Gnome-software autostart disabled but using Super-key starts it in the background

Ask Fedora
1

Hi,

In /etc/xdg/autostart/org.gnome.Software.desktop I’ve added the lines:

X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=false
Hidden=true

to disable gnome-software on startup.

This prevents gnome-software on startup, but when I use the Super-key on a workspace to search for an application to start (for example gparted, which is installed on the sytem), it starts up in the background. I think this has to do with the fact that when using this search functionality in Gnome, it also searches in the Gnome-software center for relevant software. Is there any way to disable this, i.e. forces Gnome to only search on the local pc without checking software center for relevant software?

Screenshot From 2025-06-24 13-04-47
Screenshot From 2025-06-24 13-04-471120×484 27.2 KB

As a sidenote, I know I can mask PackageKit, but I would like to keep this active in the background. And I don’t know if this would fix the above mentioned issue.

I’m using Fedora 41, but also tested it in a VM with Fedora 42.

Thanks in advance.

Best regards

2

stop, disable, mask (prevent from restarting PackageKit, the background daemon:

sudo systemctl stop packagekit 
sudo systemctl disable packagekit 
sudo systemctl mask packagekit

stop, and mask Gnome-Software:

sudo systemctl --user disable gnome-software.service
sudo systemctl --user mask gnome-software.service

check status:

systemctl status packagekit
systemctl --user status gnome-software.service

alternatively, you can tell the Search function not to index and search Gnome Software (in Settings)

4

Try disabling the “Software” Search Provider under “Search” in GNOME Settings? It should not get started then.

1 Like
5

Hi Fabio,

Thank you for your reply. Totally missed this option when looking in Gnome-settings. Thanks a lot.

Best regards

1 Like