How to open Nautilus (File Manager) preferences?

Question

Please could you tell me where can I find the File Manager Preferences in Ubuntu ... (now for 16:04 LTS).

The menu bar has disappeared from Nautilus, as also have the resize handles and the top-bar right-click menu (except for 'Close'). The window gets a little smaller every time I open it, it's gradually disappearing and I can't presently correct it.

I'm using Gnome not Unity, so the fixes for unity don't work.

I would have preferred to add these observations as comments, but I still have too few reputations to do that, so have to ask a new copy of the same question instead.

Answer 1

On Ubuntu 17.10.1, the top left corner of the screen next to Activities, you'll find Files with a drop-down arrow:

Click on Files, then in the list that appears, click on Preferences.

Answer 2

For Gnome

It appears that you made an ill-advised change with the Tweak-tool in Gnome. gnome-tweak-tool is available for all currently supported versions of Ubuntu and is readily installable by activating the Universe repository and installing it via Software Center or via the command line with sudo apt-get update&&apt-get install gnome-tweak-tool

Open it (via terminal if necessary with gnome-tweak-tool Navigate to Top Bar and flip "Show Application Menu" toggle to ON. This will return the Files button to your top bar menu where you can access Preferences.

For Unity or Mate DE's In Ubuntu 14.04 and 16.04 you can simply use the key combination Alte and then n This will open the preferences menu which looks like this:

For Kubuntu (Plasma DE)

AltF3 and "More Actions" Brings up most preferences in Nautilus. If what you are looking for isn't there try the Menu button in the upper right corner of the window.

For Lubuntu (LXDE DE) Not a lot here, Options available from the V button near the upper right corner of the window.

Answer 3

For 18.04, Gnome (for other desktops, see below):

The same as for 17.10 - as seen in the other answer.

When Tweaks tool is used, especially with various extensions, in order to have the above option be sure App Menu is not disabled, including in per-extension settings.

For example, with the Dash to Panel extension, which creates an all-in-one dock/panel (the dock is merged into the panel) and brings the favorite and running applications icons onto the panel, you have a specific settings button under which you can enable/disable App Menu:

But, with the same extension, as App Menu is not really needed anymore, it can be disabled without losing access to the Nautilus settings, as the Nautilus/Files icon that now appears onto the panel (when the program is opened) has the "Preferences" option in the right-click context menu:

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The Nautilus settings are also available as gsettings, editable through dconf Editor - as already indicated by this answer - at the level org.gnome.nautilus.preferences:

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Outside Gmome, namely in Ubuntu Budgie, the left-corner button that gives access to those options (but which is missing in Ubuntu 18.04 Gnome) is not missing with the same version of Nautilus 3.26.3.

Answer 4

Using 18.04. I couldn't find the settings menu. It was an extension that was hiding the menu: Dash to Panel As soon as I turned it off, it was easy to locate.

Answer 5

I got the same question on Xenial (16.04) but none of the other answers worked for me.

I found that you can edit nautilus preferences with the dconf-editor tool. The offending section is in org.gnome.nautilus.preferences.

Unfortunately, some options may not be editable (that was my case with a drop-down list that was not allowing correct keys). In that case, you may use the following command: gsettings org.gnome.nautilus.preferences <KEY> <VALUE>.

Answer 6

Nautilus is broken in 18.04 (but not 19.10) as well- no way to set preferences Other posters with same issue recommended other file managers so I have been trying them.

2 that I have had good luck with : pcmanfm and nemo. Both have their settings built into the file manager itself so you don't need to hack anything or depend on a missing bar to get this basic functionality working. They have menus as well and are a lot easier to use for me.

Even if Nautilus works in 20.04, I will still add these 2 simply because they are way easier to use

Answer 7

All menus Now Located in top bar

Answer 8

I have at least a partial answer to this.

Removing appmenu-qt5 has restored the menu bar. I still have no gear-wheel icon, but I can now access the menu Edit->Preferences.

But ... I've now lost the menu bar from a number of other applications, despite restoring appmenu-qt5, however all those I have so far tried pop up the menus upon a right-click on the background. Consistency would be nice, but at least it's working.

I notice the two tools have different themes ... there must be a clue there!

Answer 9

For Gnome Flashback

If you have Gnome Flashback installed like this, then logout from Gnome and switch to Unity as shown in the picture below. Now you can edit Nautilus Preferences. After finishing switch back to Gnome and you're done. It is not the easiest way, but you won't have to install other stuff.

Answer 10

I had the same issue, but I realized that maximizing the window and moving the mouse pointer over the top bar makes file options to appear. Hope it helps.

Answer 11

I have Ubuntu Gnome 16.04. I have the panel on the bottom just like you do. When Nautilus/Gnome Files is open I just right click the icon in the panel to get the "Preferences" menu.

Nautilus Menu

Answer 12

I am using 16.04, finally I solved it. You should install the software namely 'nautils-actions'(in synaptic), then in tweak tool enable application menu in top bar. Finally, you will reach there: