Do not display user name in the panel

Question

In Unity the user name is shown in the panel. Is is possible to make it so that it is not displayed? For example it would be nice if only the icon but not the user name were displayed.

Solution 1

(If you dont want to install other programs)

Open a terminal and use this command to disable the name display

gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.session show-real-name-on-panel false

To revert it back simple use

gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.session show-real-name-on-panel true

After using one of the commands you need to log off and back on or use unity --replace & to reload unity.

You can also remove the user switching menu from the indicator panel with

gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.session user-show-menu false

and enable it with

gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.session user-show-menu true

but if you do so you will disable both the username and the user switching indicator. You cannot remove the user switching menu while keeping the username indicator.

Solution 2

open dconf-editor, go to "apps -> indicator-session" and unmark "user-show-menu"

logout and login again

Solution 3

Install package dconf-tools

sudo apt-get install dconf-tools

press Alt+F2 and run:

dconf-editor

In dconf-editor, navigate to apps > indicator-session and untick the option show-real-name-on-panel

Then reload unity to see the effect:

unity --replace

Or logout and login

Solution 4

For 12.04 (should work on earlier versions also)

So, To disable user name displaying, there is two way: 1) Command Line 2) Graphical way.

1) Command Line

If you don't want the switching feature at all, no name and no user icon. Do this:

Open a terminal and execute this command to disable it. Then Logout and Login.

gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.session user-show-menu false

To re-enable, just change false to true

gsettings set com.canonical.indicator.session user-show-menu true

2) Graphical way (using Ubuntu-tweak)

1. Install Ubuntu-tweak

   • How do I install Ubuntu-Tweak?

2. Open Ubuntu-tweak by typing the name in dash

   

3. Go to the section Tweaks → Session indicator

   

4. Toogle the switch User indicator to Off state.

   

(To revert the settings, just toogle the User indicator switch again)

That's it. Logout and Login again to see the change.

Below are screenshots before and after disabling the user name:

• Before:

  

• After:

  

Solution 5

Install Ubuntu Tweak for Ubuntu 11.10 by installing the PPA here.

Once installed, go to the tweaks tab, and change the setting for "Show full name in panel".

View more solutions

Comments

[Simon]

You forgot to mention that I need to logout and login again for the changes to apply. Maybe it could be done by reseting Unity as well?

[Simon]

This works well. Is there any other methods to accomplish the same, e.g. doing it via the command-line?

[Achu]

@N.N. Sorry :) i don't know ho to do that in command line yet. But i will include in the answer when learn one.

[Simon]

Bruno posted a command-line solution askubuntu.com/a/87674/19490 . Oh, and as I commented to Bruno's post it might be an idea to include screenshots of the difference the settings makes makes to make your answer even better.

[Achu]

@N.N. Yeah.. I saw that and i learned the terminal command :) you can use Bruno's answer :) If you preferred a command line. But i think you already got the answer right? :)

[Simon]

I got it but most I'm not the only one who'll read your post. Most visitors of posts on this site come directly from a search engine. Improving posts for future visitors is a good thing.

[Achu]

let us continue this discussion in chat

[Bruno Pereira]

I would say this is just an amend to the answer and I would be happy to see the information I provided "under the same roof" so feel free to edit your answer and include also the command line version (you can also copy the images). Don't know, its up to you guys. (@Achu, @N.N.)

[Simon]

Could you please include a screenshot where it's shown how the settings for "Show full name in panel" can be changed?

[William]

Sorry, I'm not on my PC now, but I'll add one later.

[Muhammad Hewedy]

Thanks for the gsettings command, the more existing thing that it has autocomplete for the keys!