KDE developers shared their latest update, highlighting upcoming Plasma 6.9 improvements, scheduled for release in late February 2027.
One of the biggest changes is that KWin’s support for the Wayland Picture-in-Picture protocol has completed extended testing and is now enabled by default. This allows compatible applications to display floating video windows using native Wayland functionality.
Another useful improvement concerns multi-monitor setups. Plasma 6.9 will remember window sizes and positions separately for different screen arrangements. For example, if you disconnect a secondary monitor and rearrange windows on the remaining display, reconnecting the second monitor will restore the previous two-screen layout.
The feature also works in reverse, restoring the single-monitor arrangement when the additional display is disconnected. However, it currently applies only to windows that remain open during the session. Remembering positions for applications that have been closed and reopened is still under development.
For security, users can permanently deny XWayland applications permission to control the keyboard and mouse pointer. System Settings will also let you review denied applications and revoke those decisions when necessary.
Browser integration is another area receiving improvements. Firefox downloads appearing as native Plasma notifications can now be paused and resumed directly from those notifications, thanks to Plasma Browser Integration. The extension is also gaining support for the Brave browser.
On the desktop usability side, Plasma 6.9 will make selecting multiple processes in System Monitor less frustrating. When holding Shift or Ctrl to select entries, the application and process lists will temporarily stop rearranging, preventing items from moving while being selected.
Other smaller changes include clearer wording for forgetting Wi-Fi networks, more accurate previews of Alt+Tab window switcher styles, and improved power management in Plasma Login Manager, allowing monitors to enter power-saving mode when the login screen remains idle.
For additional details, see KDE’s latest “This Week in Plasma” report.
