Ubuntu – Hide System Settings Applications in Dash

desktopsystem-settingsunityunity-dash

Is there any way to remove an application icon from the dash but keep it in the System Settings?

I find it useless to have them in the dash, and it really clutters the display there.. Accessing them from System Settings is the more logical way for me.

Specifically, I want to hide these icons:

enter image description here

From Here:

enter image description here

I tried editing the .desktop files, using various combinations of NotShowIn, OnlyShowIn, NoDisplay=true, etc. but it only hides the icon in BOTH places or in the System Settings only. Hiding them only in the Dash seems somewhat difficult.

Edit: To specify further: I want the single settings-icons that are visible in the System Settings window, hidden in the Unity Dash. That includes the applications "tab" – not only search results or recently-used applications.

Best Answer

Try this:

sudo -H gedit /usr/share/applications/gnome-control-center.desktop

Add this line:

NoDisplay=true

Save and exit and try now

enter image description here

Hide those apps

To remove all apps founded in the system settings you have to do such as above for each app. Let's start with Appearance:

sudo -H gedit /usr/share/applications/gnome-background-panel.desktop

And add the line above then try.

Do this for other apps you want to hide

Hide from Dash keeping those in System Settings

create the directory ~/.local/share/applications if you don't have it

mkdir  ~/.local/share/applications

Copy the .desktop files of what you want to hide, Doing example here for Appearance.

cp /usr/share/applications/gnome-control-center.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/

giving permissions:

chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/gnome-control-center.desktop

Now edit and add "NODisplay"

gedit ~/.local/share/applications/gnome-control-center.desktop

Add the line 

NoDisplay=true

Save and exit then logout and login.

The icon will removed from Dash search keeping available in system settings

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