The 12 Most Beautiful Linux Icon Themes of 2018
You might think it will take you forever to settle on the ideal icon theme for your Linux desktop because there are a thousand and one options to choose from. And although that might be the case, it doesn’t have to be.
Below is a list of the 10 most beautiful icon themes you can set up on your Linux machine this year. You can install some of them together with the themes they come bundled as a large project (like in the case of Paper,) or install them to use with different GTK and/or Gnome shell themes completely.
1. Flat Remix Icons
Flat Remix Icons theme is inspired by material design. It features mostly flat icons with shadows, highlights, and gradients for some depth based on its beautifully contrasted colour palette. It is part of the Flat Remix project which also includes a Material Design-inspired GNOME and GTK theme.
Flat Remix Icon Theme
Install Flat Remix Icons theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
On Fedora based distributions.
Other Linux distributions, install manually as shown.
2. Paper Icon Theme
Paper Icon Theme is an open source FreeDesktop icon project. Its icons have a modern Material Design look with rounded corners. It’s a part of the Paper project which also includes cursors and a theme with light and dark color variants.
Paper Icon Theme for Linux
Install Paper Icon theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
For RPM-based distributions, repositories for Paper Theme and installation instructions for both Fedora and openSUSE are available on the openSUSE build system.
For Arch Linux, there is a Arch User Repository package(s) that provide both the Paper icons and GTK theme.
3. Lüv Icon Theme
Lüv (formerly Flattr) is a beautiful and somewhat glossy icon theme for any modern Desktop Environment. Lüv comes in its git repo alongside a badge of complimentary wallpapers suited of it.
Luv Icon Theme for Linux
To install Lüv Icon Theme, follow the installation instructions here: https://github.com/Nitrux/luv-icon-theme.
4. Shadow Icon Theme
Shadow is a flat icon theme with colourful icons that all have a circular base and a long shadow (probably the reason for the name).
Shadow Icon Theme for Linux
Install Shadow Icon Theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
Other Linux distributions, follow these instructions to install it.
Activate the theme using tweak-tool or from the command line:
5. Oranchelo Icons Theme
Oranchelo icons is a set of beautiful background-less icons with a Material Design-inspired colour palette and flat long shadows. Think of it as a set of Cornie Icons for the Linux desktop.
Oranchelo Icon Theme
Install Oranchelo Icons Theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
On Other Linux distributions, you can install it manually as shown.
6. Surfn
Surfn is a colourful icon theme that is based on four different icon themes: Ultra Flat icons, Super Flat remix icons, Yltra Flat icons, and Numix (Circle) icons.
Surfn Icon Theme for Linux
It takes more steps than a couple of commands to install Surfn so you’re better off following the instructions as listed on its GitHub page or else, you can use following commands to
7. Papirus Icon Theme
Papirus is an SVG-based icon theme with a material and flat style. All its elements have clear outlines with distinct colour tones available in 6 variants.
Papirus Icon Theme for Linux
Install Papirus Icon Theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
On Other Linux distributions, you can use the scripts to install the latest version directly.
8. Numix Circle Icon Theme
Numix Circle is the latest improvement of the icon theme set contained in the Numix project. All its icons have a circle container with well thought out shadows.
Numix Circle Icon Theme
Install Numix Circle Icon Theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
On Fedora distributions.
9. Xenlism Icon Theme
Xenlism is a technological graphics project bound to improve your desktop’s overall UI/UX. Its design-focused minimalism and realism are inspired by Nokia’s Meego and Apple’s iOS icons theme.
Xenlism Icon Theme
Install Xenlism Icon Theme use the following instructions in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
On Other Linux distributions, you can follow the installation instructions here.
10. Uniform Icon Theme
Uniform is a beautiful icon theme set that ironically, has differently shaped containers for each icon. Its design is achieved by maintaining the same pattern instead of drawing the same container – a style the developer decided on after testing “every shape on the planet to get a unique and original theme” and then flipping the table to unshape everything.
Uniform Icon Theme
Install Uniform Icon Theme using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
On Arch Linux, install using yaourt command.
11. FlatWoken Icon Theme
FlatWoken is a derivative of AwOken icon theme developed to be a complete set of icon themes for Linux and Android. It features colourful icons with shadow gradients all enclosed in square-shaped containers with rounded corners.
It contains multiple icon styles for the same app as well as multiple icon styles for system and user icons.
FlatWoken Icon Theme
Install FlatWoken Icon Theme in Ubuntu and Linux Mint using the following instructions.
