How can I remove the default indicators and add custom ones?

You can no longer add/remove indicators or panels by right-clicking like you used to with older Ubuntu versions before 11.10.

Warning: The default indicators (messages, networking, power, sound, user accounts, etc.) are tightly integrated with Unity since Ubuntu 11.10, and trying to remove them may cause problems.

• You can remove these default indicators without affecting the rest of the system:

  1. Messages: Remove package indicator-messages
  2. Sound: Remove package indicator-sound
  3. Power: Remove package indicator-power
  4. Print Jobs: Remove package indicator-printers
  5. Date/Time: Simply enable/disable from System Settings...Time & Date:

• Removing these default indicators is NOT recommended or not possible without serious adverse effects:

  1. Networking: Provided by package network-manager-gnome. DO NOT remove unless you have a desktop with one wired ethernet connection and do not use VPNs.
  2. User Accounts and System: Both provided by the package indicator-session. Removing this package will remove the Shutdown, Logout, etc. options as well!
     • Editing the list shown in the System Menu (Startup Applications, Printers, etc.) is NOT possible without modifying the source.

Adding other indicators

Please see this question for a master-list of all the different indicators -- each answer/comments will tell you if it is available from PPAs or the Software Center:

What Application Indicators are available?

The top panel is static and cannot be moved.

If you would like to add indicators to your system, there are 2 ways:

1. Go to the Ubuntu Software Center and search for "indicators". Install the indicators you wish to use.

2. Install them via the terminal, for example:

   sudo apt-get install indicator-weather
   

3. To remove an indicator, simply use the remove button in the Ubuntu Software Center, or use apt, for example:

   sudo apt-get remove indicator-weather