How do I scale the enormously sized desktop icons on Ubuntu 18.04?

Question

I just upgraded to 18.04 (with GNOME 3.28) from 16.04. I am using gnome-shell, gnome-ubuntu-desktop. After upgrading the icon size on desktop are very large.

I am unable to find my option to decrease the size in preferences. How do I decrease it?

Answer 1

1. Open Files (aka Nautilus)

2. Grid view: Change your icon view from "list" to "grid" first by clicking the button next to the hamburger menu.

   

3. Zoom out: Click on the hamburger menu (three-horizontal-lined button at top-right) and decrease the icon size by clicking the "zoom out" button (or Ctrl+-).

This should also reduce the size of the icons in your desktop.

Answer 2

You can also resize icons by right clicking on each icons and select resize. Then you resize it up to a certain allowed minimum.

Answer 3

In case you have a wheel mouse

Open Nautilus and click on the show directory as symbols icon (middle of the button on the top-right of nautilus's window) an press Ctrl+Scroll Mouse up/down.