sameem.dev

Updated 2 min read

Nemo, My Favourite File Manager

  • #guide
  • #linux
  • #nemo
Nemo file manager in a dark Catppuccin theme, split into two panes that each show the same home folder with Android, bin, Desktop, Documents, Downloads and other folders

Update (September 2026): I no longer use Nemo. I first picked it up on Linux Mint Cinnamon and kept using it when I moved to Arch Linux with GNOME. These days I’m on KDE Plasma, and since Dolphin is its default file manager, I’ve happily settled on it. Nemo is still a great file manager, so if you use it, I hope this guide helps.

Nemo - File Manager

Things to do after fresh installation

  • Set Nemo as the default file browser.
xdg-mime default nemo.desktop inode/directory application/x-gnome-saved-search
  • Set your terminal as the default terminal for Nemo with gsettings set org.cinnamon.desktop.default-applications.terminal exec terminal-name. I use Alacritty as my terminal, so:
gsettings set org.cinnamon.desktop.default-applications.terminal exec alacritty
  • Install Nemo File Roller, the file archiver extension for Nemo. It lets you extract and compress files.
pacman -S nemo-fileroller

Customisation

  • To change the theme of Nemo, install the theme and set it with gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme new-theme. I use the catppuccin-mocha theme; it has a nice dark interface.
yay -S catppuccin-gtk-theme-mocha
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme Catppuccin-Mocha-Standard-Blue-Dark
  • Install lxappearance, then use it to change the GTK theme for widgets as well.
  • You can hide the menubar from View -> Menubar (press Alt to show it again after hiding it).
  • You can customise your toolbar from Edit -> Preferences -> Toolbar.
  • Reference.

Keyboard shortcuts

Panes

  • F3: Toggle extra pane (split view that shows two folders side by side).
  • F4: Toggle terminal in the top pane (requires the Nemo Terminal plugin).
  • F6: Cycle focus between panes.
  • F9: Toggle left pane (browsing folders only).
  • F8 + Arrow keys: Resize panes.

Tabs

  • Ctrl + T: New tab in current pane.
  • Ctrl + Pg Up or Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Previous tab.
  • Ctrl + Pg Down or Ctrl + Tab: Next tab.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Pg Up / Pg Down: Move tab left / right.
  • Ctrl + W: Close current tab.

Folders

  • Alt + ←: Previous browsed directory.
  • Alt + →: Next browsed directory.
  • Alt + ↑: Parent directory.