Restore Minimize and Maximize Buttons in Fedora

To restore the minimize and maximize buttons in Fedora’s GNOME desktop, you need to enable them in the Settings app or via a command-line command. The buttons are hidden by default in GNOME’s default theme, but you can turn them back on in under a minute.

Why the Buttons Are Missing by Default

Fedora Workstation ships with the GNOME desktop environment, which follows a design philosophy that favors a clean, uncluttered interface. GNOME’s default window titlebar shows only the close button, relying on keyboard shortcuts, touchpad gestures, and the Activities overview for window management. This is a deliberate choice by the GNOME project, not a bug or a Fedora-specific quirk.

However, many users coming from Windows, macOS, or other Linux desktops expect to see minimize and maximize controls. The good news is that GNOME has kept a hidden setting to re-enable them, and Fedora makes it easy to change.

Method 1: Enable via GNOME Settings (GUI)

Fedora includes a graphical tool called GNOME Tweaks (also known as “Tweaks”) that lets you adjust advanced settings not exposed in the main Settings app. If it is not already installed, you can install it with:

sudo dnf install gnome-tweaks

Once installed, follow these steps:

1. Open the Activities overview by pressing the Super (Windows) key and type “Tweaks”.
2. Launch the Tweaks application.
3. Click on the “Window Titlebars” section in the left sidebar.
4. Under “Titlebar Buttons”, toggle the switches for “Maximize” and “Minimize” to the ON position.

The buttons will appear immediately on all open windows. You can also choose their placement (left or right) using the “Placement” dropdown just below the toggles.

Method 2: Use gsettings Command (Terminal)

If you prefer the command line or need to apply the setting across multiple machines, you can use gsettings. Open a terminal and run:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences button-layout 'appmenu:minimize,maximize,close'

This command sets the button layout to show (from left to right) the app menu, minimize, maximize, and close buttons. To place them on the right side (like Windows), use:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences button-layout ':minimize,maximize,close'

The colon (:) indicates the position where the buttons start from the right. To revert to the default (only close button on the right), run:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences button-layout ':close'

What the Button Layout String Means

The button-layout setting is a string that defines which buttons appear in the titlebar and their order. The colon separates left-side and right-side buttons. Everything before the colon appears on the left; everything after appears on the right. Common button names are:

• close – the X button
• minimize – the – button
• maximize – the □ button
• appmenu – the application menu (hamburger icon)

For example, 'close,minimize,maximize:appmenu' would put close, minimize, and maximize on the left, and the app menu on the right. You can mix and match as you like.

If You Are Using a Different Fedora Edition

Fedora offers several official “spins” with different desktop environments. The instructions above apply to Fedora Workstation (GNOME). If you are using a different spin, the steps vary:

• KDE Plasma: Minimize and maximize buttons are present by default. To change their position, go to System Settings → Window Management → Window Decorations → Button Tab.
• Xfce: Buttons are present by default. To customize, go to Settings → Window Manager → Style → Hidden.
• Cinnamon: Buttons are present by default. To adjust, go to System Settings → Themes → Window Borders.
• LXQt: Buttons are present by default. To change, go to Preferences → LXQt Settings → Appearance → Window Decoration.

If you are using a different desktop, the option is usually found in the window manager or appearance settings.

Common Problems and Fixes

Sometimes the buttons do not appear even after toggling the setting. Here are a few things to check:

• Restart the window manager: Log out and back in, or run gnome-shell --replace in a terminal (this restarts GNOME Shell).
• Check if you are using a different theme: Some third-party GTK themes override the button layout. Switch back to the default Adwaita theme in Tweaks → Appearance to test.
• Wayland vs X11: The setting works on both, but if you are using a Wayland session and the buttons do not show, try logging out and selecting “GNOME on Xorg” from the login screen.
• Extensions: A GNOME extension like “Dash to Panel” or “Hide Titlebar” might be hiding the buttons. Disable extensions one by one to isolate the culprit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Fedora hide the minimize and maximize buttons?

Fedora uses GNOME, which intentionally hides those buttons to simplify the interface. The GNOME project believes that window management is easier via keyboard shortcuts and the Activities overview. It is a design choice, not an oversight.

Will enabling the buttons affect system performance?

No. The setting only changes the visual layout of the titlebar. It has no measurable impact on memory, CPU, or battery life.

Can I put the buttons on the left side like macOS?

Yes. In the button-layout string, put the buttons before the colon. For example: 'close,minimize,maximize:' places them on the left. In Tweaks, use the “Placement” dropdown and select “Left”.

Does this work on Fedora Silverblue or Fedora Kinoite?

Yes, if you are using GNOME on Silverblue (or KDE on Kinoite, where buttons are already present). On Silverblue, you can install Tweaks via Flatpak, or use the gsettings command directly—it works the same as on Workstation.

How do I revert to the default button layout?

Set the button-layout back to ':close' using the gsettings command, or toggle off the switches in Tweaks. That restores the default GNOME look.

Will these settings survive a system update?

Yes. The setting is stored in your user configuration (dconf database) and is preserved across updates. It will not be reset unless you manually reset it or delete your user profile.

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