Ubuntu Version
24.04 LTS
Desktop Environment (if applicable)
GNOME
Problem Description
Show Apps had duplicate icons for System Monitor
The issue is now resolved. 
Hoped sharing issue might be beneficial.
It confused this fairly new user to Ubuntu.
Is it worth sharing these sorts of things going forward at all?
Or would somewhere else be more appropriate.
Relevant System Information
Dell Intel
What Iâve Tried
Question and answer session with Brave AI Leo.
Q. ubuntu system manager has three icons on show apps screen
Quick Answer
The presence of multiple icons for System Monitor in the Show Applications screen is typically caused by duplicate .desktop files or conflicts between different package managers. In Ubuntu 18.04, the default System Monitor is a Snap package (gnome-system-monitor), which may have a separate .desktop file or icon handling compared to the traditional APT version. Additionally, multiple .desktop files can exist in /usr/share/applications or ~/.local/share/applications if the application was installed via different methods (e.g., Snap, Flatpak, and APT) or if leftover files from previous installations remain.
To resolve this, you can identify the duplicate files by running the following command in the terminal to find all System Monitor related desktop files:
find /usr/share/applications ~/.local/share/applications -name âsystem-monitorâ -o -name âgnome-system-monitorâ -o -name âsysmonâ
Once identified, you can remove the unwanted .desktop files (usually those associated with Snap or unused package managers) using rm. For example, if you prefer the APT version, you might remove the Snap entry. Alternatively, use the Alacarte menu editor (sudo apt install alacarte) to visually remove duplicate entries from the application launcher. If the issue persists, ensure no conflicting file managers (like Nemo or Nautilus) are creating duplicate âFilesâ or system tool entries by checking their respective .desktop files in /usr/share/applications.
two instances after dir on /usr/share/applications find /usr/share/applications ~/.local/share/applications -name âsystem-monitorâ -o -name âgnome-system-monitorâ -o -name âsysmonâ -o -name âSystemMonitorâ
/usr/share/applications/org.gnome.SystemMonitor.desktop
/usr/share/applications/gnome-system-monitor-kde.desktop
but three icons in âShow Appsâ, two icons white surround black with yellow line when opened About report 48.1 and the icons are light colored, one icon dark colored with blue line About reports 46
Finished
The presence of three icons is caused by the coexistence of two different versions of the application (v46 and v48.1) and a legacy compatibility launcher.
- The Version Conflict (v46 vs. v48.1)
You have two distinct installations of GNOME System Monitor running simultaneously, likely one from the APT repository and one from a Snap or PPA source.
Version 46 (Dark Icon, Blue Line): This is the older version, typically the default apt package included with your base Ubuntu release (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04 LTS ships with GNOME 46). Its .desktop file is usually org.gnome.SystemMonitor.desktop.
Version 48.1 (Light Icon, Yellow Line): This is a newer version, likely installed via Snap or a PPA to get newer features. Snap packages often use different icon themes (hence the yellow line vs. blue) and run in a sandboxed environment.
2. The Third Icon (gnome-system-monitor-kde.desktop)
The file gnome-system-monitor-kde.desktop is a legacy compatibility launcher.
Purpose: It was created to ensure the application appears correctly in menus when running the GNOME System Monitor inside a KDE Plasma session. It often forces specific environment variables or icon themes compatible with KDE.
Result: In a standard GNOME session, this file is not filtered out, causing the application to appear a third time. It usually points to the same binary as one of the other two but may load with different thematic settings.
How to Fix
To reduce this to a single icon, you should remove the duplicate entry you do not wish to use.
Option A: Remove the Legacy KDE Entry (Safest)
If you are running standard Ubuntu (GNOME), the KDE-specific launcher is unnecessary.
sudo rm /usr/share/applications/gnome-system-monitor-kde.desktop
Refresh the app grid by logging out and back in, or running sudo update-desktop-database.
Option B: Remove the Older Version (If you prefer v48.1)
If you want to keep the newer v48.1 (Yellow line) and remove the old v46 (Blue line):
Identify the source: Run snap list | grep system-monitor. If it appears there, the Snap is likely the v48.1 version.
