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FydeOS Help Center

Configure Linux System Tray

Last Update: 2023-07-20

We have received feedback from our community regarding the issue of certain applications, such as Pidgin, not being recoverable once their window is closed on Linux subsystem. This inconvenience can be resolved by utilizing a utility called Stalonetray, which enables the opening of a system tray. By doing so, apps like Pidgin can be minimized to the system tray, ensuring their accessibility even when their main window is closed.

To install Stalonetray and open a system tray on your Linux subsystem, please follow these steps:

Step 1: Install Stalonetray

Begin by installing the Stalonetray package:

Terminal window
sudo apt install stalonetray

Step 2: Create a Configuration File

Next, create a configuration file for Stalonetray and save it as .stalonetrayrc in your home directory:

sudo vi .stalonetrayrc

Add the following lines to the configuration file, adjusting the values as desired: 

background "#777777"
decorations all
geometry 4x1+0+0
icon_size 48

These lines define the background color, enable all system tray icons, and set the icon size. You can modify the code according to your needs.

  • Once you have finished entering the code, press Esc, enter :wq, and press Enter to save and exit.

Step 3: Run Stalonetray

Finally, start Stalonetray to launch the system tray:

Terminal window
stalonetray &

The ampersand (&) runs Stalonetray in the background as a daemon.

Once completed, any application that supports minimizing to the system tray will appear in the tray opened by Stalonetray. Right-clicking on the icons in the system tray will provide access to these apps, allowing you to open or close them as needed.