SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.0

Getting Started with GNOME Desktop

Basic information and instructions

Publication Date: 24 Oct 2025

WHAT?

GNOME is a user-friendly graphical desktop environment for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications. This guide details its default setup, customization and common operations.

WHY?

This document introduces SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications users to GNOME Desktop, covering its basic settings and daily use.

EFFORT

It takes approximately 25 minutes to read and understand this guide.

GOAL

Gain a foundational understanding of GNOME Desktop's capabilities and learn how to tailor it to your specific needs and preferences.

REQUIREMENTS

Desktop Applications module installed on your SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications system

Revision History: Getting Started with GNOME Desktop

1 Introduction to GNOME Desktop #

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications includes GNOME Desktop, a desktop environment with an easy-to-use graphical interface. This article describes the default configuration of GNOME Desktop. If you or your system administrator modify the defaults, certain aspects might be different, such as appearance or key combinations.

1.1 What is GNOME Desktop? #

GNOME Desktop is a streamlined, minimal graphical environment built on GNOME and optimized for enterprise use. It includes essential desktop components such as a terminal, text editor, file and Web browser, and basic multimedia and document viewers.

GNOME Desktop runs on Wayland by default, with xwayland support for legacy X11 applications. It offers infrastructure for accessibility, multilingual input and remote access using RDP. Additional GNOME applications are excluded unless explicitly required, ensuring a lightweight and secure experience.

1.2 Benefits of GNOME Desktop #

GNOME Desktop is a free, open source and easy-to-use desktop environment offering a variety of core applications to help you organize and complete your daily tasks. With built-in support for accessibility, multilingual input and remote access via RDP, GNOME Desktop is well-suited for enterprise environments.

2 Logging in and managing your GNOME Desktop session #

Learn how to log in to GNOME Desktop, and how to pause or finish the session.

2.1 Starting a session #

When starting your SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications system, you first see a login screen. All users must authenticate before starting a session. This step helps protect your personal information and data from unauthorized access.

Procedure 1: How to log in #

In the login screen, select your user name.
If your user name is not listed, click Not listed?. Then enter your user name and click Next.
Enter your password and confirm with Enter.

Note: Enabling Automatic Login

If the computer is used by a single person, you can enable Automatic Login for this user at system start. This saves time, but also impacts account security. Automatic Login can be enabled or disabled during installation. You can also configure it in Settings › Users: select the account and switch on Automatic Login. For security reasons, Automatic Login is not recommended.

2.2 Pausing or finishing your session #

To pause or end your session, open the System menu in the upper-right corner of the top bar. Click the Power Off button and choose one of the options listed.

Suspend. Pauses your session and puts the computer into a low-power mode. Suspend mode can be configured to lock your screen, so nobody can look at or change your work. Waking up the computer is generally much quicker than a full computer start.
This mode is also known as suspend-to-RAM, sleep or standby mode.
Restart. Ends the current session and restarts the computer. Restarting is necessary to apply system updates.
Power Off. Ends the current session and turns off the computer.
Log Out. Ends the current session and returns to the login screen. This allows you (or another user) to log in again.
Switch User. Keeps your current session active in the background while allowing another user to log in. You can return to your session later.

2.3 Locking the screen #

To lock the screen, open the System menu in the upper-right corner of the top bar and click the padlock icon.

When you lock your screen, a curtain with a clock appears first. After a while, the screen turns black.
To unlock the screen, move the mouse or press a key to display the locked screen dialog. Enter your password and press Enter.

2.4 Logging out or switching users #

Note: Option only available on multi-user system

The Switch User option only appears in the menu if you have more than one user account on your system.

Open the System menu and click the Power Off button.
Select one of the following options:
Log Out
Logs you out of the current session and returns to the login screen.
Switch User
Suspends your session so another user can log in.

2.5 Restarting or shutting down the computer #

Open the System menu and click the Power Off button.
Select one of the following options:
Suspend
Pauses your session and puts the system into a low-power mode. Suspend mode can be configured to lock your screen, so nobody can look at or change your work. Waking up the computer is generally much quicker than a full computer start.
Restart
Logs you out of the current session, then restarts the system.
Power Off
Logs you out of the current session, then shuts down the system.

3 Visual overview of GNOME Desktop #

Learn how to use the Activities overview, the Clock and Calendar features and the System menu.

3.1 Activities overview #

The Activities overview shows a preview of all open windows and icons for favorite and running applications. It also integrates searching and browsing functionality.

Opening the Activities overview #

To open the Activities overview, you have the following options:

In the left corner of the top bar, click the Activities button.
Move your mouse pointer to the upper-left hot corner.
Press the Meta key on your keyboard.

