grammar and Spell Checks for the entire Webon 12/11/25
• 54c8f-Restructuring for better asset management.on 12/10/25
• a7215-Update to use permalinkon 12/2/25
• 120a4-Simplify notes.on 11/26/25
• b7fdb-Trying out new contributor format.on 11/26/25
• 85ff1-+- use Dconf instead of Gsettings for cli +- Dash to Dock now essential +- Lock Keys archived + Kiwi & settings + Auto Power Profileon 11/26/25
• 15837-Polishing aier's Gnome and pinning it.on 11/14/25
• 26c5a-Restructuring tags.on 11/10/25
• b3a9f-Updated extension usage and added "Previously in My Setup" section.on 10/28/25
• f9939-Refactor just-perfection extension settings and update user themes section for clarityon 10/22/25
• 82fe7-Prettier formatting.on 10/16/25
• 272c1-Clarify usage of the just-perfection extension to address visual inconsistencies and bugs with the top bar.on 10/9/25
• cd412-Update top bar settings for just perfection.on 10/9/25
• 4a816-Adding Author.on 9/28/25
• 02788-Adding Howdy and making the page prettier.on 9/28/25
• 091f4-Remove outdated aier's Fedora Gnome reference guide and update links in Gnome Guideon 9/27/25
• ca005-aier's Fedora Guide Finished First Editionon 9/27/25