How can I set default terminal used in Unity?

unity command-line shortcut-keys

125,410

Solution 1

For 12.04 and newer

gconf is now deprecated - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GConf - and gsettings can be used in its place.

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.default-applications.terminal exec 'terminal'

Where terminal is the command you would use to open it from the terminal.

Solution 2

sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator

Solution 3

Only in Ubuntu 11.10 or earlier! For newer versions see LucaB answer!

Open a terminal (e.g. gnome-terminal)

Run the next command:

gconftool --type string --set /desktop/gnome/applications/terminal/exec <YOUR-TERMINAL>

e.g.:

gconftool --type string --set /desktop/gnome/applications/terminal/exec terminator

Done :).

Solution 4

To change the shortcut and not default termainal,

search for keyboard
go to shortcuts and custom shortcuts
press the plus sign to add new shortcut (in this case terminator)
when told that the shortcut ctrl+alt+t is already in use press "reasign"

Solution 5

Try to change option x-terminal-emulator via "ALternatives Configurator" app.

for ubuntu you can use the command below:

sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator

It will list all the terminal options you have installed and then you can pick (by the number) the one you want.

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125,410

Regisz

I'm C++/python programmer, release manager (linux, windows).

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Regisz over 1 year

How can I set the default terminal used in Unity?

I would like to use the Ctrl+Alt+T hotkey to start a non-default terminal. The default terminal is gnome-terminal.

Where can I change the default terminal value?
Regisz over 12 years

a little bit helping: 'Alternatives Configurator' is 'galternatives'
Kris Harper over 12 years

Hmm, on second thought, this doesn't seem to be updating it.
krumpelstiltskin over 12 years

there is another way outlined in askubuntu.com/questions/70540/…
Bruno Pereira over 12 years

Its the same thing, really does not mater, this way uses the replacement tool for gconf
Ryan C. Thompson about 12 years

This doesn't fix it for me. When I start Htop via its .desktop file (which specifies Terminal=True), it starts in Gnome Terminal no matter what. Is there yet another place to change the default terminal emulator?
FuzzyQ over 11 years

While this is a great answer to the question (and generally a preferrable way to change a default program IMHO) this may not be the 'weapon of choice' in all circumstances. To elaborate: I wanted to set guake terminal as default but it never showed when trying to do so by update-alternatives.
iegik over 11 years

Also, You can edit directly to the script xdg-open :) sudo gedit `which xdg-open`
Timofey over 11 years

exec-arg didn't work for me unfortunately. I was trying to start terminal in fullscreen mode. The only option that helped was specifying the option in configuration. I am using terminator
Nick over 10 years

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS BELLOW!
Gaurav Agarwal about 10 years

I have installed terminator as terminal and uninstalled gnome-terminal but the command you suggested does not work for me.
Martin about 10 years

Works fine for me on 13.10.
user1880405 over 9 years

I use Terminator as my main terminal, but after running this command, ctrl+alt+T does not work anymore at all.
becko over 9 years

@user1880405 Do you have konsole installed?
user1880405 over 9 years

@becko No, I don't think so.
becko over 9 years

You have to run the above command with konsole replaced with a terminal that you have installed on your system.
ebed about 9 years

For the sake of completeness (and because I messed up) -- how do I restore the default value after using this?
Rumesh about 9 years

@TorbenGundtofte-Bruun replace konsole with gnome-terminal
Terrance almost 9 years

Great answer. Works well with Gnome Desktop 14.04 too! :)
trueCamelType over 7 years

This is what worked for me on Ubuntu 14.04 with terminator
mahesh over 7 years

+100 for being the easiest to understand and the one that has withstood the test of time.
Nateowami over 7 years

For some reason this didn't work on 16.04. Ctrl+Alt+T then had no effect. I then tried to change it back to gnome-terminal, but same thing. @iegik's answer worked and Ctrl+Alt+T worked again.
nekketsuuu about 7 years

Also, dconf or dconf-editor can be used as a GUI-based config tool (at least on Ubuntu 16.10).
m3rosss almost 7 years

This does not change the shortcut command result, as clearly stated in the question, I don't get why it has so many upvotes.
rjh over 6 years

It works for me on Ubuntu 17.04. I installed terminology and it became the Ctrl+Alt+T terminal. Ran update-alternatives and changed it back to gnome-terminal, and it worked immediately.
Programster almost 6 years

This and the sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator appear to work with changing what ctrl-alt-t do, but it doesn't appear to change nautilus from opening gnome-terminal for me on ubuntu 16.04
Natetronn about 5 years

Since sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator came back with "There is only one alternative in link group x-terminal-emulator (providing /usr/bin/x-terminal-emulator): /usr/bin/gnome-terminal.wrapper Nothing to configure." and this even though I have Guake installed, I used this option. Changed the normal terminal to Shift+Ctrl+Alt+T and setup Guake to use Ctrl+Alt+T in its place. The only issue is that I'd like to right click and Open in Terminal too. Plus, Guake is set to F12 and what I prefer to use over Ctrl+Alt+T either way. It's a nice addition, nonetheless.