Although Plasma 6.6 desktop is not yet released (scheduled for February 17), KDE developers are already hard at work on version 6.7, with early details about its planned features emerging.
The Emoji Selector gains a new dialog that lets users choose mixed-skin-tone emoji groupings. The change replaces the previous selection method with a clearer and more direct interaction model.
Another very handy feature that will land in Plasma 6.7 is the expansion of notification handling to include a global keyboard shortcut to clear the entire notification history. This provides a faster way to reset notifications without opening the notification panel.
System Settings introduces several updates. The subcategory back button now functions as a standard navigation control, reducing redundant page titles. Notification sounds can now be previewed even if sound output is disabled for that notification.
Network configuration gains additional options for L2TP VPN connections. These settings were previously unavailable through the graphical interface.
Visually, the Air Plasma style, a lighter version of the original Oxygen design, has been restored and improved. The Oxygen cursor theme now features a visual correction to the busy cursor. Cursor previews in System Settings are rendered more accurately, resolving wobbling and stabilizing the preview grid.
Additionally, theme management behavior has been standardized across System Settings. Active themes cannot be deleted, and themes installed by the operating system are clearly marked as non-removable, with an explanation shown to the user.
The Weather Report widget now displays a loading indicator while fetching forecast data, providing visible feedback during network activity.
Finally, Plasma 6.7 also fixes a rare KWin issue that could cause a black screen during intensive Alt+Tab use. The fix is being evaluated for possible backporting to Plasma 6.6.
For more information, refer to the “This Week in Plasma” post on the KDE Blogs.
