When you plug in a removable storage device, you often want to start using it straight away. To help save you a few clicks, operating systems such as Linux Mint allow you to configure an automatic action to be taken when certain types of removeable media are inserted. Typically, Mint defaults to asking what action you want to take before then setting that action as the default for the future.
If you change your mind in the future, or want to pre-emptively set the default actions for certain types of removable media, you can do so by pressing the Super key, then typing “Preferred Applications” and hitting enter.
Tip: The “Super” key is the name that many Linux distributions use to refer to the Windows key or the Apple “Command” key, while avoiding any risk of trademark issues.
Once you’re in the preferred applications menu, switch to the “Removable media” tab. If you never want any actions to happen automatically when you connect any form of removable media, you can click the “Prompt or start programs on media insertion” slider to the “Off” position.
Assuming the “Prompt or start programs on media insertion” slider is set to “On”, you can then configure what action occurs when an audio CD, video DVD, music player, camera, or software CD is connected. For each of the options, an application will be included in the list, if an appropriate option is installed. If you can’t find the application that you want to use, then you can click “Other application” and browse through the full list of installed software. Alternatively, you can set Mint to “Ask what to do”, open the removable media in the file browser, or to do nothing.
More removable media types can be configured by clicking “Other Media”. These other media have the same options in terms of potential actions.
Did this help? Let us know!