Use Windows Key for Start Menu in Linux

Posted by X.E.R.O

Yesterday I installed Vmware and tested Ubuntu Linux on it,however being a keyboard ninja,I felt clunked whenever I hit Tried and tested on Ubuntu :) the Windows key (another windows habit of bringing Start Menu) to bring the Ubuntu Panel at the top of screen as nothing happened at that time. Ubuntu Panel is a dropdown menu which is used to launch applications, which is quite similar to the way Windows has the start menu. However If you are a windows user new to Ubuntu, you might want to have the windows key launch the applications menu. Thankfully this is an easy thing to do in Ubuntu.

Go to the System \ Preferences \ Keyboard Shortcuts menu item:

Modify the Key behaviour

Scroll down till you see the “Show the panel menu” item,click in the Shortcut column, and when it changes to “New accelerator…”, hit the Windows Key. Close all windows and you’re done!

Now whenever you will hit the windows key (intentionally/unintentionally/for God’s sake :P) , the application menu will pop up and you can navigate into it using the arrow keys.

Cheers and Keep Learning