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Install Xfce / Xubuntu Desktop on Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa Linux

If you’re using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) and find the default GNOME desktop environment too resource-heavy, or if you simply prefer a lightweight, customizable, and efficient interface, Xfce is an excellent alternative. Xfce is a free, open-source desktop environment known for its speed, low system requirements, and high customizability—making it ideal for older hardware, virtual machines, or users who prioritize performance.

Xubuntu is the official Ubuntu flavor that ships with Xfce pre-installed, along with a curated set of applications (like Thunar file manager, Mousepad text editor, and Xfce Terminal) and Ubuntu-specific optimizations. In this guide, we’ll walk you through two methods:

  1. Installing the minimal Xfce desktop environment on an existing Ubuntu 20.04 system.
  2. Installing the full Xubuntu desktop (with Xfce and Xubuntu-specific tools).
2026-02

Table of Contents#

Prerequisites#

Before starting, ensure you have:

  • A running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) system (physical or virtual).
  • An active internet connection (to download packages).
  • sudo privileges (to install software).
  • A backup of important data (optional but recommended for major system changes).

Method 1: Install Minimal Xfce Desktop#

This method installs the core Xfce components without extra applications, giving you a lightweight base to build upon.

Step 1: Update System Packages#

First, update your system’s package list and upgrade existing packages to avoid conflicts:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Xfce Desktop#

Install the minimal Xfce desktop environment using the xfce4 meta-package. This includes the window manager, panel, settings manager, and core utilities:

sudo apt install xfce4 -y

Step 3 (Optional): Install Xfce Goodies#

For additional tools like a screenshot utility, dictionary, and system monitors, install xfce4-goodies:

sudo apt install xfce4-goodies -y

The total size of the minimal Xfce installation (without xfce4-goodies) is ~300-400 MB, making it much lighter than GNOME.

Method 2: Install Full Xubuntu Desktop#

If you want the complete Xubuntu experience—including Xfce, Xubuntu’s default apps, and Ubuntu optimizations—install the xubuntu-desktop meta-package. This is larger (~800-1000 MB) but includes everything you need for daily use.

Step 1: Update System Packages#

Again, start by updating your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Xubuntu Desktop#

Install the full Xubuntu desktop with:

sudo apt install xubuntu-desktop -y

During installation, you may be prompted to choose a display manager. Xubuntu uses lightdm by default (a lightweight alternative to GNOME’s gdm3). Select lightdm and press Enter to continue.

Post-Installation: Log In to Xfce Session#

After installing Xfce or Xubuntu desktop, log out of your current session to switch to Xfce:

  1. Click the power icon in the top-right corner of the screen and select Log Out.
  2. On the login screen, click the gear icon (next to the “Sign In” button) to choose your desktop session.
  3. Select:
    • Xfce Session (for the minimal Xfce install).
    • Xubuntu Session (for the full Xubuntu install).
  4. Enter your password and log in.

You’ll now be in the Xfce desktop environment!

Customizing Your Xfce Desktop#

Xfce is highly customizable. Here are a few quick tweaks to get started:

Access Settings#

Open the Xfce Settings Manager by pressing Super (Windows key) and searching for “Settings Manager.” Here, you can:

  • Change themes, icons, and cursors (under Appearance).
  • Adjust panel layout (right-click the panel → Panel Preferences).
  • Modify keyboard shortcuts (under Keyboard → Application Shortcuts).

Install Additional Themes/Icons#

Xfce supports GTK themes and icon packs. For example, install the popular arc-theme and papirus-icon-theme:

sudo apt install arc-theme papirus-icon-theme -y

Then apply them via Settings Manager → Appearance.

Add Applications#

Install Xfce-friendly apps like:

  • Thunar (file manager, included by default).
  • Mousepad (text editor, included by default).
  • GIMP (image editor): sudo apt install gimp -y.
  • Firefox (web browser, included in Ubuntu).

Troubleshooting Common Issues#

Issue 1: Xfce Session Not Showing in Login Screen#

If the Xfce/Xubuntu session option is missing:

  • Ensure the installation completed successfully: 
    sudo apt install --reinstall xfce4 xubuntu-desktop -y  # Replace with your installed package
  • Reconfigure the display manager: 
    sudo dpkg-reconfigure lightdm  # Select lightdm if prompted

Issue 2: Poor Resolution or Display Problems#

  • Open Settings Manager → Display to adjust resolution.
  • If using a virtual machine (e.g., VirtualBox), install guest additions: 
    sudo apt install virtualbox-guest-dkms virtualbox-guest-x11 -y

Issue 3: Missing Apps (Minimal Xfce Install)#

If you installed xfce4 (minimal) and need apps like a terminal or file manager:

sudo apt install xfce4-terminal thunar -y

Uninstalling Xfce/Xubuntu Desktop (Optional)#

If you want to remove Xfce/Xubuntu and revert to your original desktop (e.g., GNOME):

For Minimal Xfce Install#

sudo apt remove xfce4 xfce4-goodies -y
sudo apt autoremove -y  # Removes unused dependencies

For Xubuntu Desktop#

sudo apt remove xubuntu-desktop xfce4 xfce4-goodies -y
sudo apt autoremove -y

After uninstalling, reconfigure your display manager to use gdm3 (GNOME’s default):

sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

Conclusion#

Installing Xfce or Xubuntu desktop on Ubuntu 20.04 is a straightforward way to boost performance, especially on older hardware. Whether you choose the minimal Xfce setup for a lightweight experience or the full Xubuntu desktop for a polished, out-of-the-box solution, you’ll gain a fast, customizable environment that balances functionality and efficiency.

References#