Just installed Ubuntu 12.04, then I did
sudo apt-get install gnome-shell
and windows have only a close button, how can I enable minimize / maximize? The old gconf-editor doesn't seem to work cause it has the three buttons in the config.
SnapOverflow
You need gnome tweak tool.
Click the Download button to install with Ubuntu Software Center:
Or you can install in Terminal:
Then open Advanced Settings to change the minimize and maximize buttons.
Install
dconf-editor:Then navigate to:
and set value to:
Note that you might also perform this from console:
In current versions of Gnome, you may need to use this instead:
This is very simple guys, just type the following command in the terminal, it worked for me:
In Ubuntu 17.10 (and Debian 9 Stretch) with gnome 3.26.1 command is:
(thanks to Ohto Nordberg's reply).
I had the same problem where my Ubuntu 12.04 windows only showed the close button. I realize that it is possible to right click on the menu bar to get the missing minimize and maximize functionality but I wanted the buttons back.
I was going to install Ubuntu Tweak but found the "Advanced Settings" application. I just went to the "Shell" tab and set "Arrangement of buttons on the titlebar" from "Close Only" to "All". This restored the missing buttons onto my windows.
I hope this alternate solution helps people with the same problem.
I found this page when I was looking for an answer to this question. Thought some people would appreciate this information.
Here is the terminal command for those that are two lazy to open a link. Just wanted to give credit to the original contributor of this information.
For Ubuntu 14.04+, you might need to run the following:
On 12.04 and 14.04, the answer given by @user161127 worked well for me (entering the following in the terminal)
However, on 16.04, I needed to use the path given by @JivanAmara instead:
Install ubuntu tweak.Open ubuntu tweak and go to Tweaks>Window and set "off" in Close button only . But I didn't like this type of solution though I'm sharing this solution.
To maximise, you can instead double-click on the window frame with the left button. To minimise, single-click the middle button on the window frame.
I ran into this after installing Gnome 40 where I lost the Firefox Minimize and maximize buttons. Up above, user wojox gave the command line tools for the Gnome Shell. This was important because Tweaks no longer works. In his/her answer, I failed to note the difference between the leading ':' and trailing ':' in the string. The trailing ':' moves the buttons to the left side of the menubar and the leading ':' puts them on the right side.
The choice is yours.
The simple command line solution (take note of ':' placement):
This gives right buttons
This gives left buttons
You can also use the dconf editor. Note that dconf-editor is now its own package and there is no dconf-tools.
Install dconf-editor:
Then navigate to:
org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences >> button-layout
and set value to:
close,minimize,maximize: OR :maximize, minimize,close