--- title: Introducing the HUD. Say hello to the future of the menu. description: The HUD replaces traditional menus in applications targeting Unity. Say what you mean, instead of navigating through a tree of options. Initially the HUD is shaped as a fast and smart look-ahead search through menus, but over the next four releases, it will gain more sophisticated kinds of interaction. […] url: https://canonical.com/blog/introducing-the-hud-say-hello-to-the-future-of-the-menu --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [Mark Shuttleworth](https://canonical.com/blog/author/mark-shuttleworth "More about Mark Shuttleworth") 24 January 2012 # Introducing the HUD. Say hello to the future of the menu. [Design](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/design) [GUI](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/gui) [menu](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/menu) [Ubuntu](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/ubuntu) [unity](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/unity) --- Share the article [Get in touch Interested in running Ubuntu in your organization?](https://ubuntu.com/about/contact-us/form) ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. In submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Notice](https://canonical.com/legal/data-privacy/contact) and [Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/data-privacy). Sign up ## Share on --- ## Related posts [### What designers should know about semiotics](https://canonical.com/blog/what-designers-should-know-about-semiotics) What happens when you look at an apple? When you see it, you perceive the apple and assign meaning to it based on your language, experience, and personal preferences – such as... [Sophie Carroll](https://canonical.com/blog/author/sophiecarroll) 15 October 2026 [### Canonical announces the alpha release of Charmed OpenShell to help secure autonomous AI agent fleets](https://canonical.com/blog/charmed-openshell-alpha-release) To streamline enterprise deployment and lifecycle management, Canonical is announcing the alpha release of Charmed OpenShell. [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 28 September 2026 [### Ubuntu coming soon to Snapdragon X2 Series platforms, unlocking more Linux PCs for the agentic world](https://canonical.com/blog/ubuntu-coming-soon-to-qualcomm-snapdragon-x2-series-platforms) Canonical and Qualcomm Technologies announce upcoming native Ubuntu support for Qualcomm’s flagship laptop silicon, delivering multi-day battery life, 80 TOPS NPU acceleration,... [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 23 September 2026 [### Arduino® VENTUNO™ Q is available for pre-order with Ubuntu pre-installed](https://canonical.com/blog/arduino-ventuno-q-is-available-for-pre-order-with-ubuntu-pre-installed) London, UK – August 25, 2026 – Following our initial collaboration announcement in March 2026, Canonical and Arduino (a subsidiary of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.) are excited... [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 25 August 2026