Remove the APT version:
sudo apt remove gnome-system-monitor
Ensure the Snap version is installed:
sudo snap install gnome-system-monitor
Option C: Remove the Newer Version (If you prefer v46)
If you prefer the stable system version:
Remove the Snap/PPA version:
sudo snap remove gnome-system-monitor
Reinstall the standard version:
sudo apt install --reinstall gnome-system-monitor
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gnome-system-monitor snap vs apt icon difference
Q. In App Centre, System Monitor appears twice in Manage>installed apps, SystemMonitor 46.0-1build1 3MB and GNOME System Monitor latest/stable 48.1 2MB only the GNOME System Monitor has and Open button next to it
Finished
The behavior you are seeing in the App Center confirms that you have two distinct package formats installed simultaneously: the traditional APT (.deb) package and the containerized Snap package.
- Why the âOpenâ Button Appears Only on One
The GNOME System Monitor (latest/stable 48.1) has the Open button because it is installed as a Snap.
Snap Integration: The modern Ubuntu App Center is designed primarily to manage Snap packages. Since Snaps are self-contained applications managed directly by the Snap store infrastructure, the App Center treats them as âfirst-class citizens,â offering direct launch capabilities (âOpenâ) alongside updates.
APT Limitations: The SystemMonitor (46.0-1build1) is installed via APT (the traditional Debian package manager). While the App Center lists APT packages under âInstalled,â it often lacks the direct âOpenâ launcher integration for them in certain views, treating them more as system components managed by the underlying OS rather than store apps.
2. Version and Size Differences
Version 46.0-1build1 (3MB): This is the APT version. It is tightly integrated with your specific Ubuntu release (likely 24.04 LTS). The slightly larger size on disk reported here often reflects the uncompressed binary and shared library usage.
Version 48.1 (2MB): This is the Snap version. It is newer (48.1 vs 46.0) because Snaps receive updates directly from the developer, bypassing the slower Ubuntu release cycle. The reported size (2MB) is often just the download size or metadata; the actual sandboxed environment including dependencies is significantly larger on disk but compressed in the store listing.
Recommendation
Having both installed is redundant and causes the duplicate icons you observed earlier.
To keep the newer version (Recommended for latest features):
Remove the older APT version.
sudo apt remove gnome-system-monitor
Result: Only the Snap version (v48.1) remains. The âOpenâ button will function, and you get the latest updates.
To keep the stable system version (Recommended for performance/integration):
Remove the Snap version.
sudo snap remove gnome-system-monitor
Result: Only the APT version (v46.0) remains. Note that the âOpenâ button might disappear from the App Center for this entry, but the application will launch faster and integrate better with your system theme.
ubuntu app center open button missing for apt packages
snap vs apt system monitor ubuntu performance site:reddit.com
Q. for overall system performance is it recommended to remove the newer snap if the apt version was installed as part of the original ubuntu os desktop install that is will removing the apt version compromise ubuntu os in some way and the ubuntu os canât integrate with the snap version that is does ubuntu os functionality require the apt system monitor version or can it use the snap one if required
Finished
No, removing the APT version will not compromise your Ubuntu OS.
The System Monitor is a standalone utility, not a core system component required for Ubuntu to boot or function. The operating system does not rely on the APT version of gnome-system-monitor for any internal processes, logging, or stability.
- Safety of Removing the APT Version
No Dependency Conflicts: The gnome-system-monitor package installed via APT is not a dependency for critical system packages (like the kernel, GNOME Shell, or network managers). Removing it with sudo apt remove gnome-system-monitor will not trigger the removal of essential Ubuntu components.
Functional Equivalence: The Snap version (v48.1) provides the exact same functionality (viewing processes, resource usage, file systems) as the APT version. Ubuntu system tools and the desktop environment can interact with the Snap version seamlessly for user-level monitoring tasks. - Integration Capabilities
System Access: While Snaps are sandboxed, the System Monitor Snap is granted specific interfaces (permissions) to read system-wide process and memory data. It functions effectively as a system monitor without needing the APT binary.
Theme & Launcher: The only minor difference is that the Snap version might occasionally lag slightly in adopting new system theme updates compared to the native APT version, but it fully integrates into the âShow Appsâ menu and system search.
