Gnome-os X Mac Theme For Linux

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GNOME Shell’s stock experience is fairly vanilla, but with the right ingredients you can give it an entirely different flavour.

GNOME Layout Manager is a new script in development that takes advantage of this malleability. Using it you can quickly transform GNOME Shell to look like:

  • Ubuntu Unity
  • Windows
  • macOS

We’ve written articles before showing you can make Ubuntu look like a Mac or resemble the Windows desktop (using the UKUI desktop).

Oct 06, 2018  Step 2. Install the Mac OS X theme. Next, let’s download the Mac OS X Theme. Use the link below to download the GTK Theme. Save it to your download location. You should have a new file called: McOS-MJV-Dark-mode-Gnome-3.30-1.1.tar.xz. Jul 31, 2018 Out of all the desktop environments on Linux, Gnome Shell is the one with the most potential for mimicking Apple’s Mac OS (due to its similar design). When it comes to themes, the macOS High Sierra pack is the best one to turn Gnome Shell into macOS High Sierra. May 30, 2019  Ubuntu Mac Theme,Install a Mac GTK Theme (Gnome Desktop Only) If you are a GNOME lover we have discovered different ubuntu Macthemes are available online. However we propose you install Mac GTK theme (specifically GNOME OS X II GTK subject matter). This version is the best clone as an ubuntu Mac topic. Download the subject from under hyperlink.

Admittedly this script doesn’t do anything you can’t do by hand for yourself. So think of it more as a timesaver; it automates the process of downloading GNOME extensions, configuring them, and (for Unity at least) installing and setting a GNOME Shell theme.

It can make GNOME look like Mac OS X:

It can make GNOME look like Ubuntu Unity:

It can make GNOME look like Windows:

Notes

Obviously you’ll see from the screenshots above that the script does more than install a few extensions: it also fetches community-created GTK themes, GNOME Shell themes, icon packs, and desktop wallpapers to suit.

The macOS layout makes use of the Dash to Dock extension, Gnome OS X II GTK theme, and La Capitaine icon pack — all of which we listed in our ‘how to make Ubuntu look like a Mac‘ post a few months back.

The Windows layout uses the Dash to Panel extensions and the GNOMenu application launcher.

Only the Unity option happens to install a global menu extension for GNOME Shell, so if you’re opting for a macOS experience you may want to add it after.

Download & Run GNOME Layout Manager Script

This script is considered ‘alpha’ and is under development. You use it at your own risk.

I downloaded and ran the layout script in a vanilla GNOME session running on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS. This probably wasn’t the best idea as the version of GNOME in Xenial is pretty old.

The script did appear to stop and stall at times, but it’s just rather silently going through the process of downloading, installing and setting things up.

I will add that if you have a nice custom GNOME Shell desktop set-up please do make a backup of any settings of configurations you’re fond of before running this script.

You can download the latest version of the script from Github:

Extract the .zip file and move the script inside to your home folder, click the relevant permissions to allow it to run.

Alternatively, you can use the command line to download the script:

Give the script the relevant permissions to run:

And then launch it:

A small window appears with a list of the available options. Select the one you wish to replicate and click “Ok” to let the script do its thing.

Be sure to ‘Save’ your current settings before applying any of the themes. You can use the app to re-load them again should you wish to undo changes made.

If you’re looking for a Mac theme for Linux, look no further.

GNOME-OSX II is (as you might have already guessed) a Mac GTK theme for Linux desktops — and it’s a pretty pretty adaptation.

‘This theme is a ‘gnome-desktop-interpretation of Mac OS X”

Gnome-os X Mac Theme For Linux 10

Yup, this is not an out-and-out copy of the standard UI in macOS. The theme describes itself as “a gnome-desktop-interpretation of Mac OS X”, with the theme designer saying they’ve “tried to implement the feel of OS X on the gnome-applications.”

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This means the theme it’s not trying to be a pixel-perfect clone of the macOS theme — and there are plenty of GTK themes that try to do that out there — but instead adapts the core design of Cupertino’s desktop OS in a way that makes sense (and looks best) on the GNOME desktop.

The GNOME-OSX II theme works with most modern GNOME-based desktops, including GNOME Shell, GNOME Flashback, and Budgie. But the theme does not work with the Unity desktop.

Aside from evoking the form and function of macOS there are some novel touches too, such as the use of a blurred sidebar in the Nautilus file manager, and consistent theming across GTK2 and GTK3 apps.

A compataible GNOME Shell theme is also available to download for those wanting even more mac-inspired bling for their desktops.

Why do this?

Debate about the merits (or otherwise) of theming a Linux desktop to look like another operating system arises every time a theme like this is presented.

The terse answer is, if you can’t understand the appeal, sense or logic in doing it: don’t.

Whether you have Apple envy or simply admire and appreciate the design aesthetic of a macOS, there’s no shame if you decide to make Ubuntu look like Mac. The whole point of using Linux is (after all) that you can do things like this — you certainly can’t make Mac OS X look like Ubuntu!

Mac Os Vs Linux

Download GNOME-OSX Mac theme for Linux

The GNOME OS X II theme requires GNOME 3.20 or later. To use it on Ubuntu you need to be running Ubuntu 16.10 or above.

Once the download is complete you need to extract the tarball to your ~/.themes directory.

Themes For Mac Os

Finally, to switch theme on you need to use the GNOME Tweak Tool, which is available to install from Ubuntu Software.

Download Gnome-osx Mac Theme For Linux

For a more faithful mac-ification try the La Capitaine Mac icon theme for Linux, also available as a free download from GNOME-Look.