Gnome is really awesome Desktop Environment for Linux, but I had an issue with it. Using GNOME DE was really frustrating and time-consuming for me, as it was consuming more resources of my PC. GDM was ruining my workflow and productivity. But I was familiar with XFCE4 (lightdm). And finally I have to install XFCE4 !!!

So, I am going to teach you “How to remove GNOME Desktop Environment and install XFCE4?“

But before removing GNOME and installing XFCE4, you must have a better reason to remove GNOME. So, here’s some true reason that you must or mustn’t remove GNOME Desktop Environment.

Warning to NOOBs: If you think XFCE4 has a old UI and it’s not much attractive, then you’re a noob. There’s a lot of packages and libraries that can help us to make XFCE4 look and behave far more better than GNOME.

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GNOME VS XFCE4

XFCE is a light-weight, less resource-consuming desktop environment compatible with low resource systems while keeping a better visual interface and effects such as screen rotation and transparency. Xfce is extremely user friendly and it is a lot more user friendly than new GNOME versions for PC users without touch screen.

Why should I remove GNOME Desktop Environment?

If your PC behaves same as the following bad PC manners then you should remove GNOME.

9 reasons not to use GNOME

• You think Linux is much slower than Windows.
• You want to run vast and more resource consuming software like Android Studio and Google Chrome.
• Your PC stuck multiple times.
• You can’t enjoy multi-tasking and multi-tabs.
• Your PC can’t even handle five CHROMIUM tabs and 2 other software.
• You need to wait for long time while booting and the starting of the PC.
• You want to customize your PC more.
• You think GNOME is less customizable.
• If there’s nothing to do with GNOME.

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Pros and Cons of GNOME

Defects of GNOME Desktop Environment

Here are some defects of GNOME, that are really true for me while using PC with GNOME DE.

• Less user-friendly than XFCE4
• Consumes more resource than any other DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT.
• Less customizable
• Lag sometimes while surfing multiple apps and software
• Provides less information about backend while using any software

Advantages of GNOME

These are some great benefits and advantages of GNOME DE, that forces one to use it and surf it.

• GNOME has an easy and comfortable UI
• GNOME provides Dynamic workspaces
• Cool Overview
• Awesome and cool looking UI.
• Built-in Screenshot and Screencast
• GNOME is better for beginner

7 reasons to use XFCE4

These are really awesome reasons that one should use XFCE4 as his/her PC’s Desktop environment.

• Extremely user friendly than that of GNOME
• Anybody can customize it into his/her desired look
• Unlimited themes and customizations
• Super fast and easy to use
• Consumes fewer resources than GNOME
• Provides more information about backend than GNOME

The following features are some really useful and game-changing features in XFCE4. These features make XFCE4 more user friendly and customizable.

• Window Manager
• Desktop Manager
• Panel
• Whisker Menu
• Session Manager
• Application Finder
• File Manager
• Setting Manager
• Installable Plugins

Check this if you wanna know “How XFCE4 is more userfriendly?“

How to install XFCE4?

We need to install XFCE4 before removing GNOME Desktop Environment. Be very clever, don’t skip this process otherwise we should face the problem of no desktop environment.

Use the following code to install XFCE4

sudo apt install xfce4

After installing XFCE4, the package configuration window will pop-up as in the below picture. The package configuration steps are given here (BELOW): #package configuration.

How to remove GNOME?

I am pasting the codes to completely and permanently remove GNOME (GDE). Copy and paste the following codes to permanently and completely remove GNOME Desktop Environment.

sudo dpkg-reconfigure lightdm

After this code, a graphical notice will pop-up saying you to choose lightdm (XFCE4) as default desktop manager.

Package Configuration

Now, while package configuration, this kinda notice will pop-up…

After this window gets popped-up, kindly press SHIFT+ENTER and the last window will get popped-up.

Use the up-down arrow to choose, lightdm.

Now, carefully follow these steps:

1. Log out from your current DE
2. After being logged out, choose your username
3. Choose XFCE4 by just clicking in the Ubuntu Logo

3. Open terminal and follow my steps below

sudo apt remove gnome

If sudo apt remove gnome won’t worked for you, kindly ignore it. If worked also follow the next steps.

sudo apt-get purge ubuntu-gnome-desktop

sudo apt-get remove --auto-remove ubuntu-gnome-desktop

sudo apt-get remove gnome-shell 

The code sudo apt-get remove gnome-shell is really the very important code to remove the gnome completely.

And finally. Use the apt autoremove code to remove all the unnecessary dependencies.

sudo apt autoremove

How to check GNOME is completely removed?

Just use the sudo dpkg-reconfigure lightdm code. If no window get popped-up, congrats GNOME is completely removed.

Hope it helped you…

Thanks… Happy Linuxing!!!