Recommendation for Performance
For the best balance of system performance and software freshness:
Remove the APT version: It is redundant since you have the Snap version.
sudo apt remove gnome-system-monitor
sudo apt autoremove # Cleans up unused dependencies
Keep the Snap version: You retain the newer features (v48.1) without risking system stability. The âOpenâ button in the App Center will continue to work, and you will have only one icon in your application grid.
Summary: You can safely remove the older APT version. Your Ubuntu OS will continue to function normally, using the newer Snap version for all monitoring tasks.
is gnome-system-monitor required for ubuntu stability
snap vs apt system monitor performance ubuntu site:reddit.com
Q. is it possible some other application installed the apt version as a dependency or other applications are expecting the apt version as a utility and wonât be able to use the snap version
Finished
No, it is highly unlikely that any critical application requires the specific APT version.
Based on dependency checks for Ubuntu:
- Dependency Analysis
No Hard Dependencies: The gnome-system-monitor package is not a hard dependency (Depends) for any core Ubuntu system packages. It is typically listed as a recommended package (Recommends) for meta-packages like gnome-core, ubuntu-desktop, or cinnamon-desktop-environment.
Safe Removal: When you run sudo apt remove gnome-system-monitor, the package manager will not remove essential system components. It may only remove the meta-package reference (e.g., ubuntu-desktop), which is harmless; your actual desktop environment and system tools will remain fully functional.
Legacy Scripts: While very old scripts or third-party tutorials might explicitly call /usr/bin/gnome-system-monitor (the APT path), modern usage relies on the command gnome-system-monitor being available in the system PATH. The Snap version successfully registers this command, so any script calling the command name will launch the Snap version automatically. - Compatibility with Other Applications
System Tools: No other system utility âexpectsâ the APT binary specifically. Tools that monitor processes (like log analyzers or third-party dashboards) interact with the kernel via standard interfaces (/proc), not by calling the System Monitor application itself.
GNOME Extensions: Some older GNOME Shell extensions (like system-monitor-next) previously required the APT versionâs libraries (gir1.2-gtop-2.0, etc.). However, these extensions generally rely on the underlying system libraries (which remain installed even if the app is removed) rather than the application binary itself. If an extension specifically checks for the binary, it will find the Snapâs wrapper command.
Conclusion
You can safely remove the APT version without breaking your OS or other applications.
Action: Run sudo apt remove gnome-system-monitor.
Result: The Snap version (v48.1) will become the sole provider of the gnome-system-monitor command. Your system will remain stable, and you will resolve the duplicate icon issue.
apt-cache rdepends gnome-system-monitor ubuntu
safe to remove apt gnome-system-monitor when snap is installed
Q. removing the apt version removed one of the icons for 46 and after reboot it remains gone however the two snap icons still persist in the Show Apps screen 48.1
Finished
The persistence of two icons for the Snap version (v48.1) is caused by duplicate .desktop launcher files generated by the Snap system. Even though you removed the APT version, the Snap package likely created entries in both the system-wide directory and your local user directory, or left behind the legacy KDE compatibility file specifically for the Snap instance.
- Identify the Duplicate Files
Snap applications store their launchers in /var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/, but they often symlink or copy these to ~/.local/share/applications/. Additionally, the gnome-system-monitor-kde.desktop file may still exist and now points solely to the Snap binary.
Run this command to list the specific files causing the duplicates:
ls -l /var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/system-monitor ~/.local/share/applications/system-monitor /usr/share/applications/system-monitor 2>/dev/null
You will likely see:
org.gnome.SystemMonitor.desktop (The main Snap launcher)
gnome-system-monitor-kde.desktop (The legacy KDE launcher, now pointing to Snap)
Possibly a duplicate in ~/.local/share/applications/ created by a previous session or the App Center.
2. Remove the Extra Launchers
To fix this, you need to remove the redundant .desktop files. The safest approach is to remove the KDE-specific one and any local user duplicates, keeping only the main system Snap launcher.
Step A: Remove the KDE Compatibility Launcher Since you are running standard Ubuntu (GNOME), this file is unnecessary and causes a duplicate entry.
sudo rm /usr/share/applications/gnome-system-monitor-kde.desktop
Note: If this file also exists in /var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/, remove it there too.
