--- title: Install Desktop Icon Boxes on Ubuntu using the Snap Store | Snapcraft description: Get the latest version of Desktop Icon Boxes for on Ubuntu - Desktop icon container boxes & auto-sorting groups over ~/Desktop folders url: https://snapcraft.io/install/desktop-icon-boxes-linux/ubuntu --- [Canonical Snapcraft](https://snapcraft.io/) # Install Desktop Icon Boxes on **Ubuntu** # Desktop Icon Boxes (desktop-icon-boxes-linux) [Nguyen Van Thanh (thanhnv128)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/thanhnv128 "View all snaps from Nguyen Van Thanh (thanhnv128)") * [Nguyen Van Thanh (thanhnv128)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/thanhnv128 "View all snaps from Nguyen Van Thanh (thanhnv128)") * [Utilities](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=utilities) [Install](https://snapcraft.io/install/desktop-icon-boxes-linux/ubuntu#install) #### Desktop icon container boxes & auto-sorting groups over ~/Desktop folders A Linux X11 alternative to Fences. Independent open-source project, not affiliated with or endorsed by Stardock. DESKTOP BOXES & LIVE SHOW • Translucent, draggable, resizable desktop container boxes rendered as X11 desktop-layer windows (\_NET\_WM\_WINDOW\_TYPE\_DESKTOP, pinned at lower stack) backed 100% by real files in your ~/Desktop or chosen user folder. • Each box features a shaded titlebar header, Double-Click Titlebar Roll-Up animation, scrollable real file/folder icons with crisp file-type badges, click/double-click open via xdg-open, Rename, Move File Between Boxes, and Quick Hide / Show All Boxes toggle + global hotkey (Ctrl+Alt+B). AUTO-SORT GROUPING RULES & FOLDER PORTALS • Define extension/pattern sorting rules (Images, Documents, Installers & Archives, Code, Recent Folders) and apply rules directly against real ~/Desktop files. • Point any Box directly at any real folder on disk as a live Folder Portal. LAYOUT SNAPSHOTS & BOX STYLING • Customize box translucent tint color, opacity, border radius, font color, and icon grid spacing, and save/restore named layout snapshots. LIMITATIONS (honest) • On GNOME Shell, native desktop icons remain managed by GNOME; these boxes render as desktop-layer organizer containers over real ~/Desktop and Folder Portal directories. • Desktop-layer EWMH hints and global XGrabKey hotkeys require an X11 / XWayland session. SUPPORT & DONATE • Created by Thanh Nguyen — ### Package name * desktop-icon-boxes-linux --- ### License * MIT --- ### Last updated * Today - latest/stable --- ### Websites * [buymeacoffee.com](https://buymeacoffee.com/thanhnv128b "https://buymeacoffee.com/thanhnv128b") --- ### Contact * [buymeacoffee.com](https://buymeacoffee.com/thanhnv128b "https://buymeacoffee.com/thanhnv128b") --- ##### Report a Snap Store violation * [Report this Snap](https://snapcraft.io/install/desktop-icon-boxes-linux/ubuntu#report-snap-modal) --- [See more information about desktop-icon-boxes-linux ›](https://snapcraft.io/desktop-icon-boxes-linux) ## Enable snaps on Ubuntu and install Desktop Icon Boxes Snaps are applications packaged with all their dependencies to run on all popular Linux distributions from a single build. They update automatically and roll back gracefully. Snaps are discoverable and installable from the [Snap Store](https://snapcraft.io/store), an app store with an audience of millions. ### Enable snapd If you’re running [Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus)](https://www.ubuntu.com/) or later, including [Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver)](https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features) and [Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FocalFossa/ReleaseNotes), you don’t need to do anything. Snap is already installed and ready to go. For versions of Ubuntu between [14.04 LTS (Trusty Tahr)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/TrustyTahr/ReleaseNotes) and [15.10 (Wily Werewolf)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WilyWerewolf/ReleaseNotes), as well as Ubuntu flavours that don’t include *snap* by default, *snap* can be installed from the Ubuntu Software Centre by searching for *snapd*. Alternatively, snapd can be installed from the command line: ``` sudo apt update sudo apt install snapd ``` Either log out and back in again, or restart your system, to ensure snap’s paths are updated correctly. ### Install Desktop Icon Boxes To install Desktop Icon Boxes, simply use the following command: ``` sudo snap install desktop-icon-boxes-linux ``` ### Other popular snaps… [See more...](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured) [See more in Featured](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured) ### More things to do… #### [Get the snap store](https://snapcraft.io/snap-store) Browse and find snaps from the convenience of your desktop using the snap store snap. #### [Learn more about snaps](https://snapcraft.io/docs) Interested to find out more about snaps? Want to publish your own application? Visit [snapcraft.io](https://snapcraft.io/) now. [Back to top](https://snapcraft.io/install/desktop-icon-boxes-linux/ubuntu) © 2026 Canonical Ltd. 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