KDE developers are already gearing up for Plasma 6.7, and the upcoming update is bringing some great quality-of-life features like an instant dark mode toggle and system-wide push-to-talk.The team is quickly moving past the initial Plasma 6 launch and focusing on more improvements.The feature freeze for Plasma 6.6 just happened, meaning the core team is now focusing heavily on fixing bugs and stabilizing that codebase.
However, the door has opened for new features to land in 6.7, and we are already seeing some notable additions that sound awesome for anyone running the KDE desktop environment.Users will finally be able to toggle themes instantly via the Brightness and Color widget, easily the most noticeable change in 6.7.I think this is a fantastic addition because it removes the need to dig through settings just to change the theme based on the time of day.
The developers have said they plan to add a smooth cross-fade transition later on, but the immediate functionality is already merged, and that is what matters most right now.This update is also a big deal for those who spend time in voice chats.Plasma 6.7 introduces a system-wide push-to-talk setting.
Instead of relying on individual apps, you can now bind a global key that unmutes your mic only when pressed, ensuring you are muted everywhere else by default.This is much more reliable than individual application settings and gives you predictable microphone behavior, which is essential for privacy and avoiding accidental hot mics.The System Settings pages for Game Controller, Mouse, and Touchpad will only appear if the corresponding physical device is actually plugged in or detected.
If you only use a standard keyboard and don't have a trackpad, those pages will simply disappear from the menu.This makes navigation much cleaner.The Games section in Discover is getting a cleanup, too, with new dedicated folders that separate game launchers and tools from the actual games.
This lets you more easily distinguish between full games and supporting software, which should make the Games category easier to browse.While 6.7 is in the works, the upcoming Plasma 6.6 release is already seeing some finalized improvements.System Monitor, for example, now lets you set the priority of processes graphically.
This restores functionality that was previously available in the older KSysGuard application.Another change that will improve the speed of the desktop is how removable disks are handled.Mounting a removable disk no longer performs a file system scan by default.
If you need to check for errors, that is now a manual action you initiate from the expanded actions list.The Kicker search results are also much more stable now.They no longer flicker or resize while you are typing, which makes searching for apps feel much smoother and faster.
The user interface is getting many small but important tweaks as well.The screen chooser dialog now includes a search and filter field.This makes it easier to find a specific screen by name, especially when you have a large number of windows open.
The HDR calibrator now has a summary page, including a new option to improve compatibility with Windows HDR games.This is a crucial feature for anyone switching between operating systems or running Windows games in a virtual environment.Subscribe to the newsletter for Plasma and KDE coverage Want clearer, focused coverage of KDE desktop progress? Subscribe to the newsletter for concise explanations, curated highlights, and practical context around Plasma and KDE changes, making it easier to understand what each update means for your setup.
Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.You can unsubscribe anytime.While Plasma 6.6 is still stabilizing ahead of its expected release, 6.7 is currently in active development, and the above is what you can expect when it releases.
The team has not provided a specific release date for Plasma 6.7 yet, but these early features show that there is a lot coming.Source: KDE Blog
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