VM Management

• Free up dom0 disk space - [dom0] sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=1d @renehoj

• 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.sh (expandable), make it executable (chmod +x), then map to shortcut @tasket [details="halt-vm-by-window.sh"]

  #!/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 it executable (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 &
fi

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

[details="open_template_terminal.sh]

#!/bin/bash

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

qvm-run -q -a --service -- $CUR_VM_TEMP qubes.StartApp+qubes-run-terminal

exit 0

• 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 < 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 < 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 << 'EOF' | tee $HOME/bin/toggle-unclutter.sh

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

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

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]

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 Alternative version @den1ed [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 <<< $(qvm-tags "$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 $(qubes-prefs default_netvm) &&
                qvm-prefs "$CUR_VM" netvm -D &&
                        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 &&
                qvm-prefs "$CUR_VM" netvm sys-whonix &&
                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

Bug workarounds

• Prevent resizing windows from crashing xorg in qube - [dom0] Window Manager > Advanced > Hide content of windows: When resizing @renehoj

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

• Automatically log into dom0 on boot [dom0] In /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf, uncomment and set autologin-user=[your dom0 username] @renehoj

• Decrease time to login prompt / autologin [dom0] sudo systemctl edit qubes-vm@.service, then insert lines [Service] then Type=simple in the active section @a_lurker_no_more

• 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

• Trigger the QubesOS widgets via keyboard - [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 ] && [ $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]

• Create a custom mode for launching apps quickly- i3 only - [dom0] Open ~/.config/i3/config, then add the contents of config.append (expandable) . Alter shortcuts and qube names as needed. @q4u [details="config.append"]

  # Replace example appVM and names/commands with your own
  
  set $mode_launcher Launch: [e]macs [m]ail [s]ignal
  bindsym $mod+o mode "$mode_launcher"
  
  mode "$mode_launcher" {
  bindsym e exec qvm-run app-dev "emacsclient -c -a 'emacs'"
  bindsym s exec qvm-run app-signal signal-desktop
  bindsym m exec qvm-run app-mail thunderbird
  
  bindsym Escape mode "default"
  bindsym Return mode "default"
  }
  

  [/details]

• 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

• Screenshot a window - [dom0] Create /bin/screenshot_VM.sh (expandable), make it executable (chmod +x), then map to shortcut. @steffen and other contributors on Github

[details="screenshot_VM.sh"]

#!/bin/sh
# lets the user take a screenshot based on rectangular selection and sends it to the currently focused VM

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

if [[ "$CUR_VM" != "_QUBES_VMNAME:  not found." ]]; then
  xfce4-screenshooter -r -o "qvm-copy-to-vm $CUR_VM"
  notify-send "Screenshot sent!" "Your selection has been sent as a screenshot to $CUR_VM!"
fi

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)

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* ^{"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}