The 5 Best Window Management Extensions for Ubuntu

Are you tired of chasing several buried windows on your Ubuntu desk? Tired of sliding the applications from one workspace to another, trying to keep everything organized? Well, here are my five favorite Ubuntu extensions (Gnome extensions) that will transform how you manage Windows on your Ubuntu PC.

Ubuntu uses a personalized version of the GNOME office environment that believes by offering a minimum and more targeted user experience. It looks greatly at the use of virtual offices, called workspaces and wants you to limit yourself to one or more windows by workspace. Unfortunately, it seems very limiting to me, which is why I always install these five Gnome extensions to allow window tiles and take total control over window management.

5

Switcher Windows Alt-Tab Advanced

If you are a user of the Alt + tab like me, you will fall in love with the Switcher Windows Alt Tab Advanced (AATWS). This extension transforms the basic Alt + Tab functionality into something much more powerful and personalized! Once activated, pressing Alt + Tab works as you expect – it displays all the applications open in your current workspace and allows you to switch to each other. However, press TAB several times, and it develops to display applications on all your workspaces, allowing you to cycle through everything you have opened.

Now, here is where it becomes really cool. Imagine that you are in a workflow and press Alt + Tab looking for an application, to discover that it is not really open. With Aatws, this is not a problem because you can continue to hold Alt and start typing to search for this application that you want and launch it directly. How practical is it? Personalization options are also extended! You can completely change the ALT +operation, its design and its appearance. Honestly, covering each feature that this extension offers could be an article in itself.

That said, it’s certainly more niche, however. If you are someone who naturally changes applications with Alt + Tab, you will find it incredibly useful, but if you prefer to use the preview to navigate in your open applications, some of the other options discussed below could suit you better. For me, I love having activated it!

4

Automatic travel windows

Auto Move Windows is a really cool extension with a beautifully simple concept. After installation, you open the extension parameters and define which workspace a specific application should open. You can define as many rules as you wish, and that’s it – every time you launch this specific application, it automatically opens in your designated workspace.

This perfectly completes the Gnome workflow. Normally, you must open the overview, launch the application you want to use, then slide it to the workspace in which you want. Auto Move Windows completely automates this placement process. You just launch your applications in any order, and they will instantly appear exactly where you want them. It is one of these defined productivity victories and to forget that saves tons of long -term time.

For example, I like to have two browser windows open side by side on my desk – one for writing and the other for research. Then, I hid in the workspace right next to it for rapid communication with my publishers, and discord in the most distant workspace, because I rarely use it, but the maintenance in operation to obtain updates on the different projects that interests me. Thus, with Auto Move Windows, I can simply define these preferences once in the extension settings, and it will automatically place applications in my disoriented workspaces.

3

Top window

The window on the top is another simple but useful extension that solves a common multi-window frustration. When you work with several floating windows – maybe you haven’t tiled them, and simply go through different data – the windows open with vivification can easily be buried when you put new ones. This extension is designed to solve this specific problem.

Once activated, you will see a small button on your Ubuntu panel. Select any window and click on this button, and this window is configured to always stay on top. Regardless of the other windows on which you open or concentrate, this pin window remains visible especially. I find it really practical when I treat with a lot of floating windows that I do not want to tile permanently. These are generally temporary reference windows such as terminal sessions, file managers or PDFs that I briefly consult. Instead of constantly chasing buried windows or setting up formal tiling arrangements, I can simply pin the reference material and focus on work.

2

Tiling shell

Gnome has many useful extensions for tiling features, but the tiling shell is my favorite. It is one of those productivity boosters that really shines when you use an ultrairs instructor with several windows that need a clean organization. The extension allows you to tile the windows in three different ways. By default, it adds a small indicator to your panel where you can click to access different layout options – your focused window is automatically organized in the selected areas. It is somewhat similar to the Windows 11 Snap layout functionality, but better!

Brand

LG

Screen size

34 inches

Display technology

Oled

Hdr

Yes

Refreshment rate

240Hz

The LG Ultrager 32GS95Ue is an OLED 32 -inch OLED monitor that offers unique functionality in mode, allowing users to switch between 4K of 240 Hz resolution and 1080p at 480 Hz for optimal play performance. With a quick response time of 0.03 ms and a support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD Freesync Premium Pro, it provides a fluid and immersive gameplay.

Alternatively, you can drag any window to the upper edge of your screen to trigger the same arrangement selection, then choose the area where you want your window to be, and that’s it – it is tiled for you. There is also my favorite method of holding CTRL while sliding a window to trigger the default tiling superposition, then placing the window in a specified area. It is a quick and practical way to obtain this clean and organized office.

I must mention that you can create fully personalized arrangements according to your specific needs and requirements. The extension gives you granular control on the zone sizes, the positioning and the number of areas in which you want your office to be divided. The extension parameters also offer tons of personalization options, although I stick personally with the default values.

1

Workspace indicator

The workspace indicator is by far one of the most useful extensions I used on Ubuntu. It is a huge boost of productivity and a quality of quality of life without which I cannot imagine working. It essentially visualizes all your current workspaces directly on the panel. So, instead of pressing the super key to open the preview, then see your workspaces, you can simply see them directly on the panel, which is present! You can also see the contours of the windows inside each workspace, giving you an immediate idea of ​​the number of windows in each workspace and how they are positioned.

But that’s not all – the real convenience comes from the drag and drop functionality. You can move windows between the workspaces directly from the panel indicator, rationalizing the entire workflow. More opening of the overview, dragging windows from one workspace to another. You can move them transparently directly from the panel.

Now, I know that some people, especially power users, prefer to use keyboard shortcuts to organize their windows and navigate between their workspaces. You can always do it if you wish. What this extension does is activate an additional mouse approach for sorting quickly via your workspaces, which I find super powerful!

There, you have it – my favorite gnome extensions that I always install on Ubuntu (or any distribution based on gnome elsewhere) to help me with window tiles and routine window management. I am sure that you will see that these massive productivity elements, especially if you are on an ultrairs instructor and that you want to use all your real estate correctly.