VM Management - Reduce VM boot time - Debian 12 only - [TemplateVM] Enter sudo cp /lib/systemd/system/systemd-binfmt.service /etc/systemd/system, then delete After=local-fs.target from /etc/systemd/system/systemd-binfmt.service @renehoj

Shut down selected window's VM - [dom0] Create /bin/halt-vm-by-window containing the code below, run chmod +x /bin/halt-vm-by-window, then map to shortcut @tasket [details="halt-vm-by-window"]

#!/bin/bash

CUR_WIN_ID=`xdotool getwindowfocus`
CUR_VM=`xprop _QUBES_VMNAME -id $CUR_WIN_ID |cut -d \" -f2`

qvm-run $CUR_VM 'xdotool search --name "Mozilla Firefox" key ctrl+q'
qvm-run $CUR_VM 'xdotool search --name "Mozilla Thunderbird" key ctrl+q'
sleep 4
/usr/bin/qvm-shutdown $CUR_VM  --wait --timeout=40

[/details]

Open selected window's VM's terminal [dom0] Create /home/user/bin/open_terminal.sh (expandable), make executable with chmod +x, then create key binding. To open as root, replace qvm-run with qvm-run -u root @unman

[details="open_terminal.sh"]

#!/bin/bash

ID=`xdotool getwindowfocus`
QUBE=`xprop _QUBES_VMNAME -id $ID|cut -f2 -d\" `
if [[ "$QUBE" == "_QUBES_VMNAME:  not found." ]]; then
  exit
else
  qvm-run $QUBE /usr/bin/qubes-run-terminal &amp;
fi

[/details]

Memory warning notifications - [dom0] Create the files below as needed, then for each file: chmod +x [FILENAME], enter crontab -e, then add */5 * * * * [FILENAME] and save @ddevz [details="/bin/dom0-Memory-Notification"]

#!/bin/bash

FREE_MEMORY=$((`free -m | grep '^Mem' | awk '{print $7}'`))
if (( $FREE_MEMORY &lt; 500 )); then
    notify-send  --expire-time=360000 --urgency=critical 'dom0: Low memory' "Remaining: $FREE_MEMORY MBs"
fi

[/details] [details="/bin/Xen-Memory-Notification"]

#!/bin/bash

FREE_MEMORY=$((`xl info | grep free_memory | sed 's/^.*:\([0-9]*\)/\1/'` / 1000))
if (( $FREE_MEMORY &lt; 8 )); then
    notify-send --expire-time=360000 --urgency=critical 'Xen: Low memory' "Remaining: 
$FREE_MEMORY GBs"
fi

[/details]

Input Devices

Prevent loss of control from sys-usb shutdown - [dom0] crontab -e, then enter * * * * * qvm-start --skip-if-running sys-usb > /dev/null 2>&1 and save. Reverse the change by commenting out that line @SteveC
Create a toggle to hide the cursor - [dom0] Install unclutter, run the code below (expandable), then map toggle-unclutter.sh to a key @ludovic vecna13 from the 2676 issue

[details="Hide cursor (dom0)"]

mkdir $HOME/bin
cat &lt;&lt; 'EOF' | tee $HOME/bin/toggle-unclutter.sh

#! /bin/sh
if pgrep unclutter &amp;&gt; /dev/null 2&gt;&amp;1
then
   killall unclutter
else
   unclutter -idle 1 &amp;
fi
EOF

chmod +x $HOME/bin/toggle-unclutter.sh

[/details]

Trigger the QubesOS widgets via keyboard - [dom0] In dom0 create a script containing the code below (expandable), make it executable (chmod +x) and bind to keyboard shortcut @Bearillo [details="widget-click.sh"] Call this script with either the argument devices (so widget-click.sh devices) or domains to open the respective widget.
```
#!/bin/bash
# call with argument 'devices' or 'domains'
sleep 0.1
eval $(xdotool search --onlyvisible --name "qui-$1" getwindowgeometry --shell)
xdotool mousemove $X $Y click 1 mousemove restore
```
[/details]

Trigger the QubesOS app menu via keyboard - [dom0] In dom0 create a script containing the code below (expandable), make it executable (chmod +x) and bind to keyboard shortcut @Bearillo [details="qubes-menu.sh"] Note that you may need to adjust the numbers if your screen is not 1080p.

