How to Install The New Ubuntu Community Theme “Yaru”

Brief: Let’s have a look at the new Ubuntu Community theme named Yaru and see how to install it.

One of the proposed new features in Ubuntu 18.04 was the brand new Community Theme, named Yaru. It was initially named Communitheme. As you might have guessed, the Community Theme is being developed by the community i.e. volunteers across the globe.

This new community theme Yaru uses Adwita theme (GNOME’s default theme) as its base and looks similar to Ubuntu’s own Ambiance theme. Ubuntu Touch inspired Suru is the icon theme here. 

Yaru was supposed to become the default in Ubuntu 18.04 but that’s not happening. It’s because the themes was not ready for the LTS release. However, it will be the default theme in the upcoming Ubuntu 18.10.

But you don’t have to wait for Ubuntu 18.10 release. You can try out the new Yaru theme in Ubuntu 18.04. Ubuntu has made the new theme available via PPA so that you can easily install it.

Installing the Yaru community theme in Ubuntu 18.04

Yaru aka Communitheme is an entire package. It comprises a GTK theme, icon theme, GNOME shell theme and redesigned GDM login screen.

There are two ways to install this community theme in Ubuntu 18.04. You can use Snap or you can use the PPA.

Method 1: Use Snap

To install the Communitheme Snap package, use the command below:

sudo snap install communitheme

Method 2: Use PPA

The official Communitheme PPA is only available for Ubuntu 18.04. You CANNOT use this PPA in 16.04 or 17.10.

Open a terminal and use the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:communitheme/ppa
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ubuntu-communitheme-session

Once you have the Communitheme session installed, you can change the theme and icon using GNOME Tweaks. You’ll have to change the Applications theme to Communitheme and icons to Suru.

This won’t use the GNOME Shell (mainly the top bar) and won’t install the new GDM login screen.

If you want to use the complete package, restart your system and click on the user and then click the gear symbol. In here, choose Ubuntu Communitheme on Xorg (recommended) or Ubuntu Communitheme. You’ll still have to manually change the GTK theme and icons.

Here’s a video I made to show Communitheme and its installation procedure. Even if you are not going to install it, you can still see it in action in the video below:

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