1. Home/
  2. Howtos/
  3. Ubuntu 14.04: Set Different Wallpaper for Each Workspace

Ubuntu 14.04: Set Different Wallpaper for Each Workspace

Last updated: April 22, 2014

enable different wallpapers for different workspaces ubuntu 14.04

This simple tutorial is going to show you how to set a different desktop wallpaper for each workspace in Ubuntu 14.04 Unity.

Only have one desktop? Well, you may first enable workspaces by going to System Settings -> Appearance -> Behavior and check the box as the below picture shows.

Enable workspaces

Now click the new icon on Unity Launcher and you’re able to switch between workspaces.

To set different wallpapers:

1. Open Ubuntu Software Center, search for and install both the Compizconfig Settings Manager and compiz-plugins-extra

install compiz plugins

The package “compiz-plugins-extra” contains the plugin Wallpaper which allows you to assign multiple wallpapers to your workspaces, with the added bonuses of proper transparency handling and desktop icons (with patches to Nautilus, etc).

2. Open CCSM (CompizConfig Settings Manager) from Unity Dash. Enable Wallpaper plugin and click to go into its settings page.

3. Click the New button and add some wallpapers. Enable Images plugin when it prompts.

enable different wallpaper for each workspace

Result:

different-workspaces-wallpapers

To revert back, just disable the plugin or read how to reset Unity and Compiz Settings.

In Howtos , ,
 permalink

    Twitter

    I'm a freelance blogger who started using Ubuntu in 2007 and wishes to share my experiences and some useful tips with Ubuntu beginners and lovers. Please comment to let me know if the tutorial is outdated! And, notify me if you find any typo/grammar/language mistakes. English is not my native language. Contact me via [email protected] Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/ubuntuhandbook1 |

    6 responses to Ubuntu 14.04: Set Different Wallpaper for Each Workspace

    1. Jon June 6, 2014 at 5:14 am

      Any way to add more than one wallpaper at a time?

    2. ric August 8, 2014 at 7:44 pm

      adding this feature in ubuntu 12.04 makes the icons on the desktop dissapear, is this still the case in ubuntu 14.04?

    3. artgel November 9, 2014 at 6:07 pm

      I want to set different icons for each workspaces. But I could not

    4. Emily January 14, 2016 at 6:50 am

      When I use the wall papers plugin I can get different wallpapers on each workspace but I can only get solid colours or gradients not images how can I fix this?

      • Leslie January 28, 2016 at 9:52 am

        Try going to Applications -> System Tools -> Preferences -> CompizConfig Settings Manager
        When it opens, go to the category “Window Management” and enable “Window Rules”
        This worked for me in Zorin OS 9 “Trusty” which is ubuntu based.