Install Nemo and Make It the Default File Manager on Ubuntu

To install Nemo and make it the default file manager on Ubuntu, install the Nemo file manager package with APT, register nemo.desktop as the default handler for inode/directory, verify the MIME association, and test it with xdg-open "$HOME". This changes folder handling without removing Nautilus or modifying protected system files.

Nemo is the file manager developed for the Cinnamon desktop environment, but it can also run on standard Ubuntu GNOME installations. Ubuntu currently provides Nemo through its repositories, so a separate PPA is normally unnecessary. The official Ubuntu package index identifies Nemo as the file manager and graphical shell for Cinnamon.

Replacing the default folder handler is different from uninstalling Nautilus. Keeping Nautilus installed is the safer approach because GNOME components may still depend on Nautilus-related integration even when ordinary folders open in Nemo.

The method below uses the XDG MIME association system rather than deleting executables, replacing symbolic links, or editing system-wide application files. That makes the change user-specific, easier to troubleshoot, and straightforward to reverse.

Why Use Nemo Instead of Nautilus on Ubuntu?

Nemo began as a fork of GNOME’s Nautilus file manager and is now maintained as part of the Cinnamon desktop ecosystem. Its interface remains familiar to Ubuntu users while exposing file-management functionality that may appeal to users who prefer a more traditional desktop workflow.

Depending on the installed Nemo release and desktop configuration, features can include tabbed browsing, dual-pane operation, configurable toolbars, detailed list views, bookmarks, file previews, extension support, and additional context-menu actions. The official Ubuntu Nemo manual documents Nemo as the Cinnamon file manager and lists its supported command-line options.

Nautilus remains tightly integrated with GNOME and is a sensible default for Ubuntu. Choosing Nemo therefore does not mean Nautilus is defective; it simply changes which application handles directory-opening requests in situations that follow the desktop MIME association.

How Ubuntu Chooses the Default File Manager

Linux desktop environments normally associate applications with MIME types. A directory is represented by the MIME type inode/directory, so assigning Nemo to that type tells compliant applications that Nemo should be used when a folder needs to be opened.

The xdg-mime utility provides a standard interface for setting and querying these associations. According to the Ubuntu xdg-mime manual, its default command asks the desktop environment to make a particular desktop application the default handler for one or more MIME types.

Behind that command is the freedesktop.org MIME applications specification. User-level defaults can be stored in files such as ~/.config/mimeapps.list, and the specification defines how desktop environments select a registered .desktop application for a MIME type. The freedesktop.org MIME applications specification provides the underlying rules.

How to Install Nemo and Make It the Default File Manager

1. Step 1: Update Ubuntu’s Package Information

   Open Terminal with the application launcher or the usual keyboard shortcut, then refresh the local APT package index:

   sudo apt update

   This command does not upgrade every installed package. It downloads current repository metadata so APT can resolve the Nemo package and its dependencies accurately.

2. Step 2: Install the Nemo File Manager

   Install Nemo from Ubuntu’s configured repositories:

   sudo apt install nemo

   Review the package list shown by APT and confirm the installation when prompted. There is normally no need to uninstall Nautilus; both file managers can remain installed at the same time.

3. Step 3: Confirm That Nemo Starts Correctly

   Launch Nemo directly before changing any default association:

   nemo

   A Nemo window should open. This simple check separates installation problems from MIME-association problems, which makes later troubleshooting considerably easier.

4. Step 4: Verify Nemo’s Desktop Application ID

   The common desktop-file ID for Nemo is nemo.desktop. Confirm that the launcher exists before assigning it as the default:

   find /usr/share/applications ~/.local/share/applications -maxdepth 1 -iname '*nemo*.desktop' 2>/dev/null

   If the output includes /usr/share/applications/nemo.desktop, the standard command in the next step is appropriate. Using an installed desktop-file ID matters because xdg-mime expects a registered desktop application rather than merely an executable name.

5. Step 5: Make Nemo the Default File Manager

   Set Nemo as the handler for directories:

   xdg-mime default nemo.desktop inode/directory

   This is the central command for making Nemo the default file manager. It changes the user-level association used when compatible desktop applications request that a directory be opened.

   Some older instructions also associate Nemo with GNOME saved searches:

   xdg-mime default nemo.desktop inode/directory application/x-gnome-saved-search

   The essential association for normal folders is inode/directory. Adding application/x-gnome-saved-search can be useful when that MIME type is present in a particular configuration, but it is not required merely to make ordinary directories open with Nemo.

6. Step 6: Check the Default Directory Handler

   Query the MIME database after changing it:

   xdg-mime query default inode/directory

   The expected output is:

   nemo.desktop

   This query is more reliable than assuming the command succeeded silently. If another desktop file is returned, a desktop-specific preference or another MIME configuration may be overriding the association.

7. Step 7: Test Folder Opening with xdg-open

   Test the result by asking the desktop to open the home directory:

   xdg-open "$HOME"

   Nemo should open the home folder. The quotation marks are harmless here and make the command robust when substituted with paths that contain spaces.

