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[Quick Tip] Enable Textual File Path Entry in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: May 9, 2020

gnome shell

This quick tip is going to show you how to get a textual location entry in the default Nautilus file browser in Ubuntu 20.04.

For temporary use, you can get the current files or folders’ path by simply pressing Ctrl+L on keyboard.

The default path bar becomes a location entry after pressing Ctrl+L, then you can copy and paste it for any use.

To let Nautilus display textual path entry for the location bar permanently:

Instead of the path-bar, you can always use a textual input entry for the location toolbar, by running following command in terminal:

  • Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open terminal and run command: 
    gsettings set org.gnome.nautilus.preferences always-use-location-entry true

  • And you can restore change via command: 
    gsettings reset org.gnome.nautilus.preferences always-use-location-entry

Alternatively, use a graphical tool Dconf Editor, install it via Ubuntu Software, by navigating to ‘org/gnome/nautilus/preferences’

That’s it. Enjoy!

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    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 Please comment to let me know if the tutorial is outdated!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

    4 responses to [Quick Tip] Enable Textual File Path Entry in Ubuntu 20.04

    1. theapprenticeco July 15, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      Hey Jim
      kudos!
      I’ve been ubuntu user since 2012, but never imagined why the file browser would have this trick!

      thanks for posting.

    2. Kuldeep Singh September 10, 2020 at 2:36 pm

      What a nifty solution!

      Thanks Jim!

    3. GJS December 6, 2021 at 7:26 am

      No clue as to why this would ever be the default. Thanks for the gsettings reference!

    4. future robot February 28, 2022 at 3:14 am

      thanks