Question: Is there a way to turn off the boxes around the icons in Unity?

Clarification: I do **not** mean the backlight color -- there are plenty of questions about turning *that* off. I want the icons, and just the icons, to appear in the Unity bar, without any lights and shadows and borders. Can this be done?

Answer: 
It is possible, and rather simple.

1. Install compizconfig-settings-manager:

```
sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

```
2. Then run `about:config` in the run dialogue in Unity: press `Alt`+`F2` and enter `about:config`.
3. CCSM will pop up with the Unity plug-in open. Navigate to the experimental tab:

![ccsm. it is open.](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0Y2Y5.png)
4. Now change the Backlight Mode to "Backlight Always Off".
5. Problem solved.

In light of your comment, the box never 100% goes away (by design).

### Small note from @ccpizza concerning 16.04.1.

* > 
> In ubuntu xenial 16.04.1 the Experimental tab is gone, and the setting
>  is now under the Launcher tab and the dropdown is called Launcher Icon
>  Backlight Mode.
> 
> 
>
To do this locally, we don't have to modify the files in the folder /usr/share/unity/. Instead we can just copy these files in the gtk theme folder under a folder "unity" that you create. This will override the files in /usr/share/unity/ and also, this way, a system update will not remove the change.
But I have a different question. After removing the border, it looks like there is too much space between the icons and also between the icons and the border of the launcher. Is there a way to reduce the spacing inbetween?