How do I disable auto-maximizing of newly launched windows in GNOME?

Solution 1:

For GNOME 3.8 and later, it's

gsettings set org.gnome.mutter auto-maximize false

You can also set this by dconf-editor.

Solution 2:

If you are talking about Metacity (GNOME Classic with no effects), it's possible that the maximize_windows option was enabled for some reason. To make sure it is disabled, open Terminal from the applications menu and enter this command:

gconftool --set --type=bool /apps/metacity/general/auto_maximize_windows False

Solution 3:

You can set the /apps/compiz-1/plugins/unityshell/screen0/options/automaximize_value key in gconf to 100:

gconftool-2 -s /apps/compiz-1/plugins/unityshell/screen0/options/automaximize_value -t int 100