30 Gnome themes to enhance your Ubuntu experience
To be honest, I never really liked Human, Ubuntu’s default theme, and seems that many other people don’t. Happilly, on GNU/Linux systems it is easy to customize everything, even the buttons aspect or the windows borders. Here’s a list of 30 Gnome themes of all styles, from the Windows XP look-a-like to the very original skin, to enhance your Ubuntu experience.
Apotheosis
Blubuntu Aurora
Blue Joy
Bluespace
Bluman
ColorBit
Creamy
Darker Ice Murrina
Elegant Aurora
Elegant Brit
Gaia Nova
Gilouche Posh
Gray Human
Moomex
Moomex Ultimatum
Murina Aero
Nimbus Vista Look
Noname Peace
Not XP
Orange Linsta Black Plastic
Royale
Slickness Black
SlicknesS
Soffice
Tigris
Want more?
Check out our list of 20 beautiful dark themes for Gnome and Ubuntu.
68 Comments + Trackbacks
7.24.2008
Good list of themes here, I currently use the blue version of the Human theme installed by default but I may check some of these out..
7.24.2008
Glad you liked it =)
7.24.2008
Thanks for the post! It’s always a little overwhelming trying to dig through all the themes to find the best ones out there.
Looks like I have a few new ones to try now.
7.24.2008
Oooh, I really like some of those. Thanks!
7.25.2008
Really nice list, thanks for sharing.
7.25.2008
I used to use slickness black until I got tired of the dark text areas and I switched to the lighter one but could never find a happy tone of gray…and didn’t like the scroll bar. I told myself I wasn’t going to go theme hoping again but some of them are too tempting.
This is why I can’t understand the call from Canonical to come up with a new default for Ubuntu. What is has is clean and functional for the home and business user. I’d mainly just change the color scheme. Come up with an ultra simple way to install these themes with one click and point the users at that on first boot. Let them choose what they want for their desktop.
7.25.2008
Okay, go to gnome-look.org to download & install via appearance these:
1) Controls: Ubux2
2) Window Border: Gilouche Express – color it blue or but whatever you like.
3) Icons: MacUltimate Leopard
4) Cursor or pointer: ArchCursorBlue
5) Firefox Browser: just go to the add-on part of their website, and install iFox Metal for your skin. Probably the most important part, as you use the net the most.
Thank me later.
7.25.2008
Um, they’re all either WinXP or Vista look-alikes. If I wanted winders, I’d buy it.
7.25.2008
Some of those look beautiful . I will try some . Think you!
7.25.2008
Thanks for enjoying Darker Ice Murrina
7.25.2008
I must be nearly the only person who can’t stand white backgrounds…
7.25.2008
Lots of really nice themes.
Were these included with Ubunut?
If not, where did you get them?
Could you give a quick description on how you went about changing them?
Thanks and keep up the good work!
7.25.2008
Nice set! For the record anon, not all of them are windoze clones. I don’t really like the look of windoze, yet I like a-lot of these.
7.25.2008
Yeah, this collection shows the problem with trying to find a different theme; 80% of them are a simple recolor, or clearly a windows/leopard ripoff or clone (or a weird mix of the two, which never works out well). If I wanted Linux to look like Windows or Leopard, I would just run Windows or Leopard.
7.25.2008
Thanks everyone for your feedback!
7.25.2008
@anonymous: You can download theses themes and many others on gnome-look.org. If you’re interested in how yo customize your Ubuntu desktop, you should totally grab the rss feed as I’m planning to publish a post on that subject next week
7.25.2008
So, if I don’t use Ubuntu, but I use gnome I shouldn’t use this themes?. Please, GNU/Linux is not only Ubuntu, it is a lot more.
And by the way, you can use gnome not only in Linux.
Stop confussing people please.
7.25.2008
@Martin: I named the post in order to make it more accessible from Linux novices. I know that Gnome is only Ubuntu or only GNU/Linux, but you right, I should have said it somewhere in the post.
