KDE Plasma 6.7 Released: BigScreen, Union Theming, and a Monster Update

A Release Worthy of a 30th Anniversary

On June 16, 2026, the KDE community released Plasma 6.7, a major update that arrives just ahead of KDE’s 30th anniversary in October [citation:1][citation:7]. This release is not a minor point update. It brings features that users have requested for years, revives the project’s classic heritage with modernized versions of beloved themes, and provides a glimpse into the future of theming with a new CSS-based system [citation:7][citation:9].

The release is dedicated to Eric Laffoon, an early KDE supporter who passed away in May 2026.

🔗 Official Source: kde.org/announcements/plasma/6/6.7.0/

Headline Features

Per-Screen Virtual Desktops

After 21 years of requests, virtual desktops are finally independent for each connected screen [citation:1][citation:5]. Laptops and external monitors no longer share the same set of virtual desktops. Each display can have its own layout, fundamentally changing the workflow on multi-monitor setups [citation:7].

This feature is particularly valuable for developers and designers working on multiple projects simultaneously, allowing each screen to be customized for specific work needs.

The Return of Oxygen and Air

To celebrate KDE’s 30-year legacy, the classic Oxygen theme, default in KDE 4, and the Air theme, which succeeded it in KDE 4.3, have been restored and modernized [citation:1][citation:9]. Both themes have been updated to be compatible with the modern Breeze framework, featuring adaptive opacity and support for light, dark, and twilight modes as part of Global Themes [citation:9][citation:10].

The restoration effort, led by KDE contributor Filip Fila alongside Oxygen’s original designer Nuno Pinheiro, involved significant technical work to ensure compatibility with modern standards like Wayland and fractional scaling [citation:9][citation:10]. The classic KDE 4 Air and Horos wallpapers also make a return [citation:1].

The New Union Theming System

In an effort to unify theming across Plasma, QtQuick, and QtWidgets, KDE introduced Union, a CSS-based theming system [citation:1][citation:8]. Currently available as a tech preview and disabled by default, Union aims to allow designers to use a single, easy-to-write set of CSS to style the entire desktop [citation:1].

To test Union, users can install the union package and select it from System Settings > Colors & Themes > Application Style [citation:13][citation:14].

Plasma BigScreen: The TV Interface Returns

After being removed from the release schedule in 2024, the Plasma BigScreen interface has returned in version 6.7 [citation:4][citation:15]. This interface is designed for computers connected to televisions (HTPCs), offering a console-like experience similar to SteamOS, with full integration into the Plasma desktop [citation:15].

Productivity and Daily Use Improvements

Test Your Microphone Volume: A new tool allows users to record and play back audio to test volume levels before calls [citation:1].
Global Mute Shortcut: A keyboard shortcut to globally mute the microphone from anywhere [citation:1].
Press-and-Hold for Special Characters: Using the virtual keyboard, pressing and holding a key allows selection of related special characters [citation:1].
Light/Dark Mode Toggle: A quick toggle is now available in the brightness and color settings to switch between light and dark Global Themes [citation:1][citation:8].
Improved Printer Management: The printer system tray icon shows the number of active jobs, and a new print queue management tool offers easier connection to shared printers on Windows networks [citation:1][citation:8].
Discover Improvements: The software center now features a more prominent “Install” button, redesigned app cards with more information, and grouping of installed software by type [citation:1].

Performance and Wayland Enhancements

Reduced power consumption and improved performance for CPU-bound applications, full-screen displays, and Intel integrated GPUs.
Simultaneous support for HDR and ICC profiles without needing to choose between them [citation:8].
Significant Wayland improvements in preparation for version 6.8, which will be X11-free.

Sub-Releases and Fixes

A week after the main release, the team issued update 6.7.1 on June 23, 2026, which includes bug fixes and new translations [citation:3].

Summary

KDE Plasma 6.7 is a release that bridges the past and the future, bringing back the classic Oxygen and Air themes while introducing the forward-looking Union theming system. It enhances the productivity of experienced users with the long-awaited per-screen virtual desktops and offers tangible improvements for everyone. If you use Plasma on a rolling release distribution, this update will arrive soon. If you want to try it now, you can use KDE Neon or build it from source.