How to delete files using the del key in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS?

Introduction

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is a stable and reliable operating system. However, some users may face difficulties in file manipulation on the desktop. For example, they may not be able to use keyboard shortcuts or delete files using the delete key. This blog post will show you how to delete files using the del key in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.

Using the Terminal to delete files

One way to delete files in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is to use the terminal. The terminal is a powerful tool that allows you to execute commands quickly and efficiently. To delete a file using the terminal, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
2. Navigate to the directory where the file is located using the cd command. For example, if the file is located in the Downloads directory, type cd Downloads and press Enter.
3. Type the command rm followed by the name of the file you want to delete. For example, if the file is called myfile.txt, type rm myfile.txt and press Enter.
4. If the file is write-protected, you may need to use the sudo command to delete it. For example, if the file is called myfile.txt and is write-protected, type sudo rm myfile.txt and press Enter. You will be prompted to enter your password.

Using Nautilus to delete files

Another way to delete files in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is to use Nautilus. Nautilus is the default file manager in Ubuntu and provides a graphical user interface for file manipulation. To delete a file using Nautilus, follow these steps:

1. Open Nautilus by clicking on the Files icon in the launcher or by pressing the Super key and typing Files.
2. Navigate to the directory where the file is located.
3. Right-click on the file you want to delete and select Move to Trash from the context menu.
4. Alternatively, you can select the file and press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Enabling desktop icons in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

By default, desktop icons are disabled in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. However, you can enable them by installing the gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons package. To enable desktop icons, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
2. Type the command sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons and press Enter.
3. After the installation is complete, log out and log back in to your Ubuntu session.
4. Desktop icons should now be visible on your desktop.

Using keyboard shortcuts in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

Keyboard shortcuts are a convenient way to perform common tasks in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. However, some users may find that keyboard shortcuts do not work on the desktop. To enable keyboard shortcuts on the desktop, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings application by clicking on the Settings icon in the launcher or by pressing the Super key and typing Settings.
2. Click on the Devices tab and select Keyboard from the left-hand menu.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Additional Layout Options button.
4. Select the Desktop icons option and click on the Apply button.
5. Keyboard shortcuts should now work on the desktop.

Conclusion

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is a stable and reliable operating system. However, some users may face difficulties in file manipulation on the desktop. This blog post has shown you how to delete files using the del key in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. We have also shown you how to enable desktop icons and keyboard shortcuts on the desktop. By following these steps, you should be able to manipulate files on the desktop with ease.

It is possible to delete files using the del key in Ubuntu 20.04, but you may need to enable the key first. By default, the del key is not mapped to the delete action in Ubuntu 20.04, and it is instead used for other functions such as activating the top menu or launching the Dash.

To enable the del key as a delete key, you can follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app by clicking on the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen.
2. Click on the “Devices” section in the left menu.
3. Click on the “Keyboard” tab.
4. Scroll down to the “Function Keys” section.
5. Under “Function Keys,” select “Delete” from the dropdown menu next to the “Delete” key.

This should enable the del key as a delete key on the desktop. You should now be able to use it to delete files from the desktop by selecting the file and pressing the del key.

It is also possible to use keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste files on the desktop in Ubuntu 20.04. To copy a file, you can use the Ctrl + C shortcut, and to paste a file, you can use the Ctrl + V shortcut.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Yes my friend, it seems that the desktop icons are without any functionality. It is simply not possible to use any keyboard shortcuts with the new Ubuntu 20.04 icons. They reported this behavior as a bug here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons/+bug/1868924

The workaround is simple:

1. Remove gnome-desktop-icons
2. Install nemo
3. Configure nemo to handle desktop icons

It seems that this functionality is not considered as important in this version, even because, they launched an LTS without it.

Now it’s time to wait for future corrective patches.