How To Fix Missing Desktop Files and Icons After Upgrading to Ubuntu 20.04

In this article, we will guide you through the process of fixing the issue of missing desktop files and icons after upgrading to Ubuntu 20.04. This is a common problem that many users face after upgrading from Ubuntu 18.04 to 20.04.

Install the Desktop Icons extension

One of the most effective solutions to this problem is to install the Desktop Icons extension. This extension provides traditional desktop icons functionality in Gnome. To install the extension, open a terminal by pressing CTRL+ALT+T and run the following command:

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons

The sudo command allows you to run operations that require administrative or root permissions. The apt install command is used to install a new package. After running this command, log out of Gnome and log back in. Your desktop files and icons should now be visible.

Restart Gnome Shell

If installing the Desktop Icons extension doesn’t solve the problem, you can try restarting the Gnome Shell. This can be done by pressing ALT+F2, entering “r” (without quotes), and pressing Enter. This command restarts the Gnome Shell without the need to log out.

Check for a second “Extensions” app

In some cases, there might be a second “Extensions” app available from the apps/activities overview. Open this app and enable the “Desktop Icons” extension. This app may take precedence over Gnome Tweaks and solve the problem.

Switch desktop manager

If none of the above solutions work, you might want to consider switching to a different desktop manager. You can follow the guide on Switch Display Manager in Ubuntu 20.04 to switch to a different display manager like lightdm.

Create a new file on the desktop

Another solution is to create a new file on the desktop. This can be done by opening a terminal with CTRL+ALT+T and running the following commands:

touch Desktop/NEW
rm Desktop/NEW

The touch command creates a new file, and the rm command deletes it. This action will force Gnome to reload the desktop icons.

Create a folder on the desktop

Creating a new folder on the desktop can also trigger the loading of desktop icons. To do this, right-click on the desktop and select “New Folder”.

Install and use Ubuntu Tweak

Ubuntu Tweak is a tool that makes it easy to configure your system and desktop settings. To install Ubuntu Tweak, run the following commands in the terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tualatrix/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-tweak

The add-apt-repository command adds a new repository to your system. The apt-get update command updates the list of available packages, and the apt-get install command installs a new package.

After installing Ubuntu Tweak, open the “Tweaks” application and go to the “Extensions” tab. Enable the “Desktop icons” checkbox. This should immediately restore the missing icons without requiring a restart.

Conclusion

If none of the above solutions work, a fresh install of Ubuntu 20.04 may be necessary. We hope this guide has been helpful in resolving the issue of missing desktop files and icons after upgrading to Ubuntu 20.04. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask in the comments section below.

touch Desktop/NEW
rm Desktop/NEW

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tualatrix/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-tweak