Features of the Activities overview #

Search box

Use the search box at the top to find applications, settings and files in your home directory.

To search, you do not need to click the search box. Begin typing directly after opening the Activities overview. Search starts while you type, you do not need to press Enter.

dash

The dash is the bar positioned in the center at the bottom. It contains your favorite applications and running applications. If you move the mouse pointer over one of the icons, the name of the corresponding application is displayed nearby. A small dot underneath the icon indicates that the application is running.

Right-clicking an icon opens a menu which offers different actions depending on the associated program. Using Pin to Dash, you can place the application icon permanently in dash. To remove a program icon from dash, select Unpin. To rearrange an icon, use the mouse to drag it to a new position.

3.2 Clock and Calendar #

Click the clock icon on the top bar to see the current day of the week and time. If you are using the Calendar itself or any other calendar application that is supported by Calendar, it also shows your upcoming appointments and notifications.

4 Working with GNOME Desktop #

Learn how to manage files, access removable media and use assistive technologies in GNOME Desktop.

4.1 Managing files and directories #

The GNOME Files application provides a graphical interface for managing local and remote files. To launch it, press Meta, search for files and select Files from the hit list.

Figure 1: GNOME file manager #

The main interface elements include the following:

Toolbar: Includes back/forward navigation, a path bar with search function, view options (list or grid), sort controls and a three-dot menu for actions and settings specific to the current folder.
Sidebar: Provides quick access to frequently used folders and network locations. Toggle the sidebar with F9.
Main menu: The three-line icon at the top of the sidebar provides options like opening preferences, adjusting icon size, creating folders, or opening new windows and tabs.
Content area: Displays files and folders in the selected view. Use the toolbar's view menu (top right) to toggle between grid and list layouts.
Context menus: Right-click items or empty space to open a menu. Options depend on where you click—on a file or folder, or on the background.

4.1.1 Useful key combinations #

The following table lists a selection of key combinations of GNOME Files.

Table 1: GNOME Files key combinations #

Key Combination	Action
Alt–←/ Alt–→	Navigate backward/go forward.
Alt–↑	Open parent directory.
Alt–↓ or Enter	Open selected item.
Ctrl–L	Switch path bar from a button view to an editable text box. The editable path bar supports the URI schema and can be used to connect to remote servers via FTP, SFTP, SSH, SMB and other protocols. For example, use `ftp://tux@ftp.example.tld` to connect to an FTP server `ftp.example.tld` with the user name `tux`.
/	Jump to root directory.
Alt–Home	Open home directory.
Del	Move selected item to trash.

4.1.2 Administrative file tasks #

Compressing files or directories

Right-click a directory, select Compress, choose an archive format (.zip, .tar.xz or .7z), then specify a destination.

Bookmarking locations

Navigate to the folder you wish to bookmark, or locate a specific file within GNOME Files and click the star icon to the right of its name in the file manager's list or grid view. Bookmarked items will then be listed in the Starred section of the sidebar for easy access.

Items in the sidebar, including those in the Starred section, can be renamed or reordered.

4.2 Accessing removable media #

To access devices like USB flash drives or CDs and DVDs, insert or attach the medium. An icon for the medium is automatically created on the desktop. For many types of removable media, a GNOME Files window pops up automatically. If GNOME Files does not open, double-click the icon for that drive on the desktop to view the contents. In GNOME Files, an item for the medium appears in the sidebar.

Warning: Unmount to prevent data loss

Do not physically remove devices immediately after using them. Even when the system does not indicate that data is being written, the drive may not be finished with a previous operation.

To safely remove a device:

From the Activities overview, open Files.
Locate the device in the sidebar and click the Eject icon.
Now you can safely remove the device.

4.3 Assistive technologies #

The GNOME Desktop provides built-in assistive technologies to support users with disabilities and facilitate interaction with common assistive devices. This chapter describes several assistive technology applications designed for users with physical disabilities like low vision or impaired motor skills.

4.3.1 Enabling assistive technologies #

To configure accessibility features, open the Settings dialog by right-clicking the desktop and choosing Settings. In the navigation pane, select Accessibility. Each assistive feature can be enabled separately.

If you need a more direct access to individual assistive features, turn on Always Show Accessibility Menu. This will display an icon resembling a person in the top bar, providing quick access to accessibility settings.

4.3.2 Visual assistance #

In the Seeing section of the Accessibility settings, you can enable features that help people with impaired vision.

