How to change your icon theme, fonts, GTK+ theme via dconf-editor and GNOME Tweak Tool

Ubuntu 11.10 provides sane default configurations from an UI point-of-view, but lacks in terms of advanced default configuration tools (that are to be addressed in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Precise Pangolin).

How can we change GTK+ themes, fonts, icons in Oneiric Ocelot?

If you are interested in the default GTK+3 themes, there is simple solution, System Settings
go to System Settings-->Appearance-->select wallpapers and themes (Ambiance, Radiance, HighContrast, HighContrastInverse and, if you previously install it, Adwaita)

If you are interested in advanced customization, there are two solid choices

dconf-editor

Install it by typing in a terminal

sudo apt-get install dconf-tools

Launch it via the Dash by typing dconf into the search area
and navigate to org-->gnome-->desktop-->interface
now, you can select/deselect your preferred options, such as

• buttons-have-icons (if checked, buttons will have buttons)



• cursor-theme (click on it and type your desired theme, like, for instance, DMZ-White, Redglass, Whiteglass)
  if you don't know the exact name of your installed cursor theme, go to /usr/share/icons
• document-font-name (click on it and type the font you want to use on documents, such as Ubuntu 13)
• gtk-theme (click on it and type the name of your preferred GTK+ theme, such as Zukitwo)
  if you don't know the exact name of your installed GTK+ themes, go to /usr/share/themes



• icon-theme (click on it and change the icon theme, such as Faenza, Awoken)
  if you don't know the exact name of your installed icon themes, go to /usr/share/icons
• menus-have-icons (when clicked, the menus have icons)
• monospace-font-name (click on it to change your monospace fonts such as UbuntuMono 13)
  if you don't know the exact name of your installed fonts, go to /usr/share/fonts (/truetype/ubunt-font-family/ if you are interested in Ubuntu Font Family only)

GNOME Tweak Tool

Install it by typing in a terminal

sudo apt-get install gnome-tweak-tool

Launch it via the Dash by typing into the search area advanced settings

Desktop

• Computer icon visible on desktop (if ON, the desktop will have a computer icon)
• Home icon visible on desktop (if ON, a home icon will be present on the desktop)
• Network Servers icon visible on the desktop (if ON, a network servers icon will be visible on the desktop)
• Trash icon visible on the desktop (if ON, a trash icon will be visible on the desktop)
• Show mounted volumes on the desktop (if ON, the mounted volumes will be visible on the desktop)

Fonts

• Default font (set your widely used font)
• Document font (set the font used in documents)
• Monospace font (set the monospace font)
• Window title font (set the font used in window titles)

Theme

• Window theme (choose your window theme but it should be the same as the bellow GTK+ theme)
• Menus Have Icons (if ON, the menus have icons)
• Buttons Have Icons (if ON, the buttons have icons)
• Cursor theme (choose your cursor theme)
• Icon theme (choose your icon theme)
• GTK+ theme (choose your GTK+ theme, should be the same as the above Window theme)

Windows

• Action on title bar double-click (select the behavior of the window when double-clicked)
• Action on title bar middle-click (select the behavior of the window when middle-clicked)
• Action on title bar right-click (select the action to be triggered when uou right-click on a window title bar)
• Window focus mode (select window's focus mode by clicking on it, moving the cursor over it, etc)

Installing GNOME Tweak Tool will automatically install some GNOME dependencies, so, if you want a "pure" Oneiric Ocelot you should use dconf-editor.
If you encounter problems in setting a particular GTK+ theme, icon theme try to apply those settings via both dconf-editor and GNOME Tweak Tool.