   Older examples sometimes show xdg-open $HOME c. The extra c is unnecessary and should not be included. The clean test command is simply xdg-open "$HOME".

8. Step 8: Log Out and Back In if Applications Still Open Nautilus

   Many applications recognize the new association immediately, but a running desktop session or application may have cached configuration. Close affected applications first; if behavior remains inconsistent, log out of Ubuntu and sign back in.

   After returning to the desktop, run both xdg-mime query default inode/directory and xdg-open "$HOME" again. If the query reports Nemo and the test launches Nemo, the core MIME configuration is working.

Nemo Default File Manager vs. Desktop Icon Handling

Setting Nemo as the default handler for inode/directory does not automatically mean Nemo should control desktop icons. These are separate responsibilities, and confusing them is a major reason older Nemo tutorials cause problems on newer GNOME desktops.

Legacy instructions often use commands such as gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background show-desktop-icons false and gsettings set org.nemo.desktop show-desktop-icons true. Those commands reflected older GNOME desktop behavior. They should not be treated as a universal requirement on current Ubuntu installations.

Modern GNOME environments can use a Shell extension to implement desktop icons instead of delegating the desktop directly to Nautilus. Starting nemo-desktop at the same time can therefore create duplicated icons, conflicting desktop behavior, or unexpected context menus.

How to Configure Nemo Desktop Icons When Specifically Needed

If the goal is only to make folders open in Nemo, stop after the MIME configuration above. That delivers the requested file-manager change while leaving Ubuntu’s desktop-icon implementation alone.

If Nemo must also manage the desktop, first inspect the actual GNOME configuration and enabled extensions on the machine. Desktop icon management varies by Ubuntu release, GNOME version, session type, and installed extensions, so copying historical gsettings commands without checking the environment can create conflicts.

When Nemo itself controls the desktop, Nemo preferences include keys related to desktop icons. Historical examples include:

gsettings set org.nemo.desktop home-icon-visible true

gsettings set org.nemo.desktop trash-icon-visible true

These keys affect Nemo’s own desktop component. They do not establish Nemo as the general default directory handler, which is why the xdg-mime configuration remains the important part of the procedure.

How to Fix Nemo Not Opening Folders by Default

Check the Current MIME Association

Start troubleshooting with:

xdg-mime query default inode/directory

If the response is not nemo.desktop, repeat the default-handler command and query it again. If it changes back later, another application or desktop-settings utility may be rewriting the preference.

Inspect the User MIME Configuration

Check the normal user-level configuration file:

grep -n "inode/directory" ~/.config/mimeapps.list 2>/dev/null

A configured default may look similar to:

inode/directory=nemo.desktop;

The semicolon is normal in mimeapps.list syntax. Avoid editing unrelated associations unless necessary, because the file may contain defaults for browsers, image viewers, document applications, media players, and other file types.

Check for Multiple mimeapps.list Files

The MIME association specification supports several configuration locations with defined precedence. As a result, a user can occasionally have settings in both current and older locations, particularly on installations that have been upgraded repeatedly or migrated between desktop environments.

Useful files to inspect include ~/.config/mimeapps.list and, on older configurations, ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list. Do not delete either file indiscriminately because it may contain unrelated application defaults.

Verify That nemo.desktop Actually Exists

Run:

find /usr/share/applications ~/.local/share/applications -maxdepth 1 -name 'nemo.desktop' 2>/dev/null

If nothing is returned even though Nemo launches, inspect the available Nemo-related desktop files and use the actual installed desktop-file ID. A default association pointing to a nonexistent desktop entry cannot reliably launch the intended application.

Understand Why xdg-open May Behave Differently

The Ubuntu documentation for xdg-mime notes that a MIME query and an application started through xdg-open can sometimes differ because xdg-open may delegate to desktop-specific opening mechanisms. That distinction explains cases where xdg-mime query default inode/directory reports Nemo but a particular desktop action still launches something else.

When that happens, test several contexts separately: xdg-open "$HOME", a folder opened from a browser download dialog, a desktop icon, and a launcher shortcut. A failure limited to one context usually indicates desktop or application-specific behavior rather than a broken Nemo installation.

How to Restore Nautilus as the Default File Manager

Reverting the change is straightforward because Nautilus was never removed. On current GNOME installations, first locate its desktop-file ID:

find /usr/share/applications -maxdepth 1 -iname '*nautilus*.desktop'

The commonly used modern GNOME desktop ID is org.gnome.Nautilus.desktop. If that file exists, restore Nautilus for directories with:

xdg-mime default org.gnome.Nautilus.desktop inode/directory

Then confirm the result:

xdg-mime query default inode/directory

Finally, test it:

xdg-open "$HOME"

Older Ubuntu tutorials often use nautilus.desktop instead. That desktop-file ID existed in older configurations, but the correct rollback command should use the desktop file actually installed on the system. Checking /usr/share/applications avoids relying on an outdated identifier.

How to Remove Nemo Completely

Changing the default back to Nautilus is normally enough. Nemo can remain installed without being the default, allowing it to be launched manually whenever its features are useful.

