XFCE is the desktop environment equivalent of a trusty multitool: lightweight, practical, and quietly capable of
doing almost anything you askespecially when it comes to panels. If you’ve ever looked at your single XFCE panel
and thought, “This is nice, but I want two,” congratulations: you’re about to level up into Dual Panel
Personhood (a prestigious title with zero paperwork).
In this guide, you’ll set up a classic dual-panel layout (typically one panel at the top and one at the bottom),
customize what lives on each panel, and tune the little details that make the desktop feel like yours.
We’ll keep things practical, specific, and beginner-friendlywhile still giving power users plenty to nerd out on.
Why dual panels on XFCE 4 is such a good idea
Dual panels solve a surprisingly modern problem: you want quick access to apps and a clean workspace.
A two-panel setup lets you separate “launch and system” from “windows and work,” which reduces clutter and makes
your desktop feel intentional instead of accidentally assembled at 2 a.m.
- Top panel: menu, launchers, workspace switcher, system tray, clock
- Bottom panel: open windows (tasklist), window controls, maybe a dock-ish launcher row
- Bonus: you can keep panels thinner, hide one intelligently, or dedicate one to a specific monitor
Before you start: a 60-second preflight check
1) Confirm you’re actually running XFCE 4 (and the panel is editable)
Most XFCE editions (Xubuntu, Linux Mint XFCE, Manjaro XFCE, Fedora XFCE Spin, etc.) let you customize panels freely.
If you right-click the panel and don’t see panel options, your system may be in a locked-down configuration
(sometimes called kiosk mode) or using policy restrictions.
2) Know how to open Panel Preferences
You can open the panel settings in a few ways:
- Right-click an empty area of a panel → Panel → Panel Preferences
- Settings Manager → Panel
- Or run:
xfce4-panel --preferences
Once Panel Preferences is open, you’ll see a drop-down at the top to pick which panel you’re editing. That drop-down
becomes your control tower for dual panels.
Step-by-step: create your second panel
Step 1: Add a new panel
- Open Panel Preferences.
- At the very top, use the panel selector drop-down to confirm which panel you’re currently editing.
- Click the + button (Add a new panel).
- A new, empty panel appears (often labeled something like Panel 2).
XFCE makes this satisfying: the panel you’re editing typically highlights so you don’t accidentally customize
the wrong one. If you’ve ever reorganized a kitchen drawer and somehow moved your socks, you’ll appreciate that.
Step 2: Choose top vs. bottom placement
With your new panel selected in the drop-down, go to the settings that control position (often under
Display and/or General, depending on your XFCE version).
- Unlock (temporarily) the panel by disabling Lock panel if you want to drag it.
- Drag the panel to the top edge or bottom edge of the screen. It snaps into place.
- Turn Lock panel back on when you’re happy (future-you will be grateful).
Alternative method: many XFCE builds also let you set the panel’s position via a selector rather than dragging.
Use whichever feels less like trying to park a car in a narrow garage.
Step 3: Set size and length so the panels don’t fight each other
The next goal is harmony: your panels should coexist, not compete for attention.
- Row size: controls panel thickness. A top panel often looks great at ~24–32px.
- Length: choose full width for classic layouts, or shorter for a “floating” look.
- Automatically increase the length: helpful if you’re building a compact panel that grows when you add items.
Pro tip: if you do a full-width top panel and a full-width bottom panel, keep one slightly thinner so your eye
naturally learns “status up top, work down below.”
Build a clean, useful top panel
Think of the top panel as your “mission control” barlaunching, switching, and checking status.
Here’s a setup that works well for most people.
Recommended top panel layout (example)
- Left: Whisker Menu (or Applications Menu) + a few launchers
- Center: Workspace Switcher (optional) or nothing (clean look)
- Right: Notification Area (system tray), audio, network, clock
Add items to the top panel
- Open Panel Preferences and select your top panel.
- Go to the Items tab.
