Customize KDE Plasma Desktop with Themes|Modules|Extensions

Welcome to this guide on how to customize KDE Plasma Desktop Environment with Themes|Modules|Extensions. KDE is a dedicated community to offering free and open-source computer experiences by creating graphical tools and a wide variety of applications used for learning, entertainment, communication, work as well as a platform to build applications with ease on.

Plasma is one of the projects of the KDE community. This is an open-source graphical desktop environment for X Windows Systems. The KDE Plasma desktop environment has gained a high usage base due to its simplicity and ease of use, the design with superiority of the Unix OS, and its ultra-modern functionality.

The KDE Plasma desktop environment offers the following features:

• Settings Update
• Power Saving Updates
• Okular document viewer
• Digital Clock Applet with Date
• Grid-like system tray
• Dolphin Touch Support
• Disk Failure Notification in Advance
• Ability to manage apps preventing sleep and screen lock

By the end of this guide, you should have your KDE Plasma Desktop environment installed and customized to your preference.

Install KDE Plasma Desktop Environment

Before we customize the KDE Plasma Desktop Environment, we should have it installed on the Linux system.

Below is a list of dedicated guides to help you install the KDE Plasma Desktop Environment.

• On Debian
  • How To Install KDE Desktop Environment on Debian
• On Ubuntu
  • Install KDE Plasma Desktop on Ubuntu
• On Linux Mint
  • Install KDE Plasma Desktop on Linux Mint
• On Fedora
  • Install KDE Plasma Desktop Environment on Fedora

On Rocky Linux/ CentOS/Alma Linux, KDE Plasma can be installed using the below steps:

Add the EPEL repository.

sudo dnf install epel-release

Now download and install the KDE Plasma

sudo dnf groupinstall -y "KDE Plasma Workspaces"

Once complete, enable PowerTools.

# EL 8
sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled powertools
sudo dnf --enablerepo=epel,crb group -y install "KDE Plasma Workspaces" "base-x"

# EL 9
sudo dnf config-manager --enable crb
sudo dnf --enablerepo=epel,powertools group -y install "KDE Plasma Workspaces" "base-x"

Set the default system target to graphical if you are running a minimal server as below.

sudo systemctl set-default graphical

Reboot your system and switch to KDE Plasma.

sudo reboot

Switch to the Plasma desktop.

Customize KDE Plasma Desktop Environment

There are a variety of themes that can be installed to give your KDE Plasma Desktop Environment a more appealing look. This guide demonstrates how to install and customize KDE Plasma using some of the best themes.

First, ensure that git is installed on your system

##On Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

##On RHEL/CentOS/Rocky Linux/Alma Linux
sudo yum install git

1. Orchis KDE

This is a Materia design theme for the KDE Plasma Desktop. This theme can be installed on your system as below.

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/Orchis-kde.git

Navigate into the directory.

cd Orchis-kde

Install the Orchis KDE theme as below.

./install.sh -t all

Sample Output:

Installing 'Orchis kde themes'...
Install finished...

Once installed, switch to the new Orchis Theme

Your desktop should appear as below.

2. WhiteSur-kde

This desktop theme resembles the MacOS Big Sur as the name suggests. It can be installed using Git as below:

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/WhiteSur-kde.git

Install the WhiteSur-kde theme:

cd WhiteSur-kde
./install.sh

Sample Output:

Installing 'WhiteSur kde themes'...
Install finished...

To make the theme more appealing, you can also install the WhiteSur icon theme.

cd ~
git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/WhiteSur-icon-theme.git

Install the icon theme.

cd WhiteSur-icon-theme
./install.sh

In addition to that, there is also the WhiteSur cursors theme installed as below:

cd ~
git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/WhiteSur-cursors.git

Install the WhiteSur cursors theme.

cd WhiteSur-cursors
./install.sh

Now customize your Plasma desktop with the WhiteSur theme.

Also, customize the icons as below.

You should have your new KDE appearance as shown.

3. Qogir KDE Theme

This is a flat design KDE desktop theme. Install it from Git as below.

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/Qogir-kde.git

Install the Qogir KDE Theme on Linux.

cd Qogir-kde
./install.sh

Switch to the installed Qogir-kde theme.

Your desktop should have a new appearance as below.

4. McMojave-kde

This desktop theme resembles the MacOSX Mojave. Git clone MacOSX Mojave theme.

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/McMojave-kde.git

Now install the theme.

cd McMojave-kde
./install.sh

Switch to the McMojave KDE theme.

Your KDE desktop should appear as shown.

5. ChromeOS-kde

This is a Materia design theme for the KDE Plasma desktop. Download it on your system as below.

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/ChromeOS-kde.git

Install the ChromeOS-kde.

cd ChromeOS-kde
./install.sh

Once installed, switch to the ChromeOS-kde theme.

The KDE desktop appearance appears as below.

6. Adapta-kde

This is a fork of the GTK theme Adapta for Plasma 5 that comes with a few additional features.

This theme can be installed using the KDE installer.

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PapirusDevelopmentTeam/adapta-kde/master/install.sh | sh

Sample output:

.......
=> Unpacking archive ...
=> Deleting Adapta KDE ...
[sudo] password for thor: 
=> Installing ...
=> Clearing cache ...
=> Done!

Switch to the new Adapta-kde theme.

The Adapta theme appears as below.

The Adapta-kde can be uninstalled using the script.

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PapirusDevelopmentTeam/adapta-kde/master/install.sh | uninstall=true sh

7. Darkine-kde

This is a dark theme for KDE Plasma available on the OpenDesktop page. Alternatively, it can be downloaded from GitHub.

git clone https://github.com/Rokin05/darkine-kde.git

Install the Darkline-kde theme.

cd darkine-kde
./install.sh

Sample Output:

[+] Darkine 
------------------------------------
  - Getting the latest version from GitHub ...
  - (https://github.com/Rokin05/darkine-kde/archive/master.tar.gz)
  - Unpacking archive ...
  - Deleting Darkine
  - Installing
  - Clearing cache

On a successful installation, switch to the theme.

You should have your desktop configured with the new feel and look.

8. The Arc KDE theme

This is a fork theme of the GTK theme Arc for KDE Plasma 5 desktop that comes with few additional features. This theme can be installed on Linux as below.

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PapirusDevelopmentTeam/arc-kde/master/install.sh | sh

Switch to the new theme.

Your desktop should have a new appearance as below.

Uninstall Arc KDE as below.

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PapirusDevelopmentTeam/arc-kde/master/install.sh | env uninstall=true sh

Now you are set to go. From the knowledge gained, you can install more and more themes|modules, and extensions on your KDE Plasma desktop. I hope this guide was helpful

See more:

• Install Deepin Desktop Environment on Ubuntu
• Install Cinnamon Desktop Environment on Ubuntu
• Install Cinnamon Desktop Environment on Debian