KDE Plasma 6.3.5 It is now available as the final maintenance release in the 6.3 series, marking the end of this cycle ahead of the highly anticipated arrival of Plasma 6.4, scheduled for mid-June. This new patch includes improvements to the visual experience and internal robustness, the result of weeks of bug fixes and user feedback since the previous release.
The update introduces significant changes in stability and fluidity Plasma, focusing on fixing issues detected in version 6.3.4 and improving both daily use and support for different hardware configurations. Particular attention has been paid to those using multi-monitor setups and NVIDIA graphics cards, with resolutions to issues such as black or flickering lock screens and positioning issues in the activity switcher sidebar.
A look at the main new features in Plasma 6.3.5
One of the most carefully considered sections in this update is the Breeze default themeVisual management is now more consistent thanks to the correction of header details, the removal of unnecessary elements, and minor bugs in header files. This contributes to a more pleasant and stable graphical experience.
At the interface level, the developers have perfected the Discover store, optimizing the indicator that reports that it's still searching, and adjusting text visibility in narrow window scenarios when applying offline updates. Additionally, several widgets have been fixed: the Notes widget no longer imposes unnecessary size restrictions, while the Weather widget maintains consistency in user-set units.
Digging deeper into the technical components: KWin, KScreen, and resource management
The technical base of Plasma 6.3.5 has received Major revisions to components such as KWin and KScreenKWin resolves crashes when disconnecting certain docks or after GPU reboots, and fixes a bug that caused the screen to constantly repaint when brightness was dimmed, resulting in unnecessary resource consumption.
The improvements in multi-screen support Fixed bugs where the configuration of one screen could unexpectedly alter the configuration of another. The behavior of the notification system has also been corrected, including the correct scrolling of notifications and the display of special characters, such as the symbol. < in the messages.
Plasma 6.3.5 introduces key optimizations and fixes
El Discover package manager Now correctly displays messages and headers in all resolutions, and random crashes affecting some users have been eliminated. In the task manager and vertical panels, group pop-ups no longer rotate 180° unexpectedly, and audio icons appear sharper when using fractional scaling.
Additionally, issues such as bugs in sticky note widgets that prevented them from remembering their custom size, visual issues on the recent system files page, and data display issues in the newly created weather widget have been addressed. The handling of unconventional color schemes has also been optimized to keep tooltip text readable.
Availability and expectations for the next version
This latest version of the 6.3 branch is in the process of being distributed through the stable repositories of the main GNU/Linux distributions, such as Arch, openSUSE Tumbleweed, Fedora, KDE Plasma Desktop, and KDE Neon. The addition of new printing features and tweaks, including the option to set the default printer when adding new devices, marks another step toward improved usability.
The KDE team has confirmed that Plasma 6.3.5, which has arrived after v6.3.4, will be the last patch in the 6.3 series, with the focus already on the arrival of Plasma 6.4 in June. Users can check out the full list of changes in the official project channels and it is recommended to update as soon as possible to enjoy a more stable and reliable desktop.
These improvements aim to offer a more refined experience, both for those who prioritize customization and for those who demand stability and cross-platform support, while maintaining KDE as a benchmark in free desktop software.