Workspace Wallpaper GNOME Shell Extension

Description

A GNOME Shell extension that sets different wallpapers for different workspaces. Perfect for visually distinguishing between your workspaces on GNOME Shell (works on Wayland).

Features

• Per-workspace wallpapers: Configure up to 4 unique wallpapers
• Smart fallback: Workspaces beyond the 4th automatically use the first workspace's wallpaper
• Instant switching: Wallpaper changes only when you switch workspaces (not based on window visibility)
• Clean UI: Simple settings dialog with image preview
• Supports GNOME 45-49

How It Works

• Workspace 1: Uses workspace-1-wallpaper
• Workspace 2: Uses workspace-2-wallpaper
• Workspace 3: Uses workspace-3-wallpaper
• Workspace 4: Uses workspace-4-wallpaper
• Workspaces 5+: Uses workspace-1-wallpaper (first workspace wallpaper as fallback)

The wallpaper changes only when you switch between workspaces, providing a consistent visual experience.

Requirements

• GNOME Shell 45+
• Fedora 43 Wayland GNOME (tested)
• Standard GNOME libs (Gio, Gtk, Adw, Meta)

Installation

Manual Installation

1. Create the extensions directory:

   mkdir -p ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/workspace-wallpaper@rohithmahesh3

2. Copy all files to the extension directory:

   cp -r /home/rohithmahesh/Dev/2wallpapers/* ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/workspace-wallpaper@rohithmahesh3/

3. Compile schemas:

   glib-compile-schemas ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/workspace-wallpaper@rohithmahesh3/schemas/

4. Restart GNOME Shell:

   • On Wayland: Log out and log back in
   • On X11: Press Alt+F2, type r, and press Enter

5. Enable the extension:

   gnome-extensions enable workspace-wallpaper@rohithmahesh3

   Or use the GNOME Extensions app to enable it.

Configuration

1. Open the Extensions app
2. Find Workspace Wallpaper extension
3. Click the Settings (gear) icon
4. Select a wallpaper for each of the 4 workspaces
5. Switch between workspaces to see the wallpaper change

Troubleshooting

Extension not showing in Extensions app

Make sure the extension is in the correct directory:

ls ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/workspace-wallpaper@rohithmahesh3/

You should see: extension.js, metadata.json, prefs.js, schemas/, etc.

Reload extensions

If the extension doesn't appear after installation:

dbus-send --session --dest=org.gnome.Shell --type=method_call /org/gnome/Shell org.gnome.Shell.Extensions.ReloadExtensions

Then restart GNOME Shell.

Development

Forked from 2wallpapers by @dudumaroja.

Modified to support per-workspace wallpapers instead of window-based wallpaper switching.

License

GNU GPL v2.0 or later.

Credits

• Original extension: @dudumaroja
• Modified by: @rohithmahesh3