This page aims to setup a nice KDE Plasma5 desktop for someone who’s coming from Windows.

KDE Neon: Missing Software / Fixes

There are a few things missing from User Edition of KDE Neon for regular usage.

sudo apt install -y kdeplasma-addons # "Big Icons" Alt+Tab
sudo apt install -y libnotify-bin # notify-send (Dota 2 Notifications)
sudo apt install -y p7zip-full p7zip-rar # (.7z)
sudo apt install -y qapt-deb-installer # (.deb) GUI Installer
sudo apt install -y software-properties-common # add-apt-repository
sudo apt install -y unrar # (.rar)

Useful Software

sudo apt install -y clementine # Music Player (.mp3 SoundCloud)
sudo apt install -y comix # Image Viewer (.cbr .zip .rar)
sudo apt install -y gimp # Image Editor (.jpg .png)
sudo apt install -y htop # Command Line Task Manager
sudo apt install -y inkscape # Vector Image Editor (.svg)
sudo apt install -y scrot # Command Line Screen Capture
sudo apt install -y xbindkey # Remap Mouse Buttons / Keys
sudo apt install -y xdotool # Command Line Trigger Mouse/Keys
sudo apt install -y vlc # Video Player (.mp4 .mkv)

## Chrome
cd ~/Downloads
wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i google-chrome*.deb
# Set Chrome as the default browser for hexchat (TODO: xdg-mime)
gvfs-mime --set x-scheme-handler/http google-chrome.desktop
gvfs-mime --set x-scheme-handler/https google-chrome.desktop

## Calibre
# https://calibre-ebook.com/download_linux (Isolated install)
# Installs to ~/calibre-bin/
wget -nv -O- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kovidgoyal/calibre/master/setup/linux-installer.py | python -c "import sys; main=lambda x,y:sys.stderr.write('Download failed\n'); exec(sys.stdin.read()); main('~/calibre-bin', True)"

## Redshift (Redden the Screen / f.lux Alternative)
sudo apt install -y redshift
# Unlock Widgets > Right Click ☰ > Add Widgets
# Get New Widgets > Download New Widgets > Redshift Control
# System Tray Settings > General Tab > Enable Redshift

Windows Software Emulation

sudo apt install -y virtualbox-qt # Virtual Machine

Developer Software

sudo apt install -y cmake
sudo apt install -y curl
sudo apt install -y pgadmin3 # DB Editor (PostgreSQL)
sudo apt install -y postgresql postgresql-contrib
sudo apt install -y python-pip python3-pip
sudo apt install -y sqliteman # DB Editor (.sqlite)

## Android Studio
# Via ubuntu-make: http://askubuntu.com/a/677805/513249
# "umake android" is broken in 16.04
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-desktop/ubuntu-make
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ubuntu-make
umake android # Prompts InstallDirectory + License
sudo apt install openjdk-8-jre
# Run with:
# JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/ ~/.local/share/umake/android/android-studio/bin/studio.sh

## Git
sudo apt install -y git
git config --global push.default matching

## Heroku
# https://toolbelt.heroku.com/debian
wget -O- https://toolbelt.heroku.com/install-ubuntu.sh | sh
heroku login # Prompts for Credentials

## NodeJS
# https://nodejs.org/en/download/package-manager/
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_4.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs
sudo apt install -y build-essential

## Sublime Text
# http://askubuntu.com/questions/172698/how-do-i-install-sublime-text-2-3
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/sublime-text-3
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y sublime-text-installer
# To install Package Control: https://packagecontrol.io/installation

Gaming Software

sudo apt install -y steam # Prompts with License Agreement
sudo apt install -y playonlinux

LibreOffice (Microsoft Office/Word Substitute)

(Optional) If you want a more up to date version of libreoffice (v5.4) vs the LTS version (v5.1), use the following ppa.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libreoffice/ppa
sudo apt update

Otherwise, install the gtk3 version (since it’s designed for it) and the breeze style. We need the Calibri and Cambria replacement fonts otherwise Microsoft Office files will look weird. Lastly we should clean the icon cache just in case.

sudo apt install -y libreoffice libreoffice-gtk3 libreoffice-style-*
sudo apt install -y fonts-crosextra-carlito fonts-crosextra-caladea
rm ~/.cache/icon-cache.kcache

Configuration

Autostarted Apps

  • Disable restoring session on Login (restarting apps open during Logout)
    System Settings > Startup & Shutdown
    Desktop Session Tab > On Login: Check Start with an empty session

Desktop

  • Show the (~/Desktop) files/links on the desktop.
    Right Click the desktop wallpaper > Desktop Settings
    Wallpaper Tab > Layout: Folder View
    Icon Tab > Arrange In: Columns
    Icon Tab > Sorting: Unsorted
    Icon Tab > Size: 4 (out of 6)

  • Hide the ☰ button in the top corner
    Right Click the desktop wallpaper > Desktop/Folder View Settings
    Tweaks Tab > Uncheck: Show the desktop toolbox

  • Hide the ☰ button in the panel on the bottom right
    Right Click the ☰ button > Lock Widgets.

