KDE developers are advancing Plasma 6.6 with key improvements to the system monitor and HDR calibration tools. The update restores graphical controls for process priorities and enhances compatibility with Windows-style HDR behavior. Scheduled for release on February 17, 2026, it also addresses several stability issues.
KDE Plasma 6.6, set for its final stable release on February 17, 2026, introduces several functional enhancements to the desktop environment. Developers have shared weekly updates via the KDE Blogs, highlighting changes that build on previous versions.
A standout addition is to the System Monitor, which now allows users to adjust CPU and I/O priority for running processes through a graphical interface. This feature revives capabilities once found in KSysGuard, reducing reliance on command-line tools for routine adjustments.
Interface refinements include changes to how removable storage devices are handled: mounting them will no longer automatically trigger a file system scan, with manual checks available via the device's expanded options. The screen chooser dialog gains a search field, simplifying navigation in multi-monitor or multi-window setups.
The Kicker application launcher sees improvements in search stability, keeping results visually consistent during typing to avoid column flicker and resizing issues. Bluetooth notifications receive clearer, user-friendly titles, with planned updates to the body text for better accessibility.
HDR support advances with the Calibrator tool adding a summary page that aligns more closely with Windows-style behavior, aiding games and applications designed for that model. Plasma now implements version 2 of the Wayland color management protocol and minimizes visual glitches in Firefox's experimental HDR mode.
Stability fixes target common pain points. A KWin crash that affected laptops waking from sleep while connected to external displays has been resolved, alongside lock-screen focus issues on multi-monitor systems. Discover avoids switching to full-screen for pop-up dialogs, and the System Settings' Remote Desktop page maintains proper layout even with complex networks or numerous Docker containers.
These updates, detailed in the latest 'This Week in Plasma' post, aim to make Plasma 6.6 more reliable and user-friendly for Linux desktop users.
