How to add online accounts to Ubuntu 23.04 (and why you should)

Canonical unleashed Ubuntu 23.04 (Lunar Lobster), one other incredible launch for each desktops and servers. The discharge date was April 20, 2023. I have been testing the each day construct of Lunar and have discovered it to be one of many best variations of Ubuntu but. 

One of many issues I’ve all the time appreciated about Ubuntu (and the GNOME desktop) is how simple it’s to attach your cloud-based knowledge with the desktop. Because of GNOME, the method of connecting Google, Nextcloud, Microsoft, MS Trade, Final.fm, IMAP/SMTP, and even Enterprise Login (Kerberos) are all made fairly simple. 

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However why would you do that? Take, as an illustration, Google. Whenever you join your Google account to your Ubuntu desktop, the native Calendar app will sync to your Google calendar. As effectively, you will discover Mail, Contacts, Images, Information, and Printers can be found to sync together with your account. Now, earlier than you get too excited, it does not imply they are going to all robotically work. This is what I’ve found with the Google connection to Ubuntu and GNOME:

• It’ll robotically populate the Calendar app with occasions from Google Calendar.
• Google Images doesn’t sync with any app on the desktop.
• Information from Google Drive are mounted (however not synced) to a listing in your native machine. You’ll be able to entry them with learn/write entry however it may be sluggish.
• As a way to get e-mail and contacts to sync, you will want to put in Evolution (I will present you ways).

So, it isn’t an ideal 1:1 sync, but it surely’s nonetheless excellent. And as soon as you put in the Evolution groupware suite (which incorporates e-mail, calendar, contacts, and to-do performance), every part falls into place.

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First issues first. Let’s join Ubuntu 23.04 to your Google account.

Find out how to join Ubuntu to Google

What you will want: The one belongings you’ll want for this are a working occasion of Ubuntu Desktop (both Lunar Lobster or earlier) or any Linux distribution that makes use of GNOME and a legitimate Google account. 

At this level, the sync will start. Relying on how a lot knowledge you’ve got in your Google account, it may possibly take a while for the method to finish. You’ll be able to open the default File Supervisor and see that your Google e-mail handle is now listed within the left pane. Click on that and you may see three folders:

• My Drive
• Shared Drives
• Shared With Me

As you would possibly count on, these are the directories out of your Google Drive account that are actually related to your desktop. 

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Click on on any of them to navigate by way of the folder construction and open any file you’ve got from Google Drive.

Find out how to set up Evolution

Evolution is Linux’s model of MS Outlook and it’s extremely simple to put in.

1. Open Ubuntu Software program

The very first thing to do is open the Ubuntu Software program app. To do that, click on the launcher within the left facet panel that appears like an orange briefcase with a white letter A. As soon as it opens, click on the search icon within the higher left nook and kind Evolution within the search discipline. When Evolution seems, click on the entry after which click on Set up. You may be prompted to your person password and the set up will start and full with out concern.

2. Use Evolution

As soon as Evolution is put in, you will discover the launcher within the Software Overview. To open that, click on the sq. of dots on the backside left nook, sort Evolution, and hit Enter in your keyboard. 

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When Evolution opens, it’s best to discover that your Gmail account is robotically added and the primary sync will start. Once more, in case you have plenty of knowledge related together with your Google account, this preliminary sync can take a while.

And that is all there may be so as to add on-line accounts to Ubuntu Desktop. And utilizing 23.04 makes this an absolute breeze to care for.