How to Customize Window Behavior with Cinnamon Desktop on Linux Mint

Linux Mint is one of the most popular Linux distributions, known for its ease of use, stability, and Windows-like interface. The Cinnamon desktop environment, which is the default for Linux Mint, offers an elegant and highly customizable user experience. One of the many aspects users can tweak is window behavior, which controls how application windows interact with each other and with the desktop environment.

Customizing window behavior allows users to enhance productivity, improve workflow, and tailor their desktop to personal preferences. In this guide, we will walk you through various ways to customize window behavior using Cinnamon’s built-in tools and settings.

Accessing Window Behavior Settings

To begin customizing window behavior in Cinnamon, follow these steps:

1. Open the System Settings from the application menu.
2. Navigate to Windows under the “Preferences” section.

This section contains various tabs and options that allow you to modify how windows behave in different situations.

Adjusting Window Focus and Placement

Window Focus Modes

Cinnamon allows users to modify how windows receive focus when interacting with them. The available focus modes include:

• Click to Focus (default): A window becomes active when you click on it.
• Sloppy Focus: A window gains focus when the mouse pointer hovers over it, but it does not raise the window to the front.
• Strict Focus: Similar to Sloppy Focus, but the window must be fully inside the mouse pointer area to gain focus.

To change the focus mode:

1. Open System Settings > Windows.
2. Click on the Behavior tab.
3. Adjust the “Window focus mode” option to your preference.

Window Placement

Cinnamon provides automatic window placement settings that determine how new windows appear. You can adjust these under:

1. System Settings > Windows > Behavior.
2. Find the “Placement mode” section and choose from options such as:
   • Automatic: Cinnamon decides the best placement for new windows.
   • Center: New windows always open in the center of the screen.
   • Smart: Windows appear near the last active window.

If you prefer full control over where new windows appear, you can disable automatic placement and manually position them.

Configuring Window Management Actions

The System Settings > Windows > Behavior tab also allows you to configure various window management actions, including:

• Edge Tiling: Dragging a window to the screen edge resizes it to half the screen.
• Corner Tiling: Dragging a window to a corner resizes it to one-quarter of the screen.
• Window Snap: Automatically aligns windows next to each other when moving them close.
• Maximize Horizontally/Vertically: Enables maximizing a window only in one direction.

These features help improve multitasking and make it easier to arrange multiple windows efficiently.

Customizing Title Bar Actions

By default, Cinnamon provides standard actions when clicking, double-clicking, or middle-clicking a window’s title bar. You can modify these actions under:

1. System Settings > Windows > Titlebar Actions.
2. Adjust the settings for:
   • Double-click: Change from maximize to roll-up, minimize, or no action.
   • Middle-click: Set to close, lower, or other behaviors.
   • Right-click: Customize the title bar context menu behavior.

These options allow users to fine-tune how they interact with window title bars for improved workflow.

Setting Up Workspaces and Window Management Shortcuts

Workspaces

Workspaces provide a way to organize open applications across multiple virtual desktops. You can customize workspaces under System Settings > Workspaces:

• Enable dynamic workspaces (Cinnamon adds/removes workspaces automatically).
• Set a fixed number of workspaces.
• Assign applications to specific workspaces.

You can switch between workspaces using keyboard shortcuts:

• Ctrl + Alt + Left/Right Arrow: Move between workspaces.
• Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Left/Right Arrow: Move the active window to another workspace.

Window Management Shortcuts

Cinnamon supports extensive keyboard shortcuts for managing windows efficiently. Some useful ones include:

• Alt + Tab: Switch between open windows.
• Super + Left/Right Arrow: Tile windows to half the screen.
• Super + Up Arrow: Maximize the active window.
• Super + Down Arrow: Restore or minimize the active window.

You can view and customize these shortcuts under System Settings > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Windows.

Using Window Rules and Special Settings

For advanced customization, Cinnamon provides the ability to set specific rules for individual applications. You can access this feature through:

1. Right-click on a window’s title bar.
2. Select More Actions > Create Rule for This Window.
3. Configure settings such as:
   • Always start maximized.
   • Remember window size and position.
   • Skip taskbar or always on top.

These options are useful for setting preferred behaviors for frequently used applications.

Enabling Window Effects and Animations

Cinnamon includes various visual effects for opening, closing, minimizing, and maximizing windows. To configure these effects:

1. Open System Settings > Effects.
2. Enable or disable animations such as:
   • Fade in/out when opening or closing windows.
   • Slide effects for menu popups.
   • Scale effects for minimizing windows.

Disabling effects can improve performance on older hardware, while enabling them enhances visual appeal.

Customizing Window Themes and Borders

To change the appearance of window decorations:

1. Open System Settings > Themes.
2. Under “Window borders,” select a theme that matches your preference.
3. You can install additional themes from System Settings > Themes > Add/Remove.

Custom themes can enhance usability and improve the overall look of the desktop.

Conclusion

Customizing window behavior in Cinnamon Desktop on Linux Mint allows users to fine-tune how applications and workspaces interact, improving efficiency and user experience. Whether adjusting focus modes, configuring title bar actions, setting up keyboard shortcuts, or applying advanced window rules, Cinnamon provides a robust set of options for tailoring the desktop to your needs.

By exploring and experimenting with these settings, you can create a highly personalized workflow that enhances your productivity and makes using Linux Mint an even more enjoyable experience.