From your preferred directory in the terminal type:
cd into the FlatWoken folder and mv the folders named “FlatWoken” and “FlatWokenMin” into your
/.icons directory (create the directory if it doesn’t exist).
You can now set FlatWoken or FlatWokenMin as your theme using the Gnome tweak tool or your favourite alternative.
12. Lila HD Icon Theme
Lila HD icons are square-shaped with a dark overlay diagonally cutting across. Unlike flat-style icons, Lila HD icons are skeuomorphic, thus having a more tangible appearance.
Apart from its default colour scheme, it comes in Blue, Crimson, Dark, green, Kaki, Light grey, and Purple variants. It also contains cursor, reload, navigation, etc. icons which all work together to provide a uniform Desktop Experience.
Lila HD Icon Theme
Install Lila HD Icon Theme in Ubuntu and Linux Mint using the following instructions.
Copy the files to your directory
Make icon cache for Lila-HD-icon-theme
On Other Linux distributions, you can follow the installation instructions here.
Notable Mention:
Vivacious Colors is a beautiful theme that comes with so many personalization options. Of course, they come at a price. This icon theme requires about 55 MB of space and with GTK Icon Cache Files, could require up to 280 MB.
Vibrancy Colors Icon Theme
Install Vivacious Colors using following PPA in Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
Is your favourite icon theme included in my list? Let me know about other icon themes that should have made it to the list or, at least, to the notable mention section in the comments box below.
10 Best Flat Icon Gnome Themes
Every Linux distribution comes with a couple of nice and clean icons themes. Many users just stick to only those themes and never try other awesome themes they’ve in the bag. In this article, I’m going to list out 10 best Flat design icon Gnome themes that you’re going to love. So let’s start.
Best Linux Icon Themes
1. Vimix Icon Theme
If you’re also a fan of the new Sleek design that is popular on the web, you will like Vimix. Its sleek design makes it stand out to number one in our list. Check out the screenshot.
2. Flat Remix Icons
As the name suggests Flat remix icons are the flat icon designs.
3. Simply Circles
This set of icons is simple but unique. The outline design looks beautiful on dark and light themes. There are different colors variations such as red, blue, orange, etc.
4. Zafiro icons
Another Flat icon gnome theme for flat design lovers. Zafiro icons are available in 8 colors and my favorite one is ‘Black Red’.
5. Deepin Icons
If you’ve ever used Deepin OS you most likely loved its icons pack. If you now want to use Deepin Icons in other distribution then here you’re are.
6. Mojave CT icons
If you like to use Mac like icons in your Linux distro, then you have Mojave CT icons. Also, check out our article on how to transform your Linux distro look like Mac OS X.
7. Tela Icons
Tela icons are flat and colorful design icons available in 11 colors. Check out the screenshots below –
8. Marwaita Icons
Marwaita icons pack is another flat design based on Flat remix icons pack.
9. Suru Plus Master & Dark
Suru plus master & dark icons set look beautiful when used with light themes. Just look at the light design.
10. Oranchelo
And the last one in our list is Oranchelo. It is also a flat icon set available in multiple colors.
That’s it
So that’s it. Above are the 10 best Flat icon gnome themes. There are a ton of icon sets for Gnome distributions and you might be using icons that I haven’t listed above. Just let me know which ones you’re using in the comment section below.
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6 comments
Aren’t these icon sets for Gnome rather than “Linux”? You are aware that there are other graphical user interfaces.
Yes they’re all for Gnome. 🙂 Thanks for mentioning that.
I fail to see the attraction of the flat icons. they’re ugly and harder to pick out against a busy background.
Just because simplified icons are desirable on low-power devices like phones doesn’t mean they should be crammed down the throats of all computer users.
Agree 100%. I’ve never understood the attraction either.
Please read my answer I gave to Fred.
Hey Fred, Mister Goldiloxx and article author.
I am creator of Suru++. Suru++ is NOT flat or minimalist, NOT Material Design because all they possess gradients.
I rejected the conservatism, traditionalism, flatism and minimalism because I wanted to modernise, cyberpunkise and to futuristify. Since versions 20 and 25, I made all my Suru++ icons family less conservative and traditional Bonandry’s Suru++ Ubuntu and reimaged all them with a new cyberpunk futuristic look whose new colours palette inspired by the most of sci-fi films and series and 80s and 90s cyberpunk retro-futuristic music genres:
* Altered Carbon
* Blade Runner 2065
* Krypton
* Man of Steel
* TRON Legacy
* Star Wars
* Star Trek