If the Screen Reader is turned on, the screen reader reads displayed text as you move the focus.
Turning on High Contrast increases the color contrast of foreground and background interface elements.
Turning on On/Off Shapes uses shapes to indicate state in addition to or instead of using color.
Turning on Animation Effects enables visual animations throughout the user interface. Disabling this can help reduce visual distraction.
Turning on Large Text increases the size of all text in the user interface.
You can change the Cursor Size to improve pointer visibility.
If Sound Keys are turned on, the system will play a sound when Num Lock or Caps Lock is toggled.
Enabling Always Show Scrollbars keeps scrollbars visible at all times, which can help users who have difficulty locating them.

4.3.3 Hearing assistance #

In the Hearing section of the Accessibility dialog, you can enable features helping people with impaired hearing.

Turning on Overamplification allows the system volume to exceed 100%, which can help users with hearing loss. Note that this may reduce sound quality.

If Visual Alerts are turned on, a visual indication is shown when an alert sound occurs. You can choose to flash either the window title or the entire screen. Use Test Flash to preview the effect.

4.3.4 Typing assistance #

In the Typing section of the Accessibility dialog, you can enable and configure features that help people with mobility impairments.

Screen Keyboard allows you to use the on-screen keyboard to type in input fields.
When enabled, an on-screen keyboard appears at the bottom of the screen when you next have the opportunity to type.
Figure 2: On-screen keyboard #
- To enter numbers and symbols, press the ?123 button first. More symbols are available if you press the =/< button. To return to the alphabetic keyboard, press the ABC button.
- To temporarily hide the keyboard, press the button with the arrow down icon. The keyboard is shown again automatically in the next situation where you can use it. To change your keyboard layout or change Region & Language settings, press the button with the flag icon.
Enable by Keyboard allows you to turn accessibility features on or off using the keyboard.
Text Cursor
- Cursor Blinking controls if the cursor blinks in text fields.
- Blink Speed lets you adjust the speed at which the cursor blinks, from Slow to Fast.
Typing Assist
- Repeat Keys makes key presses repeat when the key is held down.
- Sticky Keys allows you to type key combinations one key at a time rather than having to hold down all keys at once. When this feature is turned on, sequences of modifier keys act as a key combination. For example, the Alt–→| shortcut switches between windows.
  With sticky keys turned off, you need to hold down both keys at the same time. With sticky keys turned on, press Alt and then →| to do the same.
- Slow Keys introduces a delay between when a key is pressed and when it is accepted. This means that you need to hold down each key you want to type for a little while before it appears. Use slow keys if you accidentally press several keys at a time when you type, or if you find it difficult to press the right key on the keyboard first time.
- Bounce Keys allows you to ignore key presses that are rapidly repeated. This feature can help, for example, if you have hand tremors which cause you to press a key multiple times when you only want to press it once.

4.3.5 Pointing and Clicking #

In the Pointing and Clicking section of the Accessibility settings, you can enable and configure features that help people with mobility impairments related to using a mouse or other pointing devices.

Mouse Keys allows you to use the numeric keypad to move your mouse pointer.
Locate Pointer helps you reveal the pointer location by pressing the Left Ctrl key.
Activate Windows on Hover allows you to place the pointer over a window to activate it.
Double-Click Delay lets you adjust the time allowed between clicks for them to be recognized as a double-click.
Click Assist
- Simulated Secondary Click enables a secondary click (usually equivalent to a right mouse button click) to be performed by holding down the primary mouse button. This is useful if you find it difficult to move your fingers individually on one hand, or if your pointing device only has a single button.
- Hover Click allows you to trigger a click by hovering the mouse pointer over an item on the screen. This is useful if you find it difficult to move the mouse and click at the same time.
  If this feature is turned on, a small hover click window may open and stay above all your other windows, allowing you to choose what type of click should happen when you hover. When you hover your mouse pointer over a button and do not move it, the pointer gradually changes color. When it has fully changed color, the button is clicked.

4.3.6 Zoom #

In the Zoom section of the Accessibility settings, you can enable features that help people with visual impairments.

Desktop Zoom allows you to magnify the entire screen.
Magnifier section offers detailed configuration options, including Magnifier View, Screen Area and Follow Behavior.
The Crosshairs section includes options like Overlap Mouse Cursor, Thickness and Length sliders, and Color.
Color Filters offers the Inverted option to invert colors in the magnifier region, and Brightness, Contrast and Color options to adjust color effects.

5 Customizing the settings for GNOME Desktop #

Learn how to customize the settings for GNOME Desktop, like changing the background or configuring language and keyboard settings to suit your personal taste and needs.

5.1 Configuring the desktop background #

The desktop background is the image or color that is applied to your desktop. You can also customize the image shown when the screen is locked.

