[HOW TO] Make Nemo the default file manager

Tutorials & Guides
1

If you are like me, and like the Nemo file manager over the built in Nautilus file manager, here is a guide how to make Nemo the default file manager on your Zorin OS.

This will also work if you use the OS shortcuts Super + E

All the commands need to be executed in the terminal.

  1. Install Nemo (if it's not already installed):
    sudo apt install nemo

  2. Make it the default file manager:
    xdg-mime default nemo.desktop inode/directory application/x-gnome-saved-search

  3. This step is optional. If you are switching to Nemo, may I suggest you also use the Nemo file roller:
    sudo apt install nemo-fileroller

  4. Reverse the changes, in case you want back to Nautilus as the default file manager:
    xdg-mime default nautilus.desktop inode/directory application/x-gnome-saved-search

  5. To remove Nemo and Nemo file roller, run the following command:
    sudo apt remove nemo nemo-*

8 Likes
2

Hello,

is there a way to make the system open Nemo instead of Nautilus when performing tasks like, for example, uploading files?

Thank you.

3

The system opens a separate process: File Picker.
That is not Nautilus you are seeing, but File Picker.

4

I see, thank you for your help.

So, that's the process that hangs when performing tasks like uploading a file - Lag when uploading files.

Recently some software opened up the very basic version of the File Picker/browser while searching for the the file to upload and everything went smoothly.