{
  "id": 7518849,
  "title": "Give Xfce a Mac or Unity-style makeover",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/give-xfce-a-mac-or-unity-style-makeover-7518849",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-15T09:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Register",
    "slug": "the-register",
    "url": "https://www.theregister.com/software/2026/09/15/give-xfce-a-mac-or-unity-style-makeover/5295937"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Xfce's Panel Profiles app enables customization of the desktop, but achieving flawless layouts can be laborious. In this installment, we examine the shortcomings of the macOS-style and Unity layouts and offer solutions. The Unity layout's global menu is placed directly beneath the status icons, which should be positioned on the right. This can be rectified by adding a separator and adjusting its appearance to push the icons to the right. For the macOS-like layout, simply unchecking the \"Expand\" option in the AppMenu plugin's settings yields a more visually appealing result. To create a more efficient Dock-like taskbar, install the Docklike Taskbar plugin, remove the existing Window Buttons plugin, and add the new plugin. This tool combines app launchers and running windows in the same strip of icons, with color-coded indicators for active applications. Additionally, reordering icons requires holding the Ctrl key while left-clicking and dragging. Alternatively, lightweight options such as Plank or more visually striking choices like the animated Cairo dock can be considered, though they may demand more system resources. Ultimately, most applications do not utilize the global menu, and enabling it can save valuable screen space. To activate the global menu, execute specific commands in the terminal and append the \"appmenu-gtk-module\" to the xsettings settings.",
  "summary": "The existing layouts are fun, but there's much more we can do",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Register Science",
        "title": "Give Xfce a Mac or Unity-style makeover",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/give-xfce-a-mac-or-unity-style-makeover",
        "published": "2026-09-15T09:15:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}