To change the desktop background:

Right-click the desktop and choose Change Background.
Figure 3: GNOME Background settings #
Select one of the wallpapers (preconfigured images distributed with your system) shown in the content area.
Alternatively, click Add Picture to select an image from your Pictures directory (~/Pictures) or another location in your file system.
Close the Settings dialog.
The new background is now shown on your desktop.

5.2 Configuring language settings #

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications can be configured to use any of several languages. The language setting determines the language of dialogs and menus and can also determine the keyboard and clock layout.

To configure your language settings, right-click the desktop and choose Settings › System › Region & Language.

Here you can choose:

Language. Choose a language from the list. For the change to take effect, you are prompted to Restart the desktop session. To do so, you must log out of your session and log back in afterward.
Formats. To change the formats for date, number, currency and related options, choose a country from the list. For the change to take effect, you must log out of your session and log back in afterward.

5.3 Configuring the keyboard #

Refer to Section 4.3, “Assistive technologies” for additional settings, such as key auto-repetition and cursor blink rate, and accessibility features. To configure your keyboard layout, refer to Section 4.3.4, “Typing assistance”.

Note: Settings made using ibus-setup do not take effect

On GNOME, settings made using ibus-setup do not take effect. ibus-setup can only be used to configure IceWM. Instead, always use the Settings application:

To change input methods, open the Settings dialog, then select Keyboard from the navigation pane.
To change the key combination that switches between input methods, use Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts. Then select the category Typing and the entry Switch to next input source.

To modify other keyboard shortcuts, select Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts.

This dialog shows the keyboard shortcuts that are configured for your system. To edit a key combination, click the entry that you want to change. To set a new key combination, press the respective keys. To disable a shortcut, press <— instead.

5.4 Entering special characters using the Compose Key #

GNOME offers the Compose Key that allows you to type a variety of special characters and symbols by pressing the designated Compose Key followed by a sequence of other keys.

To enable and configure the Compose Key, open Settings › Keyboard.

In the main panel, locate the Special Character Entry section and select Compose Key. Turn it on and select which key on your keyboard will act as the Compose Key.

To use the Compose Key, press and release your chosen Compose Key, then type a specific sequence of two or more characters. For example:

Press Compose Key, then a–' to enter á.
Press Compose Key, then <–= to enter ≦.
Press Compose Key, then 1–2 to enter ½.

GNOME desktop: enabling the Compose Key sequence of characters

Figure 4: Enabling the compose key in Tweaks #

5.5 Configuring Bluetooth settings #

The Bluetooth module lets you set the visibility of your machine over Bluetooth and connect to available Bluetooth devices. To configure Bluetooth connectivity, follow these steps:

Right-click the desktop and choose Settings › Bluetooth.
To use Bluetooth, set the switch at the top on.
Your computer is visible as long as the Bluetooth panel is open.
Note: Temporary visibility
The Visibility switch is meant to be used only temporarily. You only need to turn it on for the initial setup of a connection to a Bluetooth device. After the connection has been established, turn off the switch.
On the device you want to connect, turn on Bluetooth connectivity and visibility, too.
If the device has been found and is shown in the list, click it to establish a connection to it.
You are asked whether the PINs of the two devices match.
If the PINs match, confirm this on both your computer and the device.
The pairing is now established. On your computer, the device in the list is shown as Connected.
Depending on the device type, it is also now available in other applications, for example, as a storage device in GNOME Files, or a sound device in playback applications.

To connect to a paired Bluetooth device, select the device in the list. In the dialog that appears, turn the Connection switch on. You can send files to the connected device by using the Send Files button. If you are connected to a device such as a mobile phone, you can use it as a network device by activating the appropriate option.

To remove a connected device from the list on your computer, click Remove Device and confirm your choice. To remove the pairing, you also need to do so on your device.

5.6 Configuring power settings #

Settings available in this dialog depend on your hardware. In the following, the options that are typically available when using a laptop are described. On a workstation, many of the described options are not available.

Right-click the desktop and choose Settings.
In the navigation pane, select Power.
In the Power Saving section, set after how many minutes to blank the screen (or to not blank it at all).
In the Automatic Screen Blank section, configure the time after which the computer is paused after a certain period of inactivity.

5.7 Configuring mouse and touchpad #

To modify mouse and touchpad options, right-click the desktop and choose Settings. Then select Mouse & Touchpad.

