KDE Plasma 6.1 Released with Explicit Sync, Triple Buffering, Edit Mode and More

KDE Plasma 6.1 is officially released! Bring exciting improvements and powerful new features to enhance the desktop experience across the board.

Plasma 6.0 is mainly committed to migrating to the underlying Qt 6 framework, while version 6.1 goes a step further on this basis, introducing many functions to improve the desktop experience.

This update not only includes subtle improvements to the theme and animation, but also brings many major improvements. You can experience remote desktop access, numerous ease of use and accessibility improvements, and customization options that affect computer hardware.

A prominent feature of Plasma 6.1 is its native support for these cutting-edge features in the Wayland version, without the need for third-party software or extensions often required for similar solutions in X Window systems.

Table of contents

- 1. Explicit synchronization and triple buffering: two major enhancements to Wayland

• 1.1. Eliminate flickering and failures for NVIDIA users
• 1.2. Smooth animation and screen rendering
• 2. Access to remote desktop from system settings
• 3. Visual customization in edit mode
• 4. Persistence applications
• 5. Synchronous keyboard LED lights
• 6. Enhanced cursor visibility and control
  • 6.1. Shake the cursor: easily locate the cursor
  • 6.2. Edge Barrier: Precise Control in Multi-Display Settings
• 7. Remove unnecessary options from the shutdown menu
• 8. Passwordless screen lock experience
• 9. Built-in color profile support
  • 9.1. Provide accurate color rendering for wide color gamut displays
  • 9.2. Seamless color management
• 10. Automatically replace terminated supported Flatpak applications
• Experience the new KDE Plasma 6.1
  • Download link:
• Package download
• Key Points

1. Explicit synchronization and triple buffering: two major enhancements to Wayland

Plasma 6.1 introduces two major breakthroughs in Wayland, greatly enhancing the desktop experience, especially in terms of visual performance and fluency.

These improvements address long-standing problems and pave the way for a finer and more pleasant Plasma environment.

1.1. Eliminate flickering and failures for NVIDIA users

One breakthrough in Plasma 6.1 is the implementation of "explicit synchronization" for NVIDIA graphics cards.

This feature addresses common problems encountered by NVIDIA users on Wayland, namely flickering, malfunctioning, and visual artifacts during various desktop interactions.

With explicit synchronization, these annoying visual interferences will become a thing of the past, providing NVIDIA users with a seamless and trouble-free Plasma experience.

1.2. Smooth animation and screen rendering

The second major enhancement is the introduction of "three-buffer" support in Wayland.

Tri-buffering is a technology that improves animation and screen rendering fluency by leveraging additional buffers, resulting in a smoother and more sensitive visual experience.

Whether you are browsing menus, resizing windows, or enjoying animation transitions, Plasma 6.1 with triple-buffer support provides smooth performance, eliminating any potential lag or delays.

2. Access to remote desktop from system settings

One of the most impressive and practical new features of Plasma 6.1 is the ability to access the remote Plasma desktop directly from the system setup application .

When enabled, you can connect to the remote desktop using a client like KRDC (KDE Remote Desktop Connection).

With KRDC, you will see the Plasma desktop of the remote computer in the window of the local computer, allowing you to interact with it as if you were sitting in front of the remote computer.

Whether you are a system administrator who needs to solve multiple machine problems or a user who often works on different devices, this remote desktop access feature provides an efficient solution.

No complicated setup or third-party tools required – Plasma 6.1 places the remote desktop connection function directly at your fingertips, right in the familiar system settings interface.

This powerful feature simplifies the process of troubleshooting user machines or working on remotely-enabled Plasma, making connections easily with just a few clicks.

With this new feature, you can quickly and securely connect to a remote Plasma desktop, perform necessary tasks, access files and remotely manage applications. This not only saves time and effort, but also increases your overall productivity, allowing you to work more efficiently in a variety of scenarios.

3. Visual customization in edit mode

One of the most beloved aspects of Plasma desktop is the ability to personalize it to your liking.

Plasma 6.1 takes this customization experience to the next level with visually stunning improvements to the edit mode functionality.

To access edit mode and start customizing your desktop, just right-click anywhere on the desktop background and select Enter Edit Mode from the menu.

In version 6.1, you will see a smooth animation that smoothly scales the entire desktop, giving you a comprehensive overview of your workspace.

This enhanced visual representation not only looks stylish and modern, but also provides a more intuitive customization experience.

By narrowing down the view, you can easily identify and manage various elements on your desktop, making it easier to rearrange icons, widgets, and other components to suit your preferences.

4. Persistence applications

For users using Plasma 6.1 on modern Wayland display servers, a new and very convenient feature has been introduced: persistent applications .

This feature is designed to provide a seamless experience by "remembering" the state of applications and windows in your previous session, just like under a traditional X11 system.

Although still under development, persistent applications ensure that if you log out or shut down your computer with multiple windows open, Plasma will automatically restore those applications and their corresponding windows the next time you start the desktop. This means you can quickly recover to where you left last time, saving valuable time and effort.

Imagine opening a dozen windows in a variety of productivity applications, web browsers, and other tools. The persistent application does not require you to manually reopen and rearrange each window, it handles this for you, rebuilding the workspace you left exactly as you left.

5. Synchronous keyboard LED lights

In each release, Plasma 6.1 introduces a unique and visually striking customization feature that goes beyond the boundaries of the screen.

