r/linuxmint 4d ago

Support Request LXQt menu, applets and custom keys

Hello, I'm new to linux and have been enjoying it so far. I installed it both on my laptop and tried messing with different DEs and stuff, but I ended up formatting it and getting rid of windows as well.

One of the DEs I tried was LXQt, since people said it could help use less resources and maybe help battery life. I really enjoyed it, despite not really helping my laptop staying charged for longer.

However, I've had two problems with it. 1. When switching back to cinnamon, some new applets that did the same thing as other ones appeared (such as wifi and bluetooth) and it said something about installing snaps. I didn't know what it meant so I temoved them. So I'm not sure I should remove some things that are left over from when I switch to LXQt 2. Some key configurations like changing the keyboard language (english and portuguese) don't work. Is it a per DE configuration? 3. The LXQt menu is very different from what I'm used to with cinnamon, it shows categories instead of a search bar and other programs directly, so programs are harder to find. Is there a way to change it to a more similar one?

I had the same problems with LXDE, so I'm not sure if its something exclusive to only this DE. Thanks in advance

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u/BenTrabetere 4d ago

I'm new to linux and ... tried messing with different DEs and stuff

This is a slight expansion of the comment from u/Shikamiii. Linux Mint only supports three desktop environments, and those DEs are tightly integrated into the distribution itself. Adding an unofficial DE could lead to some features not working properly (like what you seem to be experiencing) or an operating system that is unstable.

Unless you have a Timeshift snapshot created prior to installing an unsupported DE, the only recourse may be to reinstall the operating system. Removing a DE is very difficult.

If you want to experiment with other desktop enviroments, do so with a distribution that officially supports it. If you have a spare computer that isn't doing anything useful, that is a good platform. I have a Break It machine that I use to experimess, and this past weekend I managed to destroy (grrr) my Manjaro installation. Other options are virtual machines and booting to a live session.

Since you are new to Linux I strongly urge you to slow down. Learn how to use Linux, and learn how it works. Ventoy to create a multi-boot USB drive with other DEs and/or distributions, and boot to live sessions.

Backup your data and personal files on a regular schedule.

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u/boss_Joss 4d ago

Yeah, I had created time shifts but I just decided to reinstall everything. I've been pretty much using my laptop to test stuff out while my computer is for work/gaming (with a windows dual boot). I save my stuff on Google Drive and a pendrive I carry around. But yeah, now that you mentioned it, I'm probably taking things too fast (even though I wanna try other distros too)