This article recommends Debian 11 users after-installation tips and tricks including simple guide to get additional useful applications. For new Debian users, this article is for you. Let's check it out.

Gestures and Networking

Touchpad got reversed? Make it normal: open Settings → Touchpad → disable Natural Scrolling → close.

Wifi not working? First aid is to use USB tethering: pick up your phone → connect it to laptop via USB cable → go to phone's Settings → enable USB tethering → laptop connected to the internet.

Terminal felt hard to open? Create a custom shortcut key: Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts → click Plus button to bottom → give it name Terminal → give it command 'gnome-terminal' without quotes → click Shortcut button > press Ctrl and Alt and T keys simultaneously → OK → Apply. 

 

Privacy and Browser

Debian 11 includes Firefox ESR web browser thus you can start adding privacy addons and switch to a better search engine. The addons are uBlock Origin (ad blocker) and HTTPS Everywhere (automatically secure your browsing). The search engine is either DuckDuckGo or StartPage.

Want more privacy? Open Settings → Privacy → you can adjust various options like disabling Location Service, Camera and Microphone with exceptions you can control and more.

Dislike how your browser look? Revert it back: right-click browser window to the top → Customize... → enable Title Bar to the bottom → Done. This will bring back normal title bar so you can easily work with browser window as usual.

Multimedia Stuffs

Debian 11 can play MP3 and MP4 already therefore no additional video audio codecs need to be installed. However, if you want to start audio visual production: 

Audacity: sudo apt-get install audacity

The audio editor you can use to cut and join digital recordings.  

OpenShot: sudo apt-get install openshot

To video editor that is simple to use similar to Windows Movie Maker.

Email and Communication Stuffs

To configure your email app: open Evolution →  Welcome to Evolution! → click next buttons to the email username and IMAP settings → enter your email address and name → let it automatically setup them for you → it asks for your email's password → type it → OK → system will ask about keyring passwords > just click OK → finished. Once setup properly, Evolution will display your email inbox.

To get multiple choices of messaging apps:

XMPP: movim.eu is our recommendation, the web based client everyone everywhere can use.

Matrix: app.element.io is our recommendation, the web based client all can use.

Telegram: desktop.telegram.org is our recommendation, simply download → extract → run the desktop client → login, where voice and video calls can be used.

 

Dualboot with Windows Setup

Your fonts: in Debian there are replacements as the following:

• Liberation Serif = Times New Roman
• Liberation Sans = Arial or Calibri
• Liberation Mono = Courier New

However, if you are forced to use Windows fonts mentioned, consider to copy the files with .ttf extensions from C: partition under Fonts folder and paste them to your Debian's Home in the .fonts folder.

Screen Management

Switch resolution: open System Settings → Displays → Resolution → click to switch the resolution → Apply → Keep Changes → resolution switched.

Enlarge fonts: System Settings → Accessibility → click Large Fonts → text fonts enlarged on screen. This setup could be useful a lot for elderly people.

Revert to Xorg: Debian 11 uses Wayland tech. by default. If you wish to switch back to Xorg (X11) tech., simply logout → change Wayland to X11 by the gear button → login → you use Xorg. 

 

Good luck!

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