With this version, you can now match the LED colors of the keyboard keys to the accent color of the desktop environment.

This seamless integration creates a cohesive and personalized aesthetic that allows you to achieve a harmonious look from desktop to physical keyboard. Whether you prefer bright tones or soft tones, this feature ensures that the keyboard’s LED lighting complements the overall color scheme of the Plasma workspace.

For those who value fashion and a stylish computing experience, this keyboard LED synchronization feature adds an extra sense of style and personalization.

Please note that this feature is currently limited to supported keyboards, but is actively working to support other keyboard models.

6. Enhanced cursor visibility and control

Plasma 6.1 introduces two thoughtful visual accessibility changes that solve common challenges users face when using their cursors.

6.1. Shake the cursor: easily locate the cursor

Have you ever found yourself having trouble finding the cursor in a messy screen? Not now!

The Shake Cursor feature in Plasma 6.1 provides a simple and effective solution. By gently shaking the mouse or input device, the cursor will temporarily grow larger, making it easier to spot on a large screen or on a busy monitor.

6.2. Edge Barrier: Precise Control in Multi-Display Settings

For users using multi-monitor configurations, Plasma 6.1 introduces the "Edge Barrier" feature.

This feature solves the problem of accidentally moving the cursor between the display when trying to interact with elements close to the edge of the display.

The edge barrier creates a sticky area near the edges between the screens, preventing the cursor from accidentally crossing. This smart solution provides greater control and precision when using applications or elements located at the edge of the screen.

7. Remove unnecessary options from the shutdown menu

Plasma 6.1 removes some options you see when trying to exit the desktop environment.

Plasma now displays a concise and clear dialog box when you start shutdown, rather than a series of confusing options.

For example, when you press Shutdown, you will only see the Shutdown and Cancel options, eliminating unnecessary confusion and making the process more intuitive.

8. Passwordless screen lock experience

Screen locking in Plasma 6.1 now offers greater flexibility and customization options. Users can choose to configure screen lock behavior to mimic the traditional screen saver experience.

With this new setting, you can choose not to require a password when unlocking the screen, which provides a convenient experience for those who prioritize convenience over security in some cases.

9. Built-in color profile support

Plasma 6.1 brings an exciting new feature to users who use wide color gamut monitors – built-in color profile support . This long-awaited feature ensures that the color of the monitor is accurately represented throughout the Plasma desktop environment and applications.

9.1. Provide accurate color rendering for wide color gamut displays

If you are the proud owner of a wide color gamut monitor, you can now be overjoyed!

Plasma 6.1 automatically retrieves color profiles from the monitor's EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) and applies them to system-wide.

This means that the bright and accurate colors your monitor can reproduce will be consistently displayed in KDE/Plasma and all applications, eliminating the issue of oversaturation or inaccuracy of colors.

9.2. Seamless color management

This built-in color profile support basically achieves the same effect as the sRGB clamp or "novideo_srgb" feature on Windows, but in a more integrated and seamless way.

No more effort to use third-party tools or workarounds – Plasma 6.1 handles color management out of the box, ensuring full use of the capabilities of a wide color gamut display while maintaining accurate color representation.

10. Automatically replace terminated supported Flatpak applications

Plasma 6.1 brings significant improvements to the Discover software management application, ensuring a smoother experience when updating Flatpak applications.

One of the challenges users face is the need to manually delete and reinstall Flatpak applications that have reached the support deadline. This process can be very time consuming and prone to potential problems, especially when dealing with multiple applications.

With the latest update, Discover now supports replacing terminated supported Flatpak applications with updated replacements without manual intervention.

This feature makes the update process easier and allows you to seamlessly and easily transition to new versions of the Flatpak application.

Plasma 6.1 also comes with many other features. To view the complete change list, see the change log for Plasma 6.1 .

Experience the new KDE Plasma 6.1

One of the easiest ways to try the new Plasma 6.1 is to boot the live image from a USB disk. Docker images also provide a quick and convenient way to test the latest Plasma desktop environments.

Here is a link to download Plasma 6.1:

Download link:

1. Real-time image : https://www.php.cn/link/8c76acf2b5b98f72bec5c3e3b258f122
2. Docker image : https://www.php.cn/link/3f26de5213216fe4c8a797b1ad68d771

Package download

Some Linux distributions have created packages for Plasma 6.1 stable version, or are creating packages.

Please note that this version of the package may not be available at the time of release. You may have to wait a moment.

Key Points

• Tri-buffering in KWin brings smoother rendering and animation
• Wayland explicit synchronization brings better NVIDIA GPU support
• Input capture portal integration for secure input processing
• Supports the remote desktop function of RDP client
• Improved editing mode with new zoom-in effect
• Configurable inter-screen edge barrier
• Pseudo-session recovery on Wayland (full recovery is in progress)
• Synchronize the keyboard RGB backlight with Plasma accent color
• Color profile support for compatible monitors
• Replace terminated supported Flatpak apps in Discover
• Battery saving mode for Lenovo laptops
• Passwordless screen lock option
• Power and battery widget enhancements
• Visual improvements such as rounded corners
• Improved overview window layout
• The "Shake Cursor" effect is enabled by default
• Option to hide inactive mouse pointer
• Keyboard settings page rewritten in QML

resource :

• KDE Plasma 6.1 Release Notes

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