Published Jan 24, 2026, 10:30 AM EST
Zunaid Ali first became interested in technology after using a computer for the first time in 2006. He’s been producing how-to content since 2018, reaching thousands of people in the process.
As a kid, Zunaid used to read tech tutorials and troubleshooting guides on popular blogs. That made him want to start his own writing career. After the coronavirus pandemic, he finally decided to jump into the tech writing world. Before joining How-To Geek, he had written for HecticGeek, Distroid, and UbuntuPIT, among others.
Zunaid first tried Linux when he wanted to learn Web Development in 2021. Due to his inexperience, he messed up his laptop trying to dual-boot Ubuntu with Windows. Frustrated, he went all-in with Linux and removed Windows completely. And that’s when he fell in love with it. He’s been actively experimenting with Linux since then.
After finding his first writing gig on Linux in April 2022, he decided to specialize in it so he could share his knowledge and insights with fellow open-source enthusiasts. He joined How-To Geek in September 2023 and has been writing as a freelance contributor since then.
Zunaid is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Information & Communication Technology. When he’s not writing, he’s reading tech blogs, coding fun projects, or learning about new technologies. Other than Linux, he also has an interest in Android Development and Cybersecurity. He has experience in C/C++, Java, HTML/CSS/JavaScript, and Python. You can find some of his hobby projects on his GitHub.
I used to treat my Linux app menu like a forgotten drawer. I rarely opened it, only to switch to my terminal a bit later. Then I found Ulauncher. It quietly replaced my start menu, app grid, and desktop shortcuts. Once I got used to it, I wondered why I ever clicked through menus in the first place.
Downloading and installing Ulauncher
If you’re on Debian or Ubuntu-based distros, you can download the .deb package of Ulauncher and install it using apt:
sudo apt install ./ulauncher_x.y.z_all.deb
Replace the xyz with the correct version number of the downloaded file. If you prefer using PPA on Ubuntu, then run:
sudo add-apt-repository universe -y && sudo add-apt-repository ppa:agornostal/ulauncher -y && sudo apt update && sudo apt install ulauncher
If you’re on Arch Linux, then run:
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/ulauncher.git && cd ulauncher && makepkg -is
For Fedora users, simply run:
sudo dnf install ulauncher
Once installed, you can confirm it by checking its version.
ulauncher –version
You can also launch Ulauncher by pressing Ctrl + Space.
If you’re using Wayland, the shortcut may not work. You can either switch your session to X11 or follow these instructions to set it up in Wayland.
Once launched, you’ll see a text prompt and a small settings icon.
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Fuzzy searching forgives typos
One of the biggest reasons Ulauncher feels faster than a traditional menu is its fuzzy search. You don’t need to type the exact app name; Ulauncher intelligently guesses what you meant, even if you miss a letter or two.
Launch Ulauncher, type in a name partially, and you’ll get many suggestions that don’t have the exact keyword you’re searching for. For example, type “frf” and Ulauncher will still suggest Firefox. Use the arrow keys to select the result you want and press Enter to launch it. You can also use Alt + number (1,2, 3…) to directly launch an app from the search results.
Even if you miss a letter, skip one, or mix multiple words, you can get the right result. That’s not all. Ulauncher is intelligent. It saves your searches for the future. It ranks results based on what you use most, so over time, your favorite apps appear at the top with even fewer keystrokes. So, the more you use Ulauncher, the better results you get gradually.
One more noteworthy thing is that it’s not just apps you can search for. You can also search for files and directories. For that, type ~ or / and then the name of the file or directory you’re searching for.
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Custom theming adds more fun
Ulauncher doesn’t just help you work faster. It lets you make the launcher feel yours. With themes, you can change the colors, fonts, and overall style to match your desktop or your personality.
Launch Ulauncher and open the Preferences window. You can select from various color themes. But you don’t have to stop there. Ulauncher allows you to use custom themes created by the community. You can find community themes here.
To use a custom theme, create a directory to store it.
mkdir -p ~/.config/ulauncher/user-themes
Go into the directory, clone the repository of the theme you want to use.
cd ~/.config/ulauncher/user-themes
git clone git@github.com:/.git
Replace the placeholders with the correct names, and that’s it. The next time you go to Preferences, you can select that theme from the dropdown. I like the Nord theme and am currently using it.
You can also build your own custom theme if you want. You can explore the official docs to learn more about that.
If customizability is your cup of tea, then you’ll love this feature. I spent so much time exploring different themes and dabbling with CSS files. You can choose a theme that makes Ulauncher blend into your desktop instead of sticking out. You can even make your distro look like macOS.
Add more power with extensions
If that was good enough for you, adding extensions to Ulauncher turns it into a full-fledged power center. You can browse through the extension market to find one you like. With so many extensions that perform so many diverse operations, the things you can do with Ulauncher are limitless.
To add an extension, open the Ulauncher settings and go to the Extensions tab. Press “Add extension” and paste the GitHub project link of the extension you want to use.
I’ve been using the Google Translate extension, and so far it’s been a great experience. Being able to do small tasks in the launcher menu makes it a good productivity booster. Especially if you want to keep everything organized in the same place.
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Using Ulauncher has been a real game-changer in my Linux experience. It was an enhancement I never thought I was looking for. It’s also just a small part of how customizable Linux can be. Feel free to check out Ulauncher on GitHub.
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