KDE now allows virtual desktops only on the primary monitor. This week's news

  • Plasma 6.6.0 introduces new practical features, such as network connection via QR codes and fault detection in applications external to KDE.
  • The interface is improved with a more precise color picker, visual adjustments in Breeze-themed GTK applications, and clearer error handling in System Preferences.
  • Performance is significantly optimized, with lower memory consumption, more stable operations between Wayland and XWayland, and improved overall system responsiveness.
Pablinux

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Fixing bugs in KDE Plasma 6.5

KDE Plasma has released its usual weekly update. The most notable change is that they've once again listened to the community and added an option to limit virtual desktops to the primary monitor. This new feature will arrive in the upcoming Plasma 6.6 update, planned for early next year.

But, of course, there's more. What follows is the list with the most outstanding news, without including the bugs fixed so as not to make this type of article too long.

Notable new features coming to KDE

plasma 6.6.0

  • The network widget now includes a small button that allows you to connect to a network using a QR code, using the Qrca helper application.

Network widget

  • The DrKonqi bug reporting system now also detects bugs in non-KDE applications and suggests reporting them to the relevant developer or distribution.

Notable improvements to the KDE interface

plasma 6.5.3

  • Support for the MHC2 tag was added to ICC profiles, a non-standard tag used in Windows. Without this support, profiles used in Windows did not produce the same color effects when used in KWin.

plasma 6.6.0

  • The colors selected with the color picker now reflect the actual RGB values, instead of an altered version that could be affected by the night light effect or the use of an ICC profile.
  • Breeze-themed GTK applications now have a little extra space on either side of their toolbars to prevent edge elements from touching the window borders, and some black lines have been replaced with more appropriately colored lines.
  • The Remote Desktop page in System Preferences now displays errors directly in the interface, so there's no need to check the logs to understand why something isn't working.

Remote Desktop in System Preferences in KDE

  • The hot corner effects now apply to all screens, not just one corner. You can turn them off if you don't want them.

KDE performance and technical highlights

At the plasma 6.5.2 Published last Tuesday, a cause of high CPU usage on the SDDM login screen was fixed.

plasma 6.5.3

  • KWin was made more resilient to a graphics issue that could cause the screen to go black after displaying the Plymouth home screen, but before reaching the SDDM login screen.
  • A source of high CPU usage in the Plasma Wallpapers dialog box and page in System Preferences has been fixed.
  • Visual fluidity was improved when switching modes in multi-monitor setups and VRR-compatible displays.

plasma 6.6.0

  • Plasma's memory usage was reduced by over 100 MiB thanks to more efficient management of background images that were no longer needed. This made it impossible to use tiled backgrounds with the new system for technical reasons, so they were reintroduced as a new "Mosaic" background plugin.
  • The stability of drag-and-drop operations between windows using XWayland and native Wayland windows has been improved.
  • When Bluetooth is turned on or off, the interface of the application performing the action no longer freezes briefly.
  • Current activity is now saved in the status file instead of the configuration file.

Coming soon to your KDE distribution

Regarding bugs, the 4 high-priority bugs, which were at zero two weeks ago, have been maintained, and the 15-minute bugs have been increased from 30 to 35.

KDE Plasma 6.5.3 is expected to arrive on November 18th, and Frameworks 6.20 on the 14th of this month. Plasma 6.6 will take a little longer: the chosen date is February 17th, 2026. No official announcement has been made yet, so it is expected that there will continue to be three Plasma versions throughout at least 2026.

Vía: KDE Blog.