MediaShell – GNOME Shell Media Controls
Version: 1.0.0
What is MediaShell?
MediaShell is a GNOME Shell extension that adds MPRIS media controls to the top bar. Clicking the icon opens a popup with album art, playback controls, and a switcher for any app currently playing media. The top bar widget and popup use the GNOME Shell UI toolkit, and preferences are built with GTK4 and Libadwaita.
Motivation
I wanted a media control extension that matched the default GNOME Shell experience as closely as possible, both visually and functionally. Existing options work fine, but none followed Adwaita conventions closely enough for my taste, and a lot of their extra features felt cosmetic rather than useful.
Settings layout, popup behavior, and control spacing were built using GNOME Quick Settings as a reference, down to button sizing and alignment. The goal was for MediaShell to feel like a built-in part of the Shell, while still adapting correctly to shell and icon themes.
Enjoy!
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1June 21, 2026 20.5K 23
