KDE Plasma 5.21-UI with new launcher and cosmetic tweaks is out

KDE Project has released KDE Plasma 5.21. The new desktop environment has several visual changes, the main innovation being a completely new launcher for applications.

KDE Plasma 5.21 is the most recent version of the desktop environment for Linux environments. The most notable change is the new app launcher. It looks more like a traditional start menu and consists of two sections. On the left is a list of the different software sections that displays the specific applications when the user clicks on them. At the bottom is a bar with the power settings. According to KDE Project, the launcher is suitable for both keyboard and mouse control and touch gestures. Users can also download the old Kickoff launcher from the software store if they prefer.

The new KDE version also gets a new color scheme for applications that use the default Plasma theme, specifically with the header bar aligned throughout. It is also possible to set the Breeze Twilight theme, where users can set a dark mode system-wide, but also specify which mode it uses per application.

There are even more new features in the UI. For example, in the system settings there is a new page with which a firewall can be configured. Furthermore, there is better support for time zones in the time settings and the media player has received an interactive widget. Also, KDE now has its own system monitor with its own look.