7.25.2008
Weak list.
Most of the themes are horrible.
7.25.2008
Obviously, it’s hard to make a list that will make everyone satisfied
7.25.2008
I support Linux 100% but I feel that people should make an objective decision forthemselves after reading The Truth about Linux.
7.25.2008
Maybe another theme worth to mention is Nodoka (Fedora’s default theme)…one of my favorites.
7.25.2008
It’s Katie the troll again! Her post has been added to my Troll Cave Colletion: http://vadi-blog.com/2008/07/15/the-troll-cave/
7.25.2008
Haha, maybe Microsoft owns this website!
7.30.2008
Black menu bars and title bars sure are an ugly fad. They’ll be here a few months and then will look hopelessly dated.
7.30.2008
I use :
Window: Camino
Controls: glossy P
Icons: gnome ultimate
and i am definitely with this.
8.4.2008
> It’s Katie the troll again!
There’s such a brilliant collection of amusing nonsense behind that “promotinglinux” link, you know. (disclaimer: I’m not *their* audience, and agree that “there’s a twist” — and a paid campaign indeed)
Hey, it made my day
jbj, thanks for the post; still, I personally second the opinion that mostly dark stuff in working area is less personally usable (while running darkish theme/bakground with my WindowMaker, but *not* the widgets). Forwarded to a friend with a comment “| grep -v vista-like, and you might get a few interesting ones”
8.4.2008
I’m new to linux. How do you install these themes in Ubuntu. Thanks.
8.4.2008
@Randy: You’ll find all the info you need here. Have fun with GNU/Linux!
8.11.2008
Definitely a great list.
Congratulations on the great blog
8.13.2008
Excelent! =)
Congratulations! o/
8.19.2008
Why do people like XP themes. I think linux should be unique and has its own footprint
8.19.2008
Comrade, you should have a look to our dark Gnome themes list. They don’t look like windows at all
8.23.2008
I need the background of the Darker Ice Murrina theme, does someone know where to find it ? :/
8.23.2008
@hey: I don’t know, why not asking the theme author directly?
8.30.2008
Great list. With all these themes around that look great (i love Moomex) i don’t understand why Ubuntu ships with the dated looking brown desktop.. maybe I’m missing something or some cultural significance?
10.9.2008
Great stuff. I was looking for themes for LiveCDs.
10.10.2008
Great! This proves Linux can be attractive too.
From the list my favourite theme is Elegant Brit.
As for the Promoting Linux website, I believe that everyone should use the OS that adapts better to their needs. I am not saying that Linux is better than Windows and viceversa, cause they both have different goals. The user has the power to choose what Operating System he/she will use on him/his PC.
11.7.2008
List is all right some of the themes are lame but a few good ones
1.23.2009
cool list, I never liked the default theme too
1.28.2009
all i can say………..just awsome……………
2.5.2009
I have been wanting to get to know Linux for ahwile. From what I hear it is amazinly secure, and now with themes like these the gui isn’t bad either.
3.5.2009
i’m new in UBUNTU or Linux i think the default is good in ubuntu 8.10 and they offer nice themes but i want to know how i move from workspace to another using the mouse .
4.14.2009
nice themes…!
4.27.2009
Thank you so much,for a time i find theme really for free
5.11.2009
I havn’t use the Ubuntu , If i use it with my computer, i will test them, bookmark it now.
5.24.2009
Very colorful .. I think is worth trying …
7.23.2009
These are some cool ubuntu themes.
This is the one I am currently using http://krashr.com/2009/07/cool-ubuntu-theme/
11.4.2009
Seems like a list for vista lovers.
A selection of mediocre themes.
12.3.2009
Respected Sir
I don’t know anything about linux I want to know how to apply ‘ Not XP ‘ themes in my computer
hoping more infermatiuon about linux administration
regards shintu antony
12.8.2009
Hello I am new to Ubuntu and would like to install some of these themes will you plz help me to do it.