How to Check GNOME Version on Ubuntu Linux: A Quick Guide

In this article, I will show you how to determine the version of GNOME running on your Ubuntu Linux. GNOME is a free and open-source desktop environment for Unix-like operating systems. It “GNOME” was originally an acronym for GNU Network Object Model Environment. But the acronym was dropped because it no longer reflected the vision of the GNOME project. Please, see how to disable automatic screen lock on Ubuntu Desktop with the GUI and dconf Editor, and how to Fix long path names to files on SQL Server installation media error.

GNOME 3 features a completely reimagined user interface designed to stay out of your way, minimize distractions, and help you get things done.

GNOME is available to install through most GNU/Linux distributions. GNOME’s software is Free Software and its code is available for download and can be freely modified and redistributed.

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Determine the version of the Gnome

To determine the version of the Gnome you are running. From your desktop, navigate to the upper-right corner of the screen. Click the arrow icon to expand the desktop options, then click the Settings icon.

Dropdown menu showing audio settings and options including 'Wired Connected', 'Settings', 'Lock', and 'Power Off / Log Out'

This will open up the Settings Menu as shown below. Scroll down and click on About as shown in the figure below.

Screenshot of the 'About' section in the Ubuntu 20.10 settings, displaying system information including OS name, OS type, GNOME version, memory, processor, graphics, disk capacity, and virtualization details.

Alternatively, open the Activities overview and type About.

Ubuntu desktop interface showing the Activities overview with a search bar labeled 'About' and options for system information.

Click on About to open the panel. A window appears showing information about your system, and the GNOME version, etc.

Screenshot of the 'About' section in the Ubuntu settings, displaying system information such as device name, memory, processor, graphics, disk capacity, OS name, OS type, and GNOME version.

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Determine the GNOME version from the Terminal

You can also determine the GNOME version you are running from the command line as shown below.

gnome-shell --version

Terminal window displaying the command 'gnome-shell --version' and output showing 'GNOME Shell 3.38.2'.

I hope you found this blog post helpful on how to determine the version of GNOME running on your Ubuntu Linux. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comment session.