- Click + to add items such as:
- Whisker Menu (popular, searchable start menu)
- Launcher (pin apps you use constantly)
- Notification Area (system tray icons)
- Clock (time, date, custom formats)
- Workspace Switcher (if you use virtual desktops)
Align items like a grown-up desktop wizard
If you want icons on the left and system stuff on the right (the classic look), use a
Separator or Spacer item set to Expand.
This creates flexible “empty space” that pushes the next items to the far side.
Want something centered (like a workspace switcher or a minimalist clock)? Use two expandable separators:
one before the centered item and one after it. XFCE is surprisingly good at this once you know the trick.
Make it look polished (without turning it into a neon spaceship)
- Opacity: if you enable compositing, you can set hover/non-hover transparency.
- Background: choose system style for consistency, or a solid color for contrast.
- Icons: keep launcher icons consistent in style/size to avoid “yard sale” vibes.
Build a work-focused bottom panel
The bottom panel is where your active workflow lives: open windows, quick switching, and the stuff you touch
200 times a day.
Recommended bottom panel layout (example)
- Left: Show Desktop (optional) + a few pinned launchers (optional)
- Center: Window Buttons (tasklist) the main event
- Right: Workspace switcher (optional) + trash/clipboard (optional)
Add “Window Buttons” (tasklist) and tune it
- Select your bottom panel in Panel Preferences.
- Go to Items → click +.
- Add Window Buttons (often called a tasklist).
- Open the item’s Preferences to configure:
- Show windows from current workspace vs. all workspaces
- Grouping behavior (helpful if you keep 17 browser windows open)
- Whether to show window icons and/or titles
If your tasklist looks cramped, increase the panel row size slightly or reduce the number of other items on the
bottom panel. In a dual-panel setup, you don’t need both panels doing the same job.
Make the bottom panel feel fast, not fussy
- Keep it mostly dedicated to window management.
- Avoid stuffing it with every plugin you’ve ever seen (your desktop is not a buffet line).
- If you want a dock-like feel, keep a few launchers on the left and let the tasklist dominate the center.
Multi-monitor notes (because panels love monitors… but on their own terms)
Even though this article focuses on dual panels, a lot of people set up dual panels because they also run
dual monitors. Here’s the big idea: XFCE generally treats panel placement per panel, per output.
Pin a panel to a specific monitor (Output)
In Panel Preferences, look for an Output setting. If your system detects multiple
displays, you can choose:
- Automatic (XFCE decides)
- Primary (follows the primary display)
- A specific output name (like HDMI-1, DP-0, etc.)
This is especially useful if you want the top panel on your main monitor only, while your bottom panel spans
monitors or stays on a secondary display.
Span a panel across monitors (Span monitors)
Some XFCE versions show a Span monitors option when multiple outputs are detected. Turning it on
makes a panel stretch across multiple screens instead of staying on one.
Practical combo that many people love:
- Top panel: pinned to Primary (clean, uncluttered)
- Bottom panel: spans monitors (big tasklist, easy switching)
Backup and “oops recovery” (so experimentation doesn’t turn into regret)
Panels are easy to changewhich means it’s also easy to accidentally delete one, misplace it, or build a
configuration so chaotic it feels like your desktop is pranking you.
Option A: Use an XFCE-friendly panel profiles tool
If your distro offers xfce4-panel-profiles, it can export/import panel layouts and help you keep
multiple configurations (work, gaming, “I’m pretending to be macOS,” etc.).
Option B: Copy the panel configuration file
Many setups store panel configuration in your home directory under XFCE’s config structure. A common location is:
~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-panel.xml
You can copy that file somewhere safe before major changes. If something goes sideways later, restoring it (and
restarting the panel) can bring you back to sanity.
Option C: Power-user tweaks with xfconf-query (optional)
XFCE settings live in xfconf. If you like command-line control, you can inspect panel properties
(panel IDs, settings trees) with tools like xfconf-query. This is handy for automation, scripting,
or fine-tuning behaviors like autohide animation timing.
If you’re not in a command-line mood, skip this section guilt-free. XFCE won’t judge you. (It’s too lightweight to hold grudges.)
Troubleshooting: quick fixes for common dual-panel issues
“My new panel is blank / tiny / invisible.”
