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Customize Notify-OSD (On Screen Notifications) in Ubuntu 14.04

Last updated: August 26, 2015

Want to customize your on screen notification bubbles?

Well, there’s an enhanced version of Notify-OSD available in Launchpad that enables you to:

 
 
 

  • change notification location
  • close bubble on click
  • change color, width, height or other options of bubble
  • add timeout
  • Stops the bubble from fading out when the mouse pointer hovers over it
  • Used Dash background color for bubble background color

customize notification bubbles

To install the Notify-OSD with additional features:

Press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open the terminal. When it opens, run:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:leolik/leolik

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install notify-osd

Then restart the daemon to apply the changes:

pkill notify-osd

To install a graphical tool to configure Notify-OSD:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install notifyosdconfig

UPDATE 2015-8: For Ubuntu 15.04, you may install Notify-OSD graphical configuration tool via:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gsn/grabbelkiste

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install notifyosdconfig

Launch “NotifyOSD Configuration” from Unity Dash and now you’re able to configure your notification bubbles:

configure on screen notification

To change the bubble location, run:

gsettings set com.canonical.notify-osd gravity NUMBER

Where the NUMBER can be:

1 – top-right corner
2 – middle-right
3 – bottom-right corner
4 – bottom-left corner
5 – middle-left
6 – top-left corner

Enjoy!

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    8 responses to Customize Notify-OSD (On Screen Notifications) in Ubuntu 14.04

    1. Eddie G. September 15, 2014 at 3:15 am

      I’ve tried moving the notification bubble using the controls using this but it doesn’t work. I’m running Ubuntu 14.04, and I have Pidgin installed and everytime I get a message or someone signs on or sifngs off that bubble pops up in the top right corner, but I would rather have it in the bottom right corner. Even after setting my preferences for this…the notifications still appear in the top right. Wonder what needs to be done here…

    2. alex December 24, 2014 at 7:42 am

      Now it doesnt work at ubuntu 14.10

    3. TungHS December 26, 2014 at 1:57 am

      it works for me :), i’m on ubuntu utopic.
      Thanks!

    4. Todoroki July 2, 2015 at 10:35 am

      For those who can’t have effect, you may first need to install this version of notify-osd.
      https://launchpad.net/~leolik/+archive/ubuntu/leolik

      This worked for me, The graphical application works for this version’s configuration file.

    5. REW August 25, 2015 at 7:03 pm

      Is there a way to get this on ubuntu 15.04?

    6. farooq November 20, 2016 at 4:39 am

      i am not able to launch the notifyosdconfig even after having installed the package.what should i do?

    7. guntram November 28, 2016 at 10:05 am

      doesn’t work with the update on 16.04