The world of Linux desktops is constantly evolving, and the KDE Plasma team continues its commitment to a smooth and feature-rich experience. Hot on the heels of the recent 6.4.1 release, KDE Plasma 6.4.2 has just landed, bringing with it a new wave of fixes and subtle yet impactful improvements. While not a groundbreaking major version, these incremental updates are crucial for stability and user comfort.
One of the key areas of focus in 6.4.2 is the Kicker Application Menu widget. Those familiar with Plasma’s powerful launcher will appreciate the tweaks. “New!” badges for recently installed applications are now more visually appealing and easier to discern, helping users quickly identify their latest additions. Furthermore, the ability to activate power and session actions directly using the Enter key within the Kicker menu streamlines workflows, offering a small but welcome efficiency boost.
The popular Spectacle screenshot utility also receives attention. A common annoyance, where semi-transparent menus of Spectacle itself would sometimes appear in delayed screenshots, has been addressed. This ensures cleaner captures, which is invaluable for documentation, bug reporting, or simply sharing what’s on your screen.
Beyond these highlights, Plasma 6.4.2 includes a host of other refinements. Text labels in Folder View pop-ups now boast improved appearance, contributing to a more cohesive visual experience. WireGuard VPN support sees a fix that prevents erroneous authentication prompts when credentials are already stored in KWallet and the wallet is set to auto-open. Even the Display & Monitor settings page now accurately reflects the brightness level.
Under the hood, several bugs have been squashed. A critical fix resolves an issue where the Flatpak App Permissions page in System Settings could cause crashes, enhancing the stability of Flatpak management. Another notable fix prevents Plasma from re-entering sleep mode immediately after waking up when the “Sleep then hibernate” setting is in use, addressing a common frustration for laptop users.
These consistent maintenance updates demonstrate KDE’s dedication to polishing its flagship desktop environment. For users, it means a more reliable, visually refined, and ultimately more enjoyable computing experience. As these updates make their way into your favorite GNU/Linux distribution’s stable repositories, they quietly but effectively contribute to a better desktop for everyone.
Want to see more of what KDE Plasma 6.4.2 offers? Check out the full changelog: Plasma 6.4.2 complete changelog - KDE Community