Nautilus (now called GNOME Files or Files) is the default file manager on GNOME.

It features a clean and intuitive interface and packs plenty of features to make your life easier.

Enable Quick Preview

Quick Preview is among the first features you should enable in Nautilus.

show file size and information in nautilus

However, Quick Preview isn’t available out of the box, so you should probably enable it.

This will give you thesushi file previewerinside Nautilus.

Now, open Nautilus again and head over to the directory with the file you want to preview.

show file size and folder information in nautilus

choose the file and hitSpaceto preview it.

Additionally, you’re able to also preview directories to get more information about them.

Fortunately, though, Nautilus supports these options, and you could enable them from its tweaks.

bookmark a folder in nautilus

Scroll down to theIcon View Captionssection and tap onFirst.

ChooseSizefrom the available options and kill the window.

You should now be able to see items contained within directories and the size of files/documents upfront.

create documents from right-click menu

Go to the location that contains the directory you want to add to the sidebar.

Drag it to the sidebar where it saysNew bookmarkand release the button to drop it there.

If you wish to remove the directory at any time, right-press it and selectRemove.

rotate or resize images from right-click menu

Create New Documents Quickly

Using the terminal is the fastest way to create a document.

It’s accessible from the right-click context menu, and you could enable it with a few simple steps.

It will open an empty document where you’re able to add text.

quickly view recently visited directories in nautilus

Give the file a new name and choose a directory to save it.

However, if you use Nautilus, there’s a better and more efficient way to do this.

It involves usingthe ImageMagick programand thenautilus-image converterpackage.

delete files permanently

Adjust the properties (size or rotation) and perform your desired operation.

Once the operation is complete, you’ll see the edited image in the same directory.

To do this, poke the hamburger menu icon in the Nautilus toolbar and check off theShow Hidden Filesoption.

enable expanded folder view in nautilus

Once enabled, you should now be able to see all the hidden files inside directories.

Access Recently Visited Directories Quickly

Nautilus packs plenty of nifty features to let you do more with fewer clicks.

However, many of these features aren’t well-knowneven to some long-time Nautilus users.

nautilus expanded folder view

For instance, the ability to access your most recently visited directories using theleft arrowkey is one such feature.

It also lets you right-select theBackoption in the Nautilus toolbar to view your most frequently visited directories.

Nautilus lets you do this through thenautilus-adminpackage.

enable create link option in nautilus

After this, reopen Nautilus and visit the directory you want to open as the administrator.

Right-hit the blank space and selectOpen as Administrator.

When prompted for an admin password, enter the password and hitAuthenticate.

create symlink in nautilus from context menu

However, sometimes, there would be files that you’d want to delete permanently.

In such situations, you need theDelete Permanentlyoption.

It’s available in Nautilus, but you gotta enable it manually.

To do this, open NautilusPreferences.

Scroll down to theOptional Context Menu Actionssection and toggle the option forDelete Permanently.

When you’re gonna wanna delete a file permanently, right-select it and chooseDelete Permanently.

For this, go to NautilusPreferencesand, underGeneral, toggle the switch forExpandable Folders in List View.

One of the ways to create symlinks on Linux is to use the ln command.

Do More With Nautilus on Linux!