  • Always Hide System Tray Notification Icons
    Right Click the “Expand System Tray Triangle” > System Tray Settings.
    Entries Tab > Networks > Visibility: Hidden

  • Disable Icon in System Tray
    Right Click the “Expand System Tray Triangle” > System Tray Settings.
    General Tab > Extra Items > Uncheck: Clipboard, Battery

  • Classic “Start” Menu
    While the widgets are unlocked
    Right Click the “Start” menu > Alternatives > Application Menu

  • Don’t sort windows in Taskbar
    Right Click a Task > Task Manager Settings
    General Tab > Sorting: Manual
    General Tab > Uncheck: Keep Launchers Separate

  • Hide windows from other Desktops in Taskbar
    Right Click a Task > Task Manager Settings
    General Tab > Filters > Check: Current Desktop

  • Pin Apps to Taskbar
    Launch App
    Right Click app in Taskbar > Check: Show Launcher When Not Running

  • Hide audio indicator in window list
    Right Click a Task > Task Manager Settings
    General Tab > Uncheck: Mark applications that play audio

  • Disable Top Left “Hot Corner”
    System Settings > Desktop Behaviour
    Screen Edges Tab > Top Left: No Action

  • Bind Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right to Switch Desktop
    System Settings > Desktop Behaviour
    Virtual Desktops Tab > Switching > Shortcuts
    Switch One Desktop Left: Ctrl+Alt+Left
    Switch One Desktop Right: Ctrl+Alt+Right
    Switch To Desktop 1, 2, …: None

  • Disable Switch Desktop when scrolling over desktop wallpaper
    Right Click the desktop wallpaper > Desktop/Folder View Settings
    Mouse Actions Tab > Remove: Vertical Scroll => Switch Desktop

  • Disable focus stealing prevention
    System Settings > Window Management
    Window Behaviour Tab > Focus Stealing Prevention: None

  • “Normal” Alt+Tab popup
    System Settings > Window Management
    Task Switcher Tab > Click the “star icon”
    Install “Thumbnail Grid”, then close the installer window.
    Select “Thumbnail Grid” in the dropdown.

  • Show Alt+Tab popup as fast as possible
    Normally it will wait 90 milliseconds before trying to show the popup. This makes quick switches faster since it doesn’t need to draw anything.
    We need to set DelayTime=0 under the group [TabBox] in the file ~/config/kwinrc, then reload kwin.
    It’s easier to use these commmands than doing it by hand.

kwriteconfig5 --file ~/.config/kwinrc --group TabBox --key DelayTime 0
qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure

  • Disable Lock Screen
    System Settings > Desktop Behaviour > Screen Locking Tab
    Uncheck: Lock screen automatically after __ min
    Uncheck: Lock screen on resume

  • Disable Logout/Shutdown Confirmation
    System Settings > Startup and Shutdown
    Desktop Session Tab > Uncheck: Confirm Logout

  • Windows Keybindings for moving windows
    System Settings > Shortcuts > Global Keyboard Shortcuts Tab
    KWin > Show Desktop: Win+M
    KWin > Maximize Window: Win+Up
    KWin > Minimize Window: Win+Down
    KWin > Quick Tile Window to the Left: Win+Left
    KWin > Quick Tile Window to the Right: Win+Right
    To open the “Start Menu” with the Windows key see the next item.

  • Present all windows with Win+Tab
    System Settings > Desktop Behavior
    Desktop Effects Tab > Check Present Windows
    Click the Gear Icon > Change the Ctrl+F10 shortcut to Meta+Tab

