Modern versions of Ubuntu (utilizing the GNOME desktop) use a feature known as “Overlay Scrollbars.” When you are reading a long document or browsing a folder, the vertical scrollbar on the right side of the window is completely invisible. It only appears as a thin, semi-transparent line when you actually begin scrolling with your mouse wheel, disappearing again a second later.
While this minimalist design saves a tiny amount of screen real estate, it severely degrades usability. Without a visible scrollbar, you have no immediate visual indicator of how long a document is or where you currently are within it. Furthermore, if you want to click and drag the scrollbar manually, you have to blindly guess where it is to make it appear. You can disable the overlay behavior and force standard, always-visible scrollbars.
How to Force Scrollbars to Always Show in Ubuntu
You can disable the auto-hiding overlay behavior using the GNOME accessibility settings.
- Click the network/battery icon cluster in the top-right corner of the Ubuntu top bar and select Settings (the gear icon).
- In the left-hand navigation sidebar, click on Accessibility.
- Look for the section titled “Seeing” at the top of the main window.
- Locate the toggle switch labelled Always Show Scrollbars.
- Click the toggle switch to turn it On.
The change will apply instantly across all native GNOME applications (like Files, Settings, and Terminal). The scrollbars will revert to a traditional, opaque design and will remain permanently docked to the right side of the window, providing constant visual feedback about the length of your documents.