#!/bin/bash
eval $(xdotool getmouselocation --shell)
xdotool mousemove 5 5
gdbus call --session --dest org.qubesos.appmenu --object-path "/org/qubesos/appmenu" --method org.freedesktop.Application.Activate "{}"
if [ $X -lt 720 ] &amp;&amp; [ $Y -lt 775 ]; then
  X=720   # prevent the mouse from selecting items in the app menu when opening it with the keyboard
fi        # note that these values may need adjusting if using a screen with a resolution other than 1080p
xdotool mousemove $X $Y

[/details]

Storage - Send files directly to external storage mounted in other qube - [AppVM] Run the code below (expandable), then copy/move your file(s) @SteveC

[details="In destination qube:"] In the following instructions [ORIGIN QUBE] is the qube name without brackets or slashes!

mkdir ~/QubesIncoming
mv ~/QubesIncoming/[ORIGIN QUBE] ~/QubesIncoming/[ORIGIN QUBE]_backup
ln -s [MOUNT POINT] ~/QubesIncoming/[ORIGIN QUBE]

[/details]

Networking

Toggle NetVM of qube in focus - [dom0] In dom0 create the following script, make it executable (chmod +x) and bind to keyboard shortcut (expandable) @Bearillo

[details="vm-give-default-network"]

#!/bin/bash

CUR_WIN_ID=$(xdotool getwindowfocus)
CUR_VM=$(xprop _QUBES_VMNAME -id $CUR_WIN_ID | cut -d \" -f 2)

if [[ "$CUR_VM" != *"not found"* ]];then
  if ! qvm-prefs "$CUR_VM" netvm | head -c1 | grep -E '.';then

      TEXT="TOR"
      while read -r line
          do
          if [[ "$line" == "anon-vm" ]];then
              TEXT="TOR"
              break
          else
              TEXT="DEFAULT"
          fi
      done &lt;&lt;&lt; $(qvm-tags "$CUR_VM")

      ANSWER=$(notify-send -A Y="Yes" -A N="No" "Grant $TEXT network access to $CUR_VM" "Do you want to grant $TEXT network access to $CUR_VM?")

      if [[ "$ANSWER" == "Y" ]];then
          if [[ "$TEXT" == "DEFAULT" ]];then
              qvm-start --skip-if-running $(qubes-prefs default_netvm) &amp;&amp;
              qvm-prefs "$CUR_VM" netvm -D &amp;&amp;
                      notify-send "Granted $CUR_VM $TEXT network access!" "The netvm of $CUR_VM was set to $(qvm-prefs "$CUR_VM" netvm)."
          else
              qvm-start --skip-if-running sys-whonix &amp;&amp;
              qvm-prefs "$CUR_VM" netvm sys-whonix &amp;&amp;
              notify-send "Granted $CUR_VM $TEXT network access!" "The netvm of $CUR_VM was set to $(qvm-prefs "$CUR_VM" netvm)."
          fi
      fi
  else
          qvm-prefs "$CUR_VM" netvm None
      notify-send "Disconnected $CUR_VM from network!" "The netvm of $CUR_VM was set to None (n/a)."
  fi
fi

[/details]

Keep WiFi off by default on boot - [TemplateVM] In sys-net's template, create /var/lib/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.state containing the code below (expandable) @Bearillo [details="NetworkManager.state"]
```
[main]
WirelessEnabled=false
```
[/details]
Soft toggle WiFi - [dom0] qvm-run sys-net -- "if nmcli radio wifi | head -c1 | egrep 'e'; then nmcli radio wifi off; else nmcli radio wifi on; fi" (can be mapped to shortcut) @Bearillo

Video playback - Reduce VLC's CPU usage - [AppVM] In VLC's preferences, open 'Video' and change 'Output' to 'X11 video output (XCB)' @solene

Reduce mpv's CPU usage (link includes guide for YouTube too) - [TemplateVM] In /etc/mpv/mpv.conf, insert vo=x11 and profile=sw-fast as separate lines @Bearillo

Etc. - View dom0 update history - [dom0] Enter dnf history to view update events; enter dnf history info [EVENT ID] to view event details. Also works for Fedora in general @adw

Disable notifications per VM - Fedora-XFCE only - [AppVM] Run xfce4-notifyd-config, then xfconf-query -c xfce4-notifyd -p /do-not-disturb --set true @solene
Open selected window's VM's terminal i3 only - [dom0] open ~/.config/i3/config, then add bindsym $mod+Return exec qubes-i3-sensible-terminal. To open as root, replace qubes-i3-sensible-terminal with qubes-i3-sensible-terminal.root. Alter shortcut as needed. @ruza

This is a thread where we collect quick tips and tricks that can improve the Qubes experience.

Feel free to add your tip to this wiki post (anyone can edit this)

Guidelines 1. Your tip should contain as few words as possible 2. If your tip can't be condensed into a few lines, it doesn't belong here 3. If your tip is niche with regard to Qubes users, it doesn't belong here* 4. Follow the established style convention 5. Give credit, even to yourself, and link to the original (if needed, also post your tip as reply so you have a link)

* ^{^{"What's niche?" is going to spawn a lot of debate and angst, but this constraint is necessary to prevent the post from getting bloated and mostly irrelevant}}