Whisker Menu 2.5 Released with Updates for Xfce 4.16 [Ubuntu PPA]

Last updated: December 26, 2020

Whisker Menu, an alternate application launcher for Xfce, released version 2.5.0 with updated icons and refactor code for the new Xfce 4.16 desktop.

Whisker Menu 2.5.0 release highlights:

  • Add option to show all applications by default
  • Rearrange sidebar buttons to match default category
  • Show panel button title as tooltip in icon-only mode
  • Always sort top-level categories
  • Vertically center contents of header
  • Use new Xfce action icons
  • Use new desktop ids for default programs
  • Rewrite to hide menu on focus out
  • Refactor code to use new Xfce functions
  • Refactor building translations
  • Translation updates

How to Install Whisker Menu in Ubuntu:

If you use Xubuntu QA Staging PPA, you’ll find Whisker Menu is available for updating along with Xfce 4.16 packages.

The software is also available in the developer’s PPA for Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10, and Linux Mint 19.x, 20.

1. Open terminal from system application menu. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gottcode/gcppa

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) for sudo prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. Then either run commands one by one to install the application menu:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin

or upgrade the package via system package manager.

Uninstall:

To remove the PPA, run command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:gottcode/gcppa

It’s not recommended to remove Whisker Menu on Xfce desktop unless you use another application menu. You can however purge the PPA, which will downgrade the app menu to the stock version:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:gottcode/gcppa

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4 responses to Whisker Menu 2.5 Released with Updates for Xfce 4.16 [Ubuntu PPA]

  1. I installed following the instructions, rebooted and do not see anything new and can not find whisker. How it the menu enabled after installing?
    Thanks

    • Right-click on Xfce panel, you can add “Whisker Menu” as a new item.

      • Thanks, I noticed that I have been getting a ton of spam since making this comment. I suspect your system is compromised.

        • The comment system is handled by wordpress Jetpack plugin. Thanks for your report. Now switch back to original.