What should I do if the Ubuntu terminal cannot be opened? How to fix the problem that Ubuntu cannot open the terminal

php editor Xiaoxin will introduce to you the solution to the problem that the Ubuntu terminal cannot be opened. Ubuntu operating system is one of the popular Linux distributions, but sometimes you encounter the problem that the terminal cannot be opened. This could happen for a number of reasons, including software glitches, permission issues, or misconfiguration. Don’t worry, this article will provide you with multiple fixes to help you solve the problem of Ubuntu not being able to open the terminal.

Why can’t Ubuntu open the terminal on it?

This mainly happens when you install some defective software or modify the terminal configuration. In addition to this, new applications or games that interact with locales and corrupt them can cause similar problems.

Some users reported a fix for this issue when searching for Terminal in Ubuntu's activity menu. This shows how often this issue occurs in Ubuntu and how careful you should be when applying any tweaks to resolve this issue.

Fix Ubuntu cannot open terminal

To resolve the "Ubuntu cannot open terminal" issue, please try the following fixes in order. Although you can apply these workarounds in any order, we recommend fixing them in the order they are –

1]Retrieve the lost terminal icon

Ubuntu not letting you open the terminal and the missing terminal icon on it are two different things. If you just can’t launch Terminal because you can’t find its icon, follow these steps –

• Press the Windows key and start typing "terminal" in the search field.
• When the matching result pops up in Ubuntu's Activity menu, click on it.
• Doing this will launch a terminal on the display.

Alternatively, you can right-click on the terminal icon and select the "Add to Favorites" option. This way you get a shortcut to launch Terminal on the dock on your desktop. Click it to launch the Ubuntu Terminal at any time.

NOTE: There is also a hotkey to launch the terminal on Ubuntu. Press and hold the Ctrl Alt T keys at the same time and you will find the terminal popping up on the display.

2]Uninstall conflicting software

If you have tried the above solutions and still cannot open the terminal, then there must be some conflicting software in your Ubuntu operating system. The faulty program somehow prevents the terminal from starting. Although it is very rare to install such problematic applications in Ubuntu, it can happen.

If you remember installing some new applications on your Ubuntu and this problem then started appearing, you should uninstall those applications from your operating system.

Some users reported that they fixed the issue of Terminal not opening after uninstalling Python from their device. If you have recently installed Python on your computer, it is most likely causing the "cannot open terminal" issue. This only happens if the terminal is not configured for use and Python is installed on your Ubuntu device.

If an update is available for your Ubuntu device, you do not have to uninstall Python from your system. Here’s how to upgrade references to Python in Ubuntu –

• First press Ctrl Alt F3 to start the failsafe TTY terminal.
• Log into it and execute the following code on it –

sudo nano /usr/bin/gnome-terminal

• Next change #!/usr/bin/python3 to #!/usr/bin/python3.8.

Note: To check which version of Python is currently running on your computer, run this code on the same TTY terminal –

python3 --version

As of now, Python 3.8 is the latest Python version available for the Ubuntu operating system. However, this may change over time. Well, in this case, you should fully upgrade Python to the latest available version.

Try to restore Ubuntu using the most recent available backup

If you are still unable to open Terminal on your Ubuntu operating system, and you do have a recent backup available on your device, consider using it.

3] Check and fix the terminal configuration

If you edit the configuration of the terminal, the "Ubuntu cannot open the terminal" problem may also occur. If this is the case, you must undo recent changes to your terminal. Please follow the instructions below on how to proceed with this task –

• Press Ctrl Alt F3 to start the TTY fail-safe terminal.
• Log in to your account and undo your recent changes to your terminal configuration.

If you want to perform this task through the GUI, install Dconf-Editor in Ubuntu by running this code on a fail-safe TTY.

sudo apt install dconf-editor

Wait for the installation to complete. After the installation is complete, confirm the warning "I will be careful". Next, go to “/org/gnome/terminal/legacy” and undo all the latest changes made to your Ubuntu device.

If the problem persists after this, you should reset the configuration file's settings to default values. To do this, open the failsafe TTY and run this code on it –

dconf reset -f /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/

That’s it, when you execute the above command, the GNOME Terminal configuration file will also be deleted. Restart your device and check if you can open the terminal without getting some error message.

4] Regenerate locale

Sometimes when you install a new program, it interacts with system files and corrupts your locale. Therefore, it is difficult for you to launch the terminal in Ubuntu. Locale settings are very important files in Ubuntu because they determine how text is displayed in whatever language you use on your system.

Without this information, the terminal will refuse to start or crash if it is already open. To resolve this issue, the existing locale must be cleared and a new locale generated. Here’s what you have to do next——

• Press Ctrl Alt F3 to open the failsafe TTY.
• Copy/paste the following commands on the terminal and press Enter.

sudo locale-gen --purge

Now that you have cleared the existing locale and regenerated the new locale, use the shortcut – Ctrl Alt T. Next check if the terminal starts this way.

5]Reinstall Terminal or use an alternative

if

• Press Ctrl Alt F3 to start a failsafe TTY terminal.
• Above, copy/paste the following command and press Enter –

sudo apt remove gnome-terminal

• Doing so will remove the default GNOME Terminal from your system. To reinstall it, run this code –

sudo apt install gnome-terminal

Turn off fail-safe TTY and press Ctrl Alt T. The terminal should launch on your Ubuntu device shortly. If not, you're better off using an alternative tool like Guake or Tilix.

Depending on your favorite terminal, execute either of the two commands available –

sudo apt install guake

sudo apt install tilix

After installing external emulators on your Ubuntu PC, open them using the following shortcuts –

• F12 – Pressing this key will launch the Guake terminal by default.
• Tilix functions more like a traditional terminal, providing more personalized features.

Set the recently installed emulator as the default terminal on your Ubuntu PC. Note that you will always have fail-safe TTY running on the device as a backup.

What is TTY in Ubuntu?

A teletypewriter (TTY) is a terminal device that allows you to run input and output character by character. This basically controls all communication that occurs between the end device and the installed program.

Ubuntu’s terminal is mainly used to perform desktop-related work. However, if you are willing to perform some advanced work, it is better to use a TTY application like GNOME, Alacritty, Guake or any other advanced emulator.

To open the default terminal, use the hotkey – Ctrl Alt T. And if you want to access an available TTY, use this combination instead – Ctrl Alt F3.

Terminal replacement in Ubuntu

By default, Terminal is the main command line program in Ubuntu and it can handle all basic and complex tasks fairly easily. And, as we discussed above, it's very easy to fix terminal issues and get it back in no time.

However, if you want to use more advanced tools on Ubuntu, there is a lot of software available. For example, if you want a fast terminal emulator, choose Alacritty. This software allows you to perform all complex tasks that are not easily run on Ubuntu terminal.

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