Application Launcher transparency settings?

Issues & Assistance KDE
1

Hi everyone!

I got the update to KDE Plasma 6.4 yesterday and since then my Application Launcher is transparent… And I’ve no idea where that came from or how to disable that.

HERE is an example of how it looks with Kate opened in the background. It’s extremely difficult to read.

I checked online, and here, but couldn’t find anything that helps.

I looked through System Settings → Colours & Themes → Application Style, but the Edit button is greyed out for the Fusion theme.

System Settings → Colours & Themes → Window Decorations - doesn’t have anything related to transparency/translucency. Switching from Breeze to Catppuccin Mocha Classic also didn’t get rid of the transparency.

System Settings → Window Management → Desktop Effects - I have these Effects enabled:

  • Desaturate Unresponsive Applications
  • Highlight Screen Edges and Hot Corners
  • Rounded Corners (formerly ShapeCorners)
  • Dialog Parent
  • Dim Screen for Administrator Mode
  • Overview

None of these seem to have anything related to transparency.

I also don’t see any such settings in Application Launcher’s settings.

I tried looking through the Panel Colorizer settings, but also didn’t find anything relevant. I disabled it (“Enable Panel colorizer” deselected) but that also didn’t change anything.

Yes, I remembered to always click “Apply” whenever making any config changes.

I’m pretty new to Linux (my Garuda is 77 days old, I have around two weeks of experience prior), so I just don’t know where else to look for this.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Oh, yeah, the issue doesn’t seem hardware related, so I’ll just post the System and Garuda parts of the garuda-inxi output.

System:
  Kernel: 6.15.2-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.1.1
    clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=4b180926-8324-4dde-a4cb-0d695f021adf rw rootflags=subvol=@
    vt.default_red=30,243,166,249,137,245,148,186,88,243,166,249,137,245,148,166
    vt.default_grn=30,139,227,226,180,194,226,194,91,139,227,226,180,194,226,173
    vt.default_blu=46,168,161,175,250,231,213,222,112,168,161,175,250,231,213,200
    quiet loglevel=3 ibt=off
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.4.0 tk: Qt v: N/A info: frameworks v: 6.15.0
    wm: kwin_wayland vt: 1 dm: SDDM Distro: Garuda base: Arch Linux
Garuda (2.7.2-1):
  System install date:     2025-04-05
  Last full system update: 2025-06-21
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager dracut
  Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
  Failed units:

Thanks in advance!

2

I’m not sure, but you can try changing the settings in System Preferences —> Window Management —> Desktop Effects —> Transparency.

3

I have “Translucency” there, and it’s disabled.

But, just to test it, I enabled it and set everything to Opaque. No change… :confused:

4

The setting might be Better Blur.
On some installs it got disabled after Plasma 6.4.

Just reinstall the bumped version

sudo pacman -S kwin-effects-forceblur

But Better Blur, as well as the default BLUR from KDE, affects all windows, not just the Application Launcher.
Make sure you rebooted after your Plasma 6.4 update.

3 Likes
5

Thank you! This seems to have done the trick… Kind of!

I updated the package, rebooted - nothing.

Played around with the settings, changing various things on and off - nothing.

I turned that effect and the rounded corners effects off, tried turning Translucency on and setting everything to Opaque - nothing.

I think I forgot about Translucency, but disabled Rounded Corners and Better Blur, turned the computer off for the night.

Today I logged in, the Application Launcher was still transparent, BUT - when I then turned Better Blur ON, it became Opaque.

This remains so regardless of Translucency being on or off (I have it off right now).

As soon as I disable Better Blur, Application Launcher turns transparent again, but with it on, it’s opaque.

I’m happy with the fact that I can see everything fine, but would LOVE to understand what’s going on… :smiley:

1 Like
6

That’s what Better Blur does, it replaces the KWIN default BLUR effect.
Make sure you deactivate BLUR when you activate Better Blur, as mentioned in the Terminal warnings when you update kwin-effects-forceblur cuz they can clash with each other.

It blurs Plasma Style as well as apps’ Window backgrounds.
It is possible you need to at least log off and relog in for changes to take effects, especially for Plasma Style (like Application Launcher). Or you have to restart your Plasmashell with the method you prefer.

You do not need to play with Translucency, leave settings to default.

3 Likes
7

Chances are good It’s going to be fixed for good now. The version for 6.4 didn’t build because the AUR package didn’t specify either version of kwin` as required, and in clean chroot they weren’t available. So compilation failed, and we might have been missing out on the fixes for Plasma 6.4!

7 Likes
8

kwin-effect-rounded-corners-git also needs to be updated. It is not compatible in Kwin 6.4.1.

1 Like
9

Looks pretty fixed to me, but maybe I’m wrong.

What exactly does not work as expected?
It might need the installation of the split package for X11?

1 Like
10

kwin-effect-rounded-corners-git isn’t on desktop effect

My system is up-to-date, but kwin-effect-rounded-corners-git seems not show on Desktop Effect.

And the window’s border of Catppuccin Mocha is missing after updated to kwin 6.4.1.
When I downgraded kwin to 6.4.0, kwin-effect-rounded-corners-git worked again.

11

There has been another update very recently.

4 Likes
12

OK, this update (0.7.2.r48.g284647c-2) of kwin-effect-rounded-corners-git has fixed my issue. Though it seems like a commit for kwin-x11, I don’t know why it will effect kwin-wayland. I’m using Wayland. :thinking:

13

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