How to install the MGT GTK theme on Linux
MGT is a modern theme that is based on the Materia GTK theme. It comes in 4 different colors (Grey, Semi-Dark, Light, and Dark) and brings the Google Material Design look that many Linux users love. In this guide, we’ll show you how to install the MGT GTK theme on Linux.
Downloading MGT GTK theme
The MGT GTK theme is available for download via Gnome-look.org, a popular theme download site for Linux users. To get your hands on MGT, do the following.
Once the downloading process is complete, open up a terminal window and move on to the next section of the guide.
Extracting MGT GTK theme
The MGT GTK Theme comes packed as a ZIP archive. As a result, we must demonstrate how to install the Unzip utility before continuing with this guide. To install the Unzip utility on your computer, launch a terminal window.
Once the terminal window is open, follow the command-line installation instructions down below that corresponds with the Linux OS you currently use.
Ubuntu
If you’re using Ubuntu, you’ll be able to get Unzip up and running using the Apt command below.
sudo apt install unzip
Debian
Are you a Debian Linux user? Need to get Unzip working? Try running the following Apt-get command in a terminal.
sudo apt-get install unzip
Arch Linux
Those on Arch Linux can install the latest release of Unzip using the following Pacman command in a terminal window.
sudo pacman -S unzip
Fedora
If you’re a Fedora fan and need to get Unzip working, execute the following Dnf command in a terminal window.
sudo dnf install unzip
OpenSUSE
Those using OpenSUSE Linux can get the Unzip application up and running using the following Zypper command.
sudo zypper install unzip
After installing the Unzip utility onto your computer, make use of the CD command to move into the “Downloads” directory where the MGT GTK theme file was previously downloaded.
cd ~/Downloads
Inside of the “Downloads” directory, the extraction process can begin. Using the unzip command below, extract the MGT theme ZIP archive.
unzip MGT-*.zip
When the Unzip utility is finished, move on to the next section of the guide.
Installing MGT GTK theme
The MGT GTK theme can be installed on Linux systems in two ways. The first way to install the theme is known as “single-user,” which means that only the user that installs it has access to it. The second way of installation is “System-wide,” which means all users can access the theme no matter who installed it.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to install the MGT GTK theme in both ways. To start the installation process, open up a terminal window and follow the installation instructions down below.
Single-user
To install the MGT GTK theme in single-user mode, start by creating the “.themes” directory in your home folder. This folder holds all theme files for single-user mode.
mkdir -p ~/.themes
After creating the new “.themes” folder, make use of the mv command and move the MGT GTK theme files from the “Downloads” directory into the newly created “.themes” folder.
cd ~/Downloads
mv MGT-*/ ~/.themes/
After moving the MGT theme files into the newly created “.themes” folder, the installation is complete. You can now take a look at the “.themes” folder to confirm that the files are indeed there.
ls ~/.themes | grep MGT
System-wide
To install the MGT GTK theme in system-wide mode, start by using the CD command to move into the “Downloads” directory in which the MGT GTK theme files reside on your computer.
cd ~/Downloads
Once inside the “Downloads” directory, use the sudo -s command to log into the root account without leaving your user account’s “Downloads” directory where the MGT GTK theme files reside.
sudo -s
After elevating the terminal to the root account, make use of the mv command to place the theme files in the /usr/share/themes/ directory.
mv MGT-*/ /usr/share/themes/
Once the files have been moved, the installation is complete. To verify that the installation went well, run the ls command on the theme directory.
ls /usr/share/themes/ | grep MGT
Activating MGT GTK theme
The MGT GTK theme is now installed on your Linux PC, but you cannot use it yet. Before you can enjoy MGT, you need to change the default settings on your Linux desktop to use MGT as the default theme.
To change the default theme on your Linux desktop, do the following. First, open up the “System Settings” area. Once in the “System Settings” area, look for “Theme” or “Appearance” and change the default theme to MGT to start using MGT.
If you cannot figure out how to change the default theme on the Linux desktop you are currently using, take a look at the list below for guidance.
