How to Install a Desktop Environment on Arch Linux: KDE Plasma
archlinux Desktop Env
Hi everyone, welcome to MusaBase! This guide is a direct follow-up to my complete Arch Linux installation guide , where we set up a clean and minimal Arch Linux base system.
In this tutorial, we’ll learn how to install KDE Plasma on Arch Linux and convert a minimal setup into a modern, fully functional graphical desktop using the SDDM display manager.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to:
- Prepare a base Arch Linux system for desktop environment installation
- Install KDE Plasma and the SDDM display manager
- Install essential desktop tools to get started
- Enable display services and launch KDE Plasma for the first time
If you’re interested in more advanced desktop setups later on, you can explore end_4 Hyprland on Arch Linux for a modern Wayland-based workflow.
Why Choose KDE Plasma?
KDE Plasma is a great choice for Arch Linux users who want a desktop that feels familiar, fast, and highly customizable. It offers a clean and modern interface that works well out of the box, while still giving you full control to tweak and personalize every aspect of your desktop. Whether you’re coming from Windows or simply want a powerful yet lightweight desktop environment, KDE Plasma offers an excellent balance between usability, performance, and flexibility on Arch Linux.
Prerequisites
This guide assumes you already have a working Arch Linux base system. If you haven’t installed Arch Linux yet, please follow my complete Arch Linux installation guide , where I walk through the entire setup process step by step. Once your base system is ready, come back here and continue with the desktop environment installation.
Step 1: Prepare Base Arch Linux System for KDE
Before installing KDE Plasma or any additional packages, it’s important to make sure your system is fully up to date. Updating the system ensures you have the latest security patches, kernel updates, and package versions, helping the KDE Plasma installation complete smoothly without issues caused by missing dependencies or deprecated components.
1.1: Adding Nameservers
- We will start with adding nameserver at /etc/resolv.conf.
- Run:
sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf
- Next, in the resolv.conf add the following nameserver:
nameserver 1.1.1.1
nameserver 8.8.8.8
- After adding the nameservers, press CTRL + O to the save the changes, then press ENTER to apply the changes. Then press CTRL + X to exit the file.
1.2: Update Arch Linux
- Updating Arch Linux System is really straight forward.
- Run:
sudo pacman -Syu
Step 2: Install KDE Plasma & SDDM
With completing the previous step, we can now smoothly install the plasma and sddm on the Arch Linux system.
- Run the following command:
sudo pacman -S plasma sddm
- After running sudo pacman -S plasma sddm, the package installer (pacman) will prompt you to select additional packages and components required for KDE Plasma. To continue with the default KDE Plasma setup, simply press ENTER and all packages will be selected automatically. However, If you prefer to customize the installation, you can manually choose specific packages by entering the prefix index number and pressing ENTER.
- Next, pacman will ask which Qt6 multimedia backend to install. Press ENTER to continue with the default option, which works well for most users.
- You will then be prompted to choose an audio connection kit. By default, jack2 is selected. Press ENTER to continue with the default option.
- Lastly, pacman will ask which TTF font package to install. By default, gnu-free-fonts is selected. Press ENTER to proceed or choose a different font by entering its index number.
- After customizing options the installation of KDE Plasma will start.
- The installation can take 2-5 minutes or more depending on the speed of your internet connection.
Step 3: Enable SDDM & Install Recommended Packages
In this step, we’ll install a few essential applications to get started with the KDE Plasma desktop. This includes Kate, the KDE advanced text editor, Konsole, the terminal emulator, Firefox as the web browser, Dolphin, KDE’s default file manager, and VLC Media Player for playing audio and video files.
Installing these packages before enabling SDDM is highly recommended, as they provide the basic tools needed to use, customize, and manage your KDE Plasma desktop once you log in for the first time.
3.1: Install Basic Tools
- Run:
sudo pacman -S kate konsole firefox vlc dolphin
3.2: Enable SDDM
SDDM is a graphical login manager used to start desktop environments on Linux. