📖Missing Habits

What you miss is not always what you need

If you have come to elementary OS from any other operating system, you must have noticed the lack of some regular options which exist in other systems but are missing in the elementary OS desktop environment.

Do not panic. It's not likely a bug or omission but elaborately overthought design solution. Below, you can find out a few common features elementary OS does not support.

Of course, there are workarounds to force extra details into the system because it's Linux, it's a free world, and you are free to do anything on your device. Nevertheless, keep in mind that elementary OS team is not responsible for third-party methods used.

No Tray for Apps

Top Panel does not provide a system tray for applications to be minimized and keep running in the background. Apps indicators are considered to be an anti-pattern, and are no longer supported in elementary OS.

For more info about backgrounding and system integration philosophy, refer to this post in the elementary OS blog.

No Minimize Button

Yes, you got it right, there is no "minimize" button in the window header. This is a design solution and a sacrifice to aesthetics.

To hide a window, you can use the secondary-click menu in the header bar, or the keyboard ⌘+H shortcut instead. Clicking the open app icon in the Dock will also do the job.

If you are still in desperate need of the minimize button, install Pantheon Tweaks to get this button and more settings.

No Cluttered Desktop

You can't "visually" store files and folders on the desktop as elementary OS keeps it clean due to the aesthetics approach. Why "visually"? Because in fact, you can see the Desktop folder in the File browser, and you certainly can save your data in there.

In sum and substance, you still have the option to store your data in the desktop, but invisible for prying eyes.