  • Open “Start Menu” with Windows/Meta key
    • KDE 5.8.2
      Feature has been added by default.
      If it’s not working, make sure your “Start Menu” has a global shortcut like Alt+F1 set (you can’t assign it only to Meta, but it will open with Meta if another shortcut is assigned).
      Right Click the KDE Icon > Application Menu Settings
      Keyboard Shortcuts Tab > Shortcut: Alt+F1
    • <= KDE 5.7
      sudo apt install ksuperkey
    • <= KDE 5.7 (Or just use Win+Space)
      Right Click the KDE Icon > Application Menu Settings
      Keyboard Shortcuts Tab > Shortcut: Meta+Space
  • Do not open the “Start Menu” with Windows/Meta key (KDE 5.8)
    We need to set Meta= under the group [ModifierOnlyShortcuts] in the file ~/config/kwinrc, then reload kwin.
    It’s easier to use these commmands than doing it by hand.
kwriteconfig5 --file ~/.config/kwinrc --group ModifierOnlyShortcuts --key Meta ""
qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure
  • Hide titlebars when maximized (like Ubuntu)
    We need to set BorderlessMaximizedWindows=true under the group [Windows] in the file ~/config/kwinrc, then reload kwin.
    It’s easier to use these commmands than doing it by hand.
kwriteconfig5 --file ~/.config/kwinrc --group Windows --key BorderlessMaximizedWindows true
qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure

Multi Screen

  • Don’t show ~/Desktop folder on every screen (Workaround)
    Create ~/Desktop2, ~/Desktop3… for each screen.
    Right click wallpaper on screen 2 > Configure Desktop
    Location > Check: Specify a folder > ~/Desktop2

Login Screen (SDDM) / Lock Screen

  • Change Login Screen Wallpaper
    System Settings > Startup and Shutdown
    Login Screen (SDDM) Tab > Background > Load From File
    We should also change the lock screen.
    System Settings > Desktop Bahviour
    Screen Locking Tab > Wallpaper > Wallpaper Type: Image

Dolphin (File Manager)

  • Double Click to open files
    System Settings > Input Devices
    Mouse Tab > Icons: Double Click to open files and folders

  • Always Show Hidden Files
    ☰ Control > Adjust View Properties
    Check: Show hidden files
    Apply view properties to: All Folders
    Check: Use these view properties as default

  • Browse (.zip / .tar.gz / .rar) with Dolphin
    ☰ Control > Configure Dolphin
    Navigation Tab > Check: Open archives as folder

  • Clean up Context Menu (Right Click Menu)
    ☰ Control > Configure Dolphin
    Services Tab > Uncheck: “Copy To”, “Delete”, “File to activity”, “Send as Email”, “Send to IM”, “Send via Bluetooth”, “Send via KDE Connect”

  • Show Terminal Panel
    ☰ Control > Panels > Terminal (F4)

  • Paste into Terminal Panel
    ☰ Control > Configure Shortcuts
    Paste > Set Alternative (Defaulted to Shift+Insert) as “None”

Chrome

  • Overlay tabs on top of the title bar
    ⋮Button > Settings
    Appearance > Uncheck: Use system title bar and borders

  • Match Titlebar with Desktop Theme
    Breeze
    Breeze Dark: Chrome Theme

  • Enable Hardware Acceleration
    If you notice tearing while playing video, check chrome://gpu and see if it says hardware acceleration is unavailable. It’s very likely that it’s just that chrome doesn’t recognize that it can use your GPU.

    Origional Article
    Go to chrome://flags, search for “Override software rendering list”, enable it and restart Chrome.

Steam

  • PixelVision2 Skin
    cd ~/.steam/skins
    git clone https://github.com/somini/Pixelvision2.git
    Steam > Settings
    Interface Tab > Select Skin: default skin => PixelVision2

  • Hide “Big Picture”, etc in the System Tray Context Menu
    Steam > Settings > Interface Tab
    Set Taskbar Preferences > Only Check: Library, Exit Steam

  • Hide “Friend is playing ___” Notifications
    Steam > Settings > Friends Tab
    Uncheck: When friend joins a game: display a notification

  • Never Show Advertisement Popups
    Steam > Settings > Interface Tab
    Uncheck: Notify me about additions to my games and other releases

Clementine

  • Clean up UI
    Tools > Preferences
    Playback Tab > Uncheck: Show a glowing animation on the current track
    Search Tab > Uncheck: DigitallyImported, DropBox, Google Drive, Jazz
    Last.fm Tab > Uncheck: Show the “love” amd “ban” buttons
    Last.fm Tab > Uncheck: Show the scrobble button

  • Don’t fade between songs
    Playback Tab > Uncheck: Fade out when stopping a track
    Playback Tab > Uncheck: Cross-fade when changing tracks manually

  • Double Click song should play song now
    Behaviour > Using the menu to add a song will: Always start playing
    Behaviour > Double clicking a song will: Replace the playlist + Always start playing

Gtk Apps (Gimp/Hexchat/etc)

  • Fix white text on white bg tooltips
    System Settings > Colors
    Uncheck: Apply colors to non-Qt applications

Known Bugs