The GNOME Super key, also known as the Windows key, is a key on your keyboard that is usually located between the left Control and left Alt keys. This key is a powerful tool in the GNOME desktop environment, as it allows you to quickly access and manage your open windows and applications.
One of the main functions of the Super key is to show the overview, which is a helpful feature that displays all your open windows and workspaces in a single view. This makes it easy to switch between different applications and organize your work.
Show Windows
To show all your open windows using the Super key, simply press and release the Super key on your keyboard. This will bring up the overview, where you can see thumbnails of all your open windows.
You can then use your mouse or trackpad to click on a window thumbnail to bring it to the front and make it active. Alternatively, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the window thumbnails and press Enter to select a window.
If you have multiple windows of the same application open, you can also use the Super key to group them together. To do this, simply click and drag one window thumbnail onto another window thumbnail. This will create a stack of windows, making it easier to manage and switch between them.
Overview
The overview is a powerful feature in GNOME that allows you to not only see your open windows, but also manage your workspaces and applications.
When you bring up the overview using the Super key, you will see a row of dots at the bottom of the screen. Each dot represents a workspace, which is a virtual screen that you can use to organize your windows and applications.
To switch between workspaces, simply click on a dot or use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the dots. You can also drag windows from one workspace to another by clicking and dragging their thumbnail in the overview.
In addition to managing workspaces, the overview also allows you to launch new applications. To do this, simply start typing the name of the application you want to launch. As you type, the overview will display a list of matching applications. Once you see the application you want, you can either click on its icon or press Enter to launch it.
Toggle Overview
By default, the Super key is set to show the overview when pressed. However, you can also set it to toggle the overview, which means that pressing the Super key once will show the overview, and pressing it again will hide it.
To enable the toggle overview feature, you can open the GNOME Settings application by clicking on the Activities button in the top-left corner of the screen and searching for "Settings". In the Settings application, navigate to the "Keyboard" section and click on the "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab.
Scroll down the list of keyboard shortcuts until you find the "Toggle Overview" entry. Click on the pencil icon next to it, and a dialog box will appear. Press the Super key on your keyboard, and it will be assigned to the toggle overview function. Click "Set" to save the changes.
Now, when you press the Super key, the overview will appear. Pressing the Super key again will hide the overview, allowing you to quickly switch between your open windows and applications.
Conclusion
The GNOME Super key is a valuable tool for managing your windows and applications in the GNOME desktop environment. By using the Super key, you can easily show all your open windows, switch between different applications, manage your workspaces, and launch new applications. With the toggle overview feature, you can quickly access and hide the overview with a single press of the Super key. Take advantage of this powerful feature to enhance your productivity and streamline your workflow in GNOME.
| References |
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| GNOME Help Center: Overview and window management |
| GNOME Help Center: Keyboard shortcuts |
| GNOME Help Center: Workspaces |