Also see Ubuntu setup

Recommended tweaks

Remove the duplicate login screen entry

sudo mv /usr/share/xsessions/xfce.desktop /usr/share/xsessions/xfce.desktop.bak &> /dev/null

Remove unnecessary applications

sudo apt-get -y remove abiword gmusicbrowser gnumeric mousepad orage xchat xfce4-notes

Install recommended applications

sudo apt-get -y install brasero deja-dup gedit gnote libreoffice-calc libreoffice-impress libreoffice-writer rhythmbox shotwell

Disable visual effects (if you have an older computer, this will speed it up slightly)

xfconf-query -c xfwm4 -p /general/use_compositing -t bool -s false

Optional tweaks

If your computer doesn’t have bluetooth:

1. Xfce menu > All Settings > System > Session and Startup
2. Select the Application Autostart tab
3. Uncheck Blueman Applet

If your computer isn’t a laptop:

1. Xfce menu > All Settings > System > Session and Startup
2. Select the Application Autostart tab
3. Uncheck Power Manager

If you want to hide the default desktop icons

1. Xfce menu > All Settings > Personal > Desktop > Icons
2. Under Default Icons, uncheck any icons you wish to hide

Add system load monitor panel applet

1. Install the applet

   sudo apt-get -y install indicator-multiload
   

2. Xfce menu > System Load Indicator

3. Click the load indicator in the panel > Preferences

4. Make sure Autostart is checked

5. Check any of the resources you want in Monitored Resources (recommended: Processor, Memory)

Other

After upgrading from Xubuntu 14.04 to 16.04

• If the menu is missing items

  1. Right-click the menu > Remove > Remove

  2. Right-click an empty spot in the top panel > Panel > Panel Preferences > Items > + > Whisker Menu > Add > Close

  3. Under Items select Whisker Menu > click ↑ until it’s at the top > Close

Start with a clean configuration (without losing any of your files or programs)

1. mv ~/.config/xfce4 ~/.config/xfce4.bak

2. Reboot

3. Log into Xubuntu Session (not Xfce Session, if that’s an option)