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How to Install KDE Plasma 5.14.1 in (K)Ubuntu 18.10

Last updated: October 20, 2018

KDE Plasma 5.12

The latest KDE Plasma desktop 5.14 was finally available to install in (K)Ubuntu 18.10 via the Kubuntu Backports PPA.

KDE Plasma 5.14 was released a week ago. It features:

  • New Display Configuration widget for screen management
  • Audio Volume widget now has a built in speaker test feature
  • Network widget now works for SSH VPN tunnels again.
  • The lock screen now handles user-switching for better usability and security.
  • Import existing encrypted files from a Plasma Vault.
  • The Global menu now supports GTK applications.
  • Plasma Discover gained fwupd support.
  • Plasma Discover now supports for Snap channels.
  • For more details, see the announcement.

Install Plasma 5.14 in (K)Ubuntu 18.10:

Open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut or by searching for ‘terminal’ from software launcher. When it opens, do:

1. Add Kubuntu Backports PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Type user password (no asterisks feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. Install Plasma 5.14 in Kubuntu 18.10:

Either install all system update via Update Manager, or run command in terminal:

sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade

3. For non-Kubuntu user:

Run command to install Plasma desktop:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install plasma-desktop

or install full KDE desktop environment via command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

Uninstall:

You can purge the Kubuntu Backports PPA, which downgrade Plasma desktop to the stock version (5.13.5) in Ubuntu 18.10 repository.

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports
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    7 responses to How to Install KDE Plasma 5.14.1 in (K)Ubuntu 18.10

    1. Matt October 21, 2018 at 9:43 pm

      Just what I was looking for–thanks! Makes the upgrade look pretty painless.

    2. Rui Correia November 12, 2018 at 8:18 pm

      Hi Ji m.
      Thanks for your article.
      Should this work with Kubuntu 18.04.1 LTS?
      Because I just tried that and my plasma stayed in 5.12.7. Can’t remember what version it had before I installed the PPA and updated through the command line.
      Hope you can help me.
      Cheers

    3. Joe November 16, 2018 at 10:17 pm

      Howdy Ji m
      Forgive my noob question, but I have Mint KDE 18.3 running Plasma 5.8 and want to upgrade to Plasma 5.14 with the newer applications as well (KDE Frameworks and QT). It works fine for the most part, but I would like to implement as many bug fixes as possible without breaking it.
      Would I first add the Kubuntu PPA using…
      sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

      … then install Plasma 5.14 (or latest version) from the PPA using…
      sudo apt update && sudo apt install plasma-desktop

      Will the updated apps, widgets, etc, be installed as well?

      • Ji m November 17, 2018 at 4:25 pm

        Mint 18.3 is based on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, for which the PPA offers the latest Plasma 5.12 LTS packages.

        It should work though I never tried.

    4. Curiousroo December 16, 2018 at 2:31 pm

      Hey guys new to Linux hopefully someone can verify something for me, why would you need to purge? The repository’s to downgrade?

    5. Richard May 11, 2019 at 10:08 pm

      Now that Kubuntu 19.04 has been out a few weeks, I have successfully installed the latest KDE Plasma on it using the above instructions.