KDE Plasma 6.6: A Massive Upgrade is Coming to Your Desktop

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET key takeaways The next version of KDE Plasma is expected on Feb. 17. There are improvements for displays, UI, security, and more. Some important apps are being swapped out. KDE Plasma has evolved into one of the best desktop environments on the market. It's user-friendly, fast, beautiful, and highly configurable. With each new release, this open-source desktop environment proves it knows what users want and delivers. Speaking of new releases, version 6.6 of KDE Plasma is due to be released on Feb. 17, and it looks set to bring an exciting array of features and improvements (along with the usual bug fixes). Some of these changes are user-facing, and others are under-the-hood modifications. Together, they should make for an even faster, more efficient, and enjoyable desktop environment. Also: I found a Linux distro that combines the best parts of other operating systems (and it works) But what features are coming in KDE Plasma 6.6? Let's take a look. Significant app changes KDE Plasma 6.6 will swap out some of the packages that have been part of the desktop for a long time. The first significant change is the new plasma-login-manager. This new manager has been forked from SDDM and promises seamless integration with the Plasma desktop, improved handling of Wayland, better multi-monitor support, HDR, and accessibility features, with a new greeter and system settings module. The new login manager is also themeable. Another app being switched out is the built-in keyboard. The new app is plasma-keyboard, which was a necessary shift due to the migration to plasma-login-manager. This new keyboard features superior Wayland integration, based on the Qt Virtual Keyboard framework, is customizable, and will work across desktop and mobile versions of KDE Plasma. Also: The 6 Linux distros I expect to rule 2026 - and why The last major app switch is the plasma-setup app, which is used for initial setup and should seamlessly integrate with the other new additions. Custom global themes Another really cool feature is the ability to save your current UI configuration as a global theme. This option should be an exciting addition for those who like to tweak their desktop to look and feel exactly how they want. Also: Linux will be unstoppable in 2026 - but one open-source legend may not survive Users will be able to customize their desktop to their heart's content and then save that modification. All global themes will be accessible, meaning several themes can be saved and used at any time. Improved display features With the new release, users will be able to adjust the visual sharpness for all content on the display if the distribution is running kernel 6.19. Users will be able to exclude specific windows from screen-recording capability. Also: Want to save your old computer? Try one of these 8 Linux distros for free Another display improvement is that XRandr emulation within KWin (the window and composite manager) will be better capable of using apps that depend on XWayland. Finally, 6.6 introduces OCR capability in the Spectacle screenshot app. Security There are two big changes related to security in 6.6. The first is that Plasma 6.6 stores Wi-Fi passwords in a location owned by the root user. By taking this approach, it will be much harder for users and/or rogue applications to access those passwords. Also: 5 reasons why Linux will overtake Windows and MacOS on the desktop - eventually Another security improvement is the use of a new USB portal, which allows sandboxed apps to access USB devices securely. Miscellaneous changes The 6.6 release includes quite a few improvements and additions, such as: Customization of the Application Dashboard widget. Better battery handling. Support for custom screen modes in Wayland. Better support for colorblind users. A new slow keys accessibility feature for Wayland. Improvements to the Kickoff application menu, Bluetooth, power and battery, weather report, and much more. More stable search results in the Kickoff menu and a customizable layout. Automatic brightness with ambient light sensors. Fixes for common panel crashes. Better HDR calibration. System Monitor allows users to adjust CPU and I/O priority for running processes. Mounting removable storage devices no longer triggers an automatic file system scan. The KDE Discover app no longer switches to full-screen mode when pop-up dialogs are opened. Also: The best Linux laptops right now