Configuring mouse and touchpad settings dialog

Figure 5: Mouse and Touchpad settings dialog #

In the General section of the dialog, you can set the Primary Button orientation (left or right).
In the Mouse section of the dialog, use Pointer Speed to adjust the sensitivity of the mouse pointer.
With Natural Scrolling, you can set the direction in which the content moves when scrolling with the mouse. When natural scrolling is turned off, the content moves up while pushing the scroll wheel down. When natural scrolling is turned on, the content moves in the same direction as the mouse wheel.
To test your settings, click Test Settings and try the pointing device.

For the configuration of mouse accessibility options, refer to the Section 4.3.5, “Pointing and Clicking”.

5.8 Installing and configuring printers #

The Printers dialog lets you connect to any available local or remote CUPS server and configure printers.

To start the Printers module, right-click the desktop and choose Settings › Printers. For detailed information, refer to https://help.gnome.org/users/gnome-help/stable/printing.html.en.

5.9 Configuring screens #

To specify resolution and orientation for your screen or to configure multiple screens, right-click the desktop and choose Display Settings. The configuration options available in this dialog depend on whether you have a single or a multiple monitor setup.

5.9.1 Configuring single monitor setup #

Figure 6: Single monitor settings dialog #

Orientation: If you use a monitor which can change its orientation, you need to adjust the display before turning the monitor. Use Orientation to do this. Choose the orientation your monitor supports, close the selection box and click Apply.
Resolution: To change the screen resolution, click Resolution. Choose a new value and click Apply.
Night Light: If you are working in a dark environment, your eyes can easily be strained by the monitor. To prevent this, change the screen's color palette to a warmer tone by turning on Night Light. Under Schedule, you can automate this setting by specifying at which time Night Light should be turned on and off.

5.9.2 Configuring multiple monitor setup #

To set up an additional monitor, connect the monitor to your computer. If your system does not recognize it immediately, or you want to adjust the settings, do the following:

Open the Activities overview and start typing Displays.
Click Displays to open the panel.
In the display arrangement diagram, drag your displays to the relative positions you want.
Click Primary Display to choose your primary display.
The primary display is the one with the top bar, and where the Activities overview is shown.
Select the orientation, resolution or scale, and refresh rate.
Click Apply. The new settings are applied for 20 seconds before reverting. If you are happy with the settings, click Keep Changes.

With two or more screens, these display modes are available:

Join Display: The screen edges are joined so windows and dialogs can pass from one display to another.
Mirror: The same content is shown on all displays, with the same resolution and orientation for all.
Single display: Only one display is configured, effectively turning off the other displays. For example, an external monitor connected to a docked laptop with the lid closed.

5.10 Configuring sound settings #

The Sound tool lets you manage sound devices. Here you can select the general output volume or turn the sound off.

To open the sound settings, right-click the desktop and choose Settings › Sound.

Configuring sound settings in the Sound dialog window

Figure 7: Configuring sound settings #

Use the Output category to select the device for sound output. Choose the Output Volume and Balance settings you prefer.

Use the Input category to set the input device volume or to mute the input temporarily. If you have more than one sound device, you can also select a default device for audio input in the Input Device list.

You can also choose an Alert Sound.

5.11 Configuring default applications #

To change the default application for a common tasks, right-click the desktop and select Settings › Apps › Default Apps.
Figure 8: GNOME Default Apps #
In the Default Apps section, you can select a preferred application. If no suitable application is installed for a category, it will be listed as No Apps Available. Click a category to view and select one of the available applications.
Below the default applications, the Removable Media section allows you to configure how the system handles media devices such as audio CDs, video DVDs or USB drives. You can enable or disable Media Autostart to control whether applications start automatically when media is connected.
For each media type (CD Audio, DVD Video, Music Player, Photos), you can choose an action from a drop-down menu, such as Ask what to do or a specific application if available.

6 For more information #

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications comes with several sources of information and documentation, many of which are already integrated into your installed system.

To enter the Help of GNOME or LibreOffice directly from an application, click the Help button or press F1 key. Both options take you directly to the application's documentation in the help center.

You can also start the Help of GNOME by opening a terminal end entering yelp or from the main menu by clicking Apps › Help.

For more information on how to work with GNOME Desktop, see https://help.gnome.org.

7 Legal Notice #

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or (at your option) version 1.3; with the Invariant Section being this copyright notice and license. A copy of the license version 1.2 is included in the section entitled “GNU Free Documentation License”.

For SUSE trademarks, see https://www.suse.com/company/legal/. All other third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Trademark symbols (®, ™ etc.) denote trademarks of SUSE and its affiliates. Asterisks (*) denote third-party trademarks.

All information found in this book has been compiled with utmost attention to detail. However, this does not guarantee complete accuracy. Neither SUSE LLC, its affiliates, the authors, nor the translators shall be held liable for possible errors or the consequences thereof.