The first beta of KDE Plasma 6.6 has been released as a public preview of the desktop environment’s planned February 17 stable release. The changes are many, but here are the most important ones. Above all, this version includes three new foundational modules:
- plasma-login-manager: a replacement for the SDDM display manager.
- plasma-keyboard: introducing a new virtual keyboard implementation.
- plasma-setup: a wizard designed for out-of-the-box and OEM system initialization.
On the widget and panel front, Plasma 6.6 adds several user-facing enhancements. Users can now create global themes from their current visual settings, making customization easier. Connectivity is streamlined with Wi-Fi network access via QR code scanning, and the Emoji Selector app gains a preferred skin-tone filter.
New interaction patterns include changing task volume by scrolling and global media actions for seeking forward or backward in media playback. The Window List widget gains advanced filtering and hover behavior, while the Lock/Logout widget offers configurable icon ordering. A new wired network configuration widget expands networking control directly on the desktop.
Visual and style improvements focus on consistency and modern dialog layouts. The XDG portal dialogs are visually overhauled, and Kirigami-based apps receive refined list margins and toolbar spacing, aligning more closely with broader desktop UI conventions.
Another novelty (which I am personally very excited about) is that Plasma 6.6 introduces user-configurable controls for the intensity and contrast of frame borders around windows, panels, and other interface elements. This long-awaited option lets users make borders more subtle or more pronounced, enhancing both aesthetics and accessibility on Breeze-themed desktops.
On the accessibility side, Plasma 6.6 implements Slow Keys support in Wayland sessions, helping users with motor impairments by requiring configurable key-press durations. Plus, Plasma’s Zoom effect now offers an “always centered” pointer mode, and new grayscale and intensity controls support users with visual sensitivities.
Additionally, support for the standard XDG reduced-motion setting allows users to minimize animations system-wide. System changes extend from device integration to everyday usability. Spectacle’s screenshot tool now includes OCR, and screen recording can exclude specific windows.
Plasma 6.6 also implements a USB portal for sandboxed applications, automatic brightness adjustment on systems with ambient light sensors, and support for direct font installation through Discover on compatible distributions.
Quality-of-life improvements include crash reporting for non-KDE applications and enhanced input device support that treats game controller activity as system activity, preventing unwanted lock or sleep conditions.
And now something very useful: Plasma 6.6 introduces improved screen mirroring support, making it more reliable in Wayland sessions, alongside custom screen mode capabilities via the kscreen-doctor tool.
On top of that, the KWin window manager gains X11 RandR emulation support under Wayland, enhancing integration with XWayland applications that rely on legacy resize and rotate APIs. Behind the scenes, performance and efficiency enhancements address long-standing issues.
Finally, idle memory usage is reduced, specific memory leaks are resolved, and animations run smoother on high-refresh-rate displays. The Wayland session also benefits from broader hardware integration and refinement, improving responsiveness and consistency across modern Linux systems.
So, what’s next? A second beta is expected on January 27, with the final stable release scheduled for February 17. In the meantime, anyone eager to explore everything new in Plasma 6.6 can already do so via the KDE Neon Unstable release.
For more information, see the announcement.
