Linux Mint supports multiple Panels (both Cinnamon and Mate). Adding second Panel is extremely useful and allows you to:

  • pin addtional shortcuts and icons
  • show Window lists
  • add extra Applets like Time, Trash, Calendars and more

You can check also: Linux Mint 19 Add Shortcuts to Panel

Step 1: Add Second Panel and pin shortcuts to Linux Mint Cinnamon

Cinnamon

If you like to add a second Panel to Linux Mint Cinnamon you can do:

  • Right Click on the existing Panel
  • Modify Panel
  • Add Panel
  • Select the location for the second Panel
  • Left Mouse click to add the Panel or Escape to cancel the operation

Now you can pin shortcuts to this Panel by:

  • Right click on the panel where you want to pin shortcuts or icons
  • Click Add applets to the panel
  • Select Panel Launchers or Grouped Window List
  • Add launchers to this Panel
  • Drag and drop launchers from the Menu(or check step 3)

Step 2: Add new Panel and pin launchers to Linux Mint Mate

For Linux Mint Mate follow next steps in order to add shortcuts to second Panel:

  • Right Click on the existing Panel
  • New Panel
  • Right click and select Properties
  • Select the orientation for the second Panel:
    • Bottom
    • Top
    • Right
  • Add to Panel...
  • Select
    • Application Launcher...
      • Select item from the list - for example Firefox
    • Custom Application Launcher...
      • Enter the custom launcher details like:
        • Name
        • Command
        • Icon

If you like to remove launcher from a Panel you can do:

  • right click on the launcher
  • Remove from Panel

Step 3: 3 Ways of adding shortcuts to panel

There are three ways of adding new launchers. They should work in both Cinnamon and Mate - with small modifications:

  1. Right click on Panel Launcher/Panel - and add custom information like:
  • name
  • command
  • icon
  1. Select the launcher from the Linux Mint menu and drag and drop it to the Panel Launcher
  2. Select the launcher from the Linux Mint Menu / Add to Panel

You can check also: Simple ways to create shortcut in Linux Mint 19

Bonus 1: Best Practice advice

If you use your computer for different things like: working, gaming, audio editing. I recommend you to separate the launchers in two different groups on both panels. This will allow you:

  • faster to find launcher
  • distinguish the working from entertainment mode

Visual separation of the launchers make it easier to focus on work or gaming. Mixing different ventures results in bad outcomes for me.

Bonus 2: Remove Applet from 1 Panel - Only Cinnamon (optional)

Cinnamon uses a single window for multiple launchers. Be careful if you have two instances of a given applet like: Panel Launchers. If you want to remove only one of them you may reach situation like:

python_online_editor_2020

In order to remove the App only from a given panel you need to:

  • Go to the Panel in question
  • Right click
  • Panel Edit Mode
  • Select the Applet to be removed
  • Click on Remove 'Panel Launchers'