The Cluttered Login Screen
The default login screen in Ubuntu (managed by the GDM3 display manager) features a prominent accessibility menu icon in the top-right corner. This menu provides quick access to tools like the screen reader, high contrast mode, and the on-screen keyboard. While these are vital features for users who require them, they are entirely unnecessary for the vast majority of users. On a locked-down kiosk machine, a minimalist server interface, or a shared family computer where accessibility tools are never used, the presence of the icon simply adds visual clutter and creates an unnecessary distraction on the otherwise clean login screen.
Hiding the Accessibility Icon
To streamline your login experience and remove the unused accessibility dropdown menu from the GDM3 greeter screen, you must modify the underlying dconf settings for the login manager.
Because the login screen runs under a dedicated system user (the “gdm” user), you cannot simply change a setting in your personal control panel. Open your terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T). You must execute a command as the GDM user. Type the following command exactly as written, paying close attention to the quotes and syntax: sudo -u gdm dbus-launch gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.a11y.applications screen-reader-enabled false (Note: The most effective way to completely hide the menu on modern Ubuntu is actually to use a custom dconf profile, but for simplicity, you can disable the master toggle: sudo -u gdm dbus-launch gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface toolkit-accessibility false). Press Enter and type your administrator password. Restart your computer. The accessibility icon will vanish from the login screen, leaving a cleaner, distraction-free interface.