- Increase Row size by a few pixels.
- Set Length to 100% temporarily.
- Turn off Automatically hide until you’ve finished building the panel.
“I can’t find my panel… I think it moved to another monitor.”
- Check the panel’s Output setting (Automatic vs Primary vs a specific monitor).
- Temporarily enable Span monitors to make it show up everywhere, then pin it correctly.
- Unlock the panel and drag it back to an edge if handles are available.
“I right-click the panel but can’t edit anything.”
- Your system may be running a locked-down panel configuration (kiosk/policy mode).
- Try logging into a local admin account or check your distro’s documentation for panel lockdown settings.
“The top panel and bottom panel look inconsistent.”
- Make sure both panels use the same background style (system style is easiest).
- Match icon sizes and avoid mixing themes.
- Keep one panel “status-light” and the other “work-heavy” so they don’t feel redundant.
Putting it all together: a solid dual-panel recipe
If you want a quick blueprint that feels great on almost any machine, try this:
Top panel (thin, 24–28px)
- Whisker Menu
- Launcher (2–6 apps you use daily)
- (Expandable Separator)
- Notification Area
- Clock
Bottom panel (medium, 30–40px)
- Show Desktop (optional)
- (Expandable Separator or Spacer)
- Window Buttons (tasklist)
- (Expandable Separator or Spacer)
- Workspace Switcher (optional)
This setup keeps your “launch and status” separate from your “windows and work,” which is exactly why dual panels
feel so good once you try them.
Experience notes: what it’s really like living with dual panels on XFCE 4 (about )
The funny thing about setting up dual panels is that it usually starts as a “small tweak” and ends with you
reorganizing your entire workflow like you’re moving into a new apartment. The first experience most people have is
the immediate relief of separation: you stop cramming everything into one panel and you suddenly realize how much
visual noise you’d been tolerating. A top panel that only handles launching and status feels calmer. A bottom panel
that focuses on open windows feels faster. It’s like giving your desktop two pockets instead of one overloaded junk drawer.
Another common experience is discovering that panel alignment is basically a life skill in XFCE. The first time you
use an expandable separator to push items to the right, it’s a genuine “ohhh” moment. People often spend way too long
dragging plugins around, trying to make the clock behave, and thenboomthe separator trick makes everything snap into
place. Once you learn it, you start using separators the way chefs use salt: not to show off, but because it makes
everything taste right.
Dual panels also change how you think about screen space. With one panel, it’s tempting to make it tall enough to fit
everything. With two panels, you usually end up with slimmer bars because each one has a smaller job. That translates
into more room for actual work, even though it sounds backwards on paper. Many people end up making the top panel
skinny and almost “background,” while giving the bottom panel a little more height so the tasklist is easy to hit.
It’s not just aestheticsit’s muscle memory.
If you use two monitors, the experience can get even more personal. Some folks love spanning the bottom panel across
both screens for a giant tasklist, because it makes switching windows feel effortless. Others hate that and prefer
each monitor to have its own dedicated panel. The nice part is that XFCE doesn’t force one philosophy. It lets you
choose per panel: pin this one to Primary, span that one, and keep the top bar clean. After a week, most people stop
thinking about it entirelywhich is the real sign you nailed the setup.
Finally, there’s the “oops” phase, and it’s practically a rite of passage: deleting a panel, losing the tray, or
making a panel autohide so effectively it becomes a cryptid. The good news is that it’s rarely catastrophic. You can
add a panel back in seconds, and once you start keeping a backup (either via a panel profile tool or a quick config
copy), experimentation becomes fun instead of stressful. The best dual-panel setups aren’t built perfectly in one go.
They evolveone small improvement at a timeuntil your desktop quietly feels like home.
Conclusion
Setting up dual panels on XFCE 4 is one of the easiest upgrades you can make that has an outsized impact on daily
comfort. Add a second panel, assign each panel a clear purpose, use expandable separators to align items cleanly,
and tune behavior (like output placement and autohide) to match how you actually work. Once it’s dialed in, XFCE
becomes the kind of desktop that stays out of your wayand somehow still feels custom-built for you.