Step B: Clean Local User Launchers Check your local applications folder for duplicates created by the Snap installation process:
rm ~/.local/share/applications/org.gnome.SystemMonitor.desktop
rm ~/.local/share/applications/gnome-system-monitor-kde.desktop
If the command says âNo such file or directory,â that specific duplicate doesnât exist, which is fine.
Step C: Refresh the Application Database Force GNOME to reload the application menu:
sudo update-desktop-database
Then, log out and log back in (or restart your computer). This ensures the GNOME Shell clears its cached list of applications.
Why This Happened
The Snap package for gnome-system-monitor includes multiple .desktop files to ensure compatibility across different Linux desktop environments (GNOME, KDE, etc.). When the APT version was present, the system might have merged or hid some of these. Once the APT version was removed, the Snapâs internal duplicate launchers (specifically the KDE variant) became visible as separate icons in the âShow Appsâ grid.
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Q. running ls -l /var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/system-monitor ~/.local/share/applications/system-monitor /usr/share/applications/system-monitor 2>/dev/null
-rw-râr-- 1 root root 23694 Aug 10 06:54 /var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/gnome-system-monitor_gnome-system-monitor.desktop
-rw-râr-- 1 root root 23938 Aug 10 06:54 /var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/gnome-system-monitor_org.gnome.SystemMonitor.desktop
Finished
The presence of two icons despite having only one Snap version installed is caused by the Snap package including two distinct .desktop files for compatibility purposes.
Your ls output confirms the source:
gnome-system-monitor_gnome-system-monitor.desktop
gnome-system-monitor_org.gnome.SystemMonitor.desktop
Both files point to the same application (v48.1) but have different internal IDs. GNOME Shell treats them as separate applications because their filenames and internal StartupWMClass or ID fields differ, resulting in two icons.
How to Fix
You need to remove or disable one of these launcher files. The standard convention is to keep org.gnome.SystemMonitor.desktop (the modern GNOME standard) and remove the legacy gnome-system-monitor.desktop variant.
Step 1: Remove the Legacy Launcher Run the following command to remove the duplicate entry with the non-standard name:
sudo rm /var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/gnome-system-monitor_gnome-system-monitor.desktop
Step 2: Refresh the Application Cache Force the system to recognize the change:
sudo update-desktop-database
Step 3: Restart GNOME Shell To immediately clear the duplicate icon from the âShow Appsâ screen:
On X11: Press Alt + F2, type r, and press Enter.
On Wayland: You must log out and log back in.
Why This Happens
The Snap packaging system often includes multiple .desktop files to ensure the app appears correctly in older desktop environments or specific distributions that look for legacy filenames (like gnome-system-monitor.desktop). In modern Ubuntu (GNOME), both files are valid, causing the duplication. Removing the legacy one leaves only the standard org.gnome.SystemMonitor.desktop, resolving the issue.
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Q. the duplicates icons disappeared from Show Apps without refreshing the application cache and without restart of GNOME shell after checking duplicate icons were no longer there sudo update-desktop-database was run
Finished
The disappearance of the duplicate icons immediately after file deletion, without needing a manual refresh or restart, is standard behavior for the GNOME Shell file monitoring system.
Why It Happened Automatically
Real-Time Monitoring: The GNOME Shell actively monitors the /usr/share/applications and /var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications directories for changes. When you executed sudo rm, the shell detected the file removal instantly and updated the âShow Appsâ grid in real-time.
Role of update-desktop-database: While the visual update happened automatically, running sudo update-desktop-database was still beneficial. This command updates the internal MIME type and desktop file cache (mimeinfo.cache and applications.cache). This ensures that if any other application queries the system for âSystem Monitorâ via the command line or file associations, it receives the correct, single entry immediately, preventing potential confusion in other parts of the OS.
Current Status
Your system is now clean:
Single Icon: Only the valid org.gnome.SystemMonitor.desktop (v48.1 Snap) remains active.
No Conflicts: The legacy APT version and the duplicate Snap launcher are completely removed.
Stability: The system is using the most up-to-date version available via Snap without any redundant entries.
You can now launch System Monitor confidently knowing it is the single, latest instance.
