Customize KDE Plasma Desktop with Themes|Modules|Extensions

Welcome to this guide on how to customize KDE Plasma Desktop Environment with Themes|Modules|Extensions. KDE is a dedicated community to offering free and open-source computer experiences by creating graphical tools and a wide variety of applications used for learning, entertainment, communication, work as well as a platform to build applications with ease on.

Plasma is one of the projects of the KDE community. This is an open-source graphical desktop environment for X Windows Systems. The KDE Plasma desktop environment has gained a high usage base due to its simplicity and ease of use, the design with superiority of the Unix OS, and its ultra-modern functionality.

The KDE Plasma desktop environment offers the following features:

• Settings Update
• Power Saving Updates
• Okular document viewer
• Digital Clock Applet with Date
• Grid-like system tray
• Dolphin Touch Support
• Disk Failure Notification in Advance
• Ability to manage apps preventing sleep and screen lock

By the end of this guide, you should have your KDE Plasma Desktop environment installed and customized to your preference.

Step 1 – Install KDE Plasma Desktop Environment

Before we customize the KDE Plasma Desktop Environment, we should have it installed on the Linux system.

Below is a list of dedicated guides to help you install the KDE Plasma Desktop Environment.

• On Debian
  • How To Install KDE Desktop Environment on Debian
• On Ubuntu
  • Install KDE Plasma Desktop on Ubuntu
• On Linux Mint
  • Install KDE Plasma Desktop on Linux Mint
• On Fedora
  • Install KDE Plasma Desktop Environment on Fedora

On Rocky Linux/ CentOS/Alma Linux, KDE Plasma can be installed using the below steps:

Add the EPEL repository.

sudo dnf install epel-release

Now download and install the KDE Plasma

sudo dnf groupinstall -y "KDE Plasma Workspaces"

Once complete, enable PowerTools.

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled powertools
sudo dnf --enablerepo=epel,powertools group -y install "KDE Plasma Workspaces" "base-x"

Set the default system target to graphical if you are running a minimal server as below.

sudo systemctl set-default graphical

Reboot your system and switch to KDE Plasma.

sudo reboot

Switch to the Plasma desktop.

Step 1 – Customize KDE Plasma Desktop Environment with Themes|Modules|Extensions.

There are a variety of themes that can be installed to give your KDE Plasma Desktop Environment a more appealing look. This guide demonstrates how to install and customize KDE Plasma using some of the best themes.

First, ensure that git is installed on your system

##On Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

##On RHEL/CentOS/Rocky Linux/Alma Linux
sudo yum install git

1. Orchis KDE

This is a Materia design theme for the KDE Plasma Desktop. This theme can be installed on your system as below.

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/Orchis-kde.git

Navigate into the directory.

cd Orchis-kde

Install the Orchis KDE theme as below.

./install.sh -t all

Sample Output:

Installing 'Orchis kde themes'...
Install finished...

Once installed, switch to the new Orchis Theme

Your desktop should appear as below.

2. WhiteSur-kde

This desktop theme resembles the MacOS Big Sur as the name suggests. It can be installed using Git as below:

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/WhiteSur-kde.git

Install the WhiteSur-kde theme:

cd WhiteSur-kde
./install.sh

Sample Output:

Installing 'WhiteSur kde themes'...
Install finished...

To make the theme more appealing, you can also install the WhiteSur icon theme.

cd ~
git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/WhiteSur-icon-theme.git

Install the icon theme.

cd WhiteSur-icon-theme
./install.sh

In addition to that, there is also the WhiteSur cursors theme installed as below:

cd ~
git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/WhiteSur-cursors.git

Install the WhiteSur cursors theme.

cd WhiteSur-cursors
./install.sh

Now customize your Plasma desktop with the WhiteSur theme.

Also, customize the icons as below.

You should have your new KDE appearance as shown.

3. Qogir KDE Theme

This is a flat design KDE desktop theme. Install it from Git as below.

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/Qogir-kde.git

Install the Qogir KDE Theme on Linux.

cd Qogir-kde
./install.sh

Switch to the installed Qogir-kde theme.

Your desktop should have a new appearance as below.

4. McMojave-kde

This desktop theme resembles the MacOSX Mojave. Git clone MacOSX Mojave theme.

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/McMojave-kde.git

Now install the theme.

cd McMojave-kde
./install.sh

Switch to the McMojave KDE theme.

Your KDE desktop should appear as shown.

5. ChromeOS-kde

This is a Materia design theme for the KDE Plasma desktop. Download it on your system as below.

git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/ChromeOS-kde.git

Install the ChromeOS-kde.

cd ChromeOS-kde
./install.sh

Once installed, switch to the ChromeOS-kde theme.

The KDE desktop appearance appears as below.

6. Adapta-kde

This is a fork of the GTK theme Adapta for Plasma 5 that comes with a few additional features.

This theme can be installed using the KDE installer.

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PapirusDevelopmentTeam/adapta-kde/master/install.sh | sh

Sample output:

.......
=> Unpacking archive ...
=> Deleting Adapta KDE ...
[sudo] password for thor: 
=> Installing ...
=> Clearing cache ...
=> Done!

Switch to the new Adapta-kde theme.

The Adapta theme appears as below.

The Adapta-kde can be uninstalled using the script.

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PapirusDevelopmentTeam/adapta-kde/master/install.sh | uninstall=true sh

7. Darkine-kde

This is a dark theme for KDE Plasma available on the OpenDesktop page. Alternatively, it can be downloaded from GitHub.

git clone https://github.com/Rokin05/darkine-kde.git

Install the Darkline-kde theme.

cd darkine-kde
./install.sh

Sample Output:

[+] Darkine 
------------------------------------
  - Getting the latest version from GitHub ...
  - (https://github.com/Rokin05/darkine-kde/archive/master.tar.gz)
  - Unpacking archive ...
  - Deleting Darkine
  - Installing
  - Clearing cache

On a successful installation, switch to the theme.

You should have your desktop configured with the new feel and look.

8. The Arc KDE theme

This is a fork theme of the GTK theme Arc for KDE Plasma 5 desktop that comes with few additional features. This theme can be installed on Linux as below.

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PapirusDevelopmentTeam/arc-kde/master/install.sh | sh

Switch to the new theme.

Your desktop should have a new appearance as below.

Uninstall Arc KDE as below.

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PapirusDevelopmentTeam/arc-kde/master/install.sh | env uninstall=true sh

Now you are set to go. From the knowledge gained, you can install more and more themes|modules, and extensions on your KDE Plasma desktop. I hope this guide was helpful

See more:

• Install Deepin Desktop Environment on Ubuntu
• Install Cinnamon Desktop Environment on Ubuntu
• Install Cinnamon Desktop Environment on Debian