Ubuntu 22.04 Switching to GNOME 42, with One Click Full Dark / Light, Accent Colors

Last updated: March 24, 2022

The development build of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS finally shifts to GNOME 42 (in Beta now) in recent update with many visible changes!

Firstly, the default wallpaper ‘warty-final-ubuntu.png‘ revealed. It’s no longer the old Ubuntu 21.10 wallpaper, but the brand new one:

Ubuntu 22.04 Wallpaper

The default Yaru theme has been updated. System menu, notification, and context menus look even better with more rounded corners and no border.

And, finally switching light and dark mode in ‘Appearance’ setting applies the full system colors! Though it seems to have a bug, which won’t work after selected a non-default accent color.

As you see in the picture above, Ubuntu 22.04 now supports for changing the accent color. Not only the highlight and check-box colors, but also the icons of ‘Ubuntu Software’ and folders follow the changes!

As well, the new Circle of Friends Ubuntu logo has been applied in the development release.

Thanks to GNOME 42, pressing PrintScreen on keyboard now open the new screenshot UI. It can take screenshots of selection area, app window, full screen, and record desktop or selection area.

New ScreenShot UI

Other changes in the Ubuntu 22.04 Dev update:

  • Stick to Gedit and Gnome Terminal, while Gnome 42 switched to Gnome editor and Gnome console.
  • Keep Gnome Screenshot app, though there’s built-in screenshot UI.
  • Avoiding GTK4, though Files (aka nautilus) and Image Viewer (aka Eye of Gnome) are now GTK4.
  • And more.

Known issues:

  • 1. Change wallpaper in ‘Background’ settings only apply for current system color (Light or Dark).
  • 2. As mentioned, use non-default accent color will make system menu, context menu of app icons on dock always light.

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2 responses to Ubuntu 22.04 Switching to GNOME 42, with One Click Full Dark / Light, Accent Colors

  1. Hi,
    After installing Ubuntu 22.04LTS on my laptop which has a 3:2 screen ratio.
    I got only one option for 3:2 which is 2160×1440 (full 2k). this is the only option for 3:2, all other lower resolutions are 4:3 16:10 16:9.
    I tried to lower 3:2 resolution using the xrandr command which worked fine when I had Ubuntu 20.04LTS.
    I think the issue with the GNOME 42, I appreciate your help !!

    • Ubuntu 22.04 has switched to Wayland while 20.04 defaults to the classic Xorg. If you would like to use “xrandr”, you need to switch back Xorg session.

      To do so, log out, select username, click the bottom right gear button and select “Ubuntu on Xorg” and finally type password to login.

      Alternatively, you may follow this guide that should work on Wayland session.