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: 
The launcher icon overlays such as borders and highlights can be removed quite easily by changing 4 icon overlays in Unity.

1. Make a backup of the following image files in the folder
`/usr/share/unity/4/`:

```
launcher_icon_back_54.png
launcher_icon_edge_54.png
launcher_icon_glow_62.png
launcher_icon_shine_54.png

```
2. Either make your own transparent images of the same size or download the files at

```
wget -O transparent54.png "https://i.stack.imgur.com/MiFpK.png"
wget -O transparent62.png "https://i.stack.imgur.com/0NvP0.png"

```
3. Replace those 4 files with the same 4 files downloaded from the above link.
4. Restart unity by pressing `Alt`+`F2` and typing `setsid unity` (or logging out and in again).
5. If you don't like it then just replace the icons with the backed up icons and restart unity.

Example:

![Launcher with no borders around icons](https://dl.dropbox.com/u/495352/unity_launcher_no_borders.png)
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.
> 
> 
>