Find apps, files, and music with the Dash

The Dash allows you to search for applications, files, and music, and shows you items that you have used recently. If you have ever worked on a spreadsheet or edited an image and forgot where you saved it, you will surely find this feature of the Dash to be useful.
The dash includes a search bar, application and files shortcuts, and launchers for commonly-used applications (your web browser, email program, etc.).
To start using the dash, click on the Ubuntu logo in the top-left portion of the screen, or press the meta key. To hide the dash, press Esc.
Find applications and files using the search bar
The search bar is a global search bar, meaning you can use it to search for both applications and files. To use the global search bar, open the dash and then just start typing. The names and icons of relevant application and files will appear as soon as you start entering text.
Relevant application results will appear in one row, and relevant file results will appear in a second row. If no applications match your search query, only the file result list will appear. Similarly, if no files match your query, only the application list will appear.
If you see an application that you want to use, or a file that you want to open, click on its icon to start it. Also, pressing the Enter key will start the first item in the list.
By default, the dash will display one row of applications or files that match your search criteria. To see more results that match your search, click See more results.
To add an application to the launcher, click on the application's icon, drag it to the launcher, and then release it. It will automatically be pinned to the launcher as one of your favorites.
See Also
- Pin your favorite apps to the launcher — Add, move, or remove frequently-used program icons on the launcher.
Application and file shortcuts
Click the buttons in the row at the bottom of the dash to switch between lenses. Lenses allow you to focus the Dash results and exclude results from other lenses.
Clicking the second icon in the row will display the Applications lens. This displays applications you use most frequently, applications you have installed, as well as additional applications you can install from the Ubuntu Software Center.
Clicking the document icon allows you to browse the files you have used most recently, files in your Downloads folder, and your bookmarked folders.
The final lens shows songs and albums you've recently listened to.
To return to the main dash view, just click the first icon in the row, the Home button.
Further Reading
More About
- Ubuntu Desktop Guide — Ubuntu Desktop Guide