UbuntuHandbook

One Command to Install Wallpapers from Old Ubuntu Releases

Last updated: May 16, 2018

Ubuntu 18.04

Each Ubuntu release ships a list of wallpaper images in /usr/share/backgrounds directory. These default wallpapers from old Ubuntu releases can be installed easily in your current Ubuntu desktop via a single command.

Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “terminal” from application menu.

When the terminal opens, run single command to install default wallpapers from Ubuntu 6.10, Ubuntu 7.04, Ubuntu 7.10, Ubuntu 9.10 to current.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-wallpapers-* edgy-wallpapers feisty-wallpapers gutsy-wallpapers

Don’t know why, but there’s no default wallpapers packages for Ubuntu 8.04, Ubuntu 8.10, and Ubuntu 9.04.

Once installed, launch System Settings and navigate to background settings page. There you’ll find a large list of old wallpapers available for choice:

In Howtos wallpapers

Ubuntu 14.04: Set Different Wallpaper for Each Workspace

Last updated: April 22, 2014

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.

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

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.