How to save your Linux desktop settings in case something goes wrong

I can’t let you know what number of occasions I’ve approached a contemporary set up of the Linux operating system and needed to bear in mind all of the settings from the earlier incarnation. 

Typically I can pretty simply get that setup again, and generally it is a pressure. Or perhaps I’ve simply made sweeping adjustments to my desktop, solely to search out myself wishing I might get the earlier setup again.

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The excellent news is that the place there is a will, there is a means. And on this case, the way in which comes from a helpful little app referred to as SaveDesktop. This app saves your desktop configurations — similar to icons, themes, fonts, backgrounds, and even Flatpak apps — in a configuration archive that you could reapply latter utilizing the identical app.

SaveDesktop is extremely simple to make use of and helps the next desktop environments:

• GNOME
• Xfce
• Cinnamon
• Budgie
• Pop!_OS (now COSMIC)
• Pantheon
• MATE

In case your desktop is on that checklist, learn on and learn how to put in and use this software, so you will not must spend additional time reconfiguring your desktop again to the way it was.

The right way to set up SaveDesktop

What you will want: The one belongings you’ll want are a operating occasion of any Linux desktop distribution that helps Flatpak, which is most of them, and a consumer with sudo privileges.

sudo apt-get set up flatpak -y

In case you use a distribution based on Fedora, that command can be:

sudo dnf set up flatpak -y

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

flatpak set up flathub io.github.vikdevelop.SaveDesktop

flatpak run io.github.vikdevelop.SaveDesktop

You might additionally merely sign off and log again in, and the SaveDesktop launcher might be routinely added to your desktop menu.

The right way to use SaveDesktop

1. Configure your first save 

The very first thing to do is title the archive that might be saved by typing a filename within the Set the file title area in the principle window.

2. Choose the settings to be saved

Subsequent, click on Gadgets to incorporate within the configuration archive. 

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Within the ensuing popup, allow any/all gadgets you wish to add to the archive and click on Apply.

3. Allow non-compulsory scheduled saving

You possibly can optionally allow periodic saving of your configuration archive. To do that, click on the dropdown related to Periodic saving and choose from By no means, Day by day, Weekly, or Month-to-month.

4. Save the configuration

As soon as you’ve got taken care of the choices, click on Save. You will be prompted to pick out a location to accommodate the configuration archive. 

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I’d counsel saving the archive to an exterior drive, or to cloud storage. That means, in case one thing goes mistaken together with your working system, you may apply the archive after you’ve got reinstalled the OS.

Importing the archive

Ought to one thing go mistaken together with your desktop, all it’s a must to do is open SaveDesktop, click on Import, click on Import from file, choose the configuration archive you created, and click on Open. SaveDesktop will apply the settings and immediate you to sign off and log again in. 

And that is all it takes to avoid wasting your present desktop configurations — and to import them again if one thing goes mistaken.