If Nemo is no longer wanted, first restore Nautilus or another valid directory handler. Then remove Nemo with APT:

sudo apt remove nemo

Using remove keeps package configuration where applicable. To request removal of package configuration as well, use:

sudo apt purge nemo

After reviewing the package list carefully, unused automatically installed dependencies can be handled with:

sudo apt autoremove

Avoid broad wildcard commands such as sudo apt purge nemo nemo* without reviewing exactly what APT plans to remove. Wildcards can match extensions and related packages beyond the core file manager.

Pro Tips for Using Nemo as Ubuntu’s Default File Manager

Keep Nautilus Installed Initially

Run Nemo alongside Nautilus for several days before deciding whether anything should be removed. Coexistence is usually safer than replacement at the package level, and switching the MIME handler already achieves the practical goal of opening ordinary folders in Nemo.

Change User Defaults Without sudo

Run xdg-mime default as the normal logged-in user. The Ubuntu manual specifically describes the command as a desktop-session operation and does not recommend running it as root. A user-level default also avoids unexpectedly changing behavior for other accounts.

Verify Every Configuration Change

Follow a setter command with a query whenever possible. After changing the directory handler, xdg-mime query default inode/directory immediately reveals whether the expected desktop application has become the selected default.

Separate File Management From Desktop Management

Nemo can open folders without controlling the wallpaper area or desktop icons. Keeping those responsibilities separate is particularly valuable on GNOME because desktop icons may be managed by a Shell extension rather than a traditional file-manager desktop process.

Back Up mimeapps.list Before Manual Editing

If troubleshooting eventually requires manual changes, create a backup first:

cp ~/.config/mimeapps.list ~/.config/mimeapps.list.backup

This preserves browser, document, media, and other application associations stored in the same file and provides an immediate recovery path if an edit introduces a syntax error.

Avoid Replacing System Executables

Do not rename /usr/bin/nautilus, replace it with a symbolic link to Nemo, or modify package-owned launchers merely to control the default file manager. Those techniques bypass the desktop’s intended association mechanism and can be undone unpredictably by package updates.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nemo on Ubuntu

How do you make Nemo the default file manager in Ubuntu?

Install Nemo with sudo apt install nemo, then run xdg-mime default nemo.desktop inode/directory. Verify the setting with xdg-mime query default inode/directory; it should return nemo.desktop. Test the result with xdg-open "$HOME". This changes the directory handler without requiring Nautilus to be uninstalled.

Can Nemo and Nautilus be installed together?

Yes. Nemo and Nautilus can remain installed together on Ubuntu, and this is often the safest configuration. Setting Nemo as the default directory handler determines which file manager opens folders in compatible contexts, while Nautilus remains available for GNOME integration or manual use without causing an inherent package conflict.

How do you switch from Nautilus to Nemo?

Install Nemo, confirm that nemo.desktop exists, and associate it with the inode/directory MIME type using xdg-mime default nemo.desktop inode/directory. Log out and back in if some running applications retain the old preference. Keep Nautilus installed unless there is a separate, specific reason to remove it.

Why does Ubuntu still open Nautilus after Nemo is set as default?

Some applications and desktop components can use desktop-specific opening mechanisms instead of relying solely on the generic MIME preference. Check xdg-mime query default inode/directory first. If it returns Nemo, test xdg-open "$HOME"; behavior limited to a desktop icon or individual application usually indicates a separate integration setting.

Does setting Nemo as default also make Nemo manage desktop icons?

No. The default directory-handler association and desktop-icon management are separate functions. Setting nemo.desktop for inode/directory controls folder-opening requests but does not require nemo-desktop. On modern GNOME installations, desktop icons may instead be managed by a GNOME Shell extension, so enabling both can create conflicts.

How can Nautilus be restored as Ubuntu’s default file manager?

Find the installed Nautilus desktop file and set it as the handler for inode/directory. On current GNOME systems, the desktop ID is commonly org.gnome.Nautilus.desktop, making the command xdg-mime default org.gnome.Nautilus.desktop inode/directory. Verify the result with xdg-mime query default inode/directory.

Is Nemo available in Ubuntu’s official repositories?

Yes. Ubuntu’s package index currently provides the nemo package in the Universe repository for supported Ubuntu releases where it is packaged. A normal installation can therefore use sudo apt install nemo after updating package metadata, without downloading unofficial installation scripts or replacing the system’s existing Nautilus package.

Conclusion

The clean way to install Nemo and make it Ubuntu’s default file manager is to use the official APT package and the desktop’s MIME association system. Install Nemo, assign nemo.desktop to inode/directory, confirm the association, and test it with xdg-open "$HOME". This approach is reversible and does not interfere with package-managed system executables.

The most significant distinction is between making Nemo the default folder handler and making Nemo manage the desktop. Only the first is necessary for most users. Leaving GNOME’s desktop-icon mechanism unchanged avoids many of the conflicts found in older tutorials while still allowing Nemo to handle everyday directory navigation.

If Nautilus needs to become the default again, identify its installed desktop-file ID and restore the inode/directory association. That makes experimentation with Nemo low risk, particularly when both applications remain installed rather than attempting to replace GNOME components at the package or executable level.