When you install Ubuntu Desktop or create a new user account, the very first time you log in to the graphical environment, you are forced through a multi-page “Welcome to Ubuntu” setup wizard. This program, technically known as gnome-initial-setup, asks you to connect online accounts, configure telemetry (sending system info to Canonical), and enable location services.
If you are a system administrator deploying Ubuntu to dozens of workstations, or if you simply prefer configuring these settings manually via the terminal, forcing every new user to click through this marketing-heavy wizard is a waste of time. You can completely disable this post-install setup screen.
How to Disable the GNOME Initial Setup Wizard
The wizard relies on a specific package being installed. The most effective way to guarantee the “Welcome to Ubuntu” screen never appears is to simply remove the package from the system entirely.
- Open your Ubuntu Terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T).
- Type the following command and press Enter to uninstall the package:
sudo apt remove gnome-initial-setup - Provide your administrator password when prompted.
- The terminal will ask if you want to continue. Press Y and hit Enter.
The package will be instantly removed. If you create a brand-new user account right now and log into it, the desktop will load immediately, entirely bypassing the annoying configuration wizard.
How to Disable the Wizard for Only the Current User
If you do not have root privileges to remove the package system-wide, but you want to stop the wizard from launching if it somehow got stuck on your specific account, you can create a dummy file to trick the system.
- Open your Terminal.
- Type the following command and press Enter:
mkdir -p ~/.config && touch ~/.config/gnome-initial-setup-done
This command simply creates an empty text file named gnome-initial-setup-done in your configuration folder. When the desktop environment loads, it checks for this file. If it sees it, it assumes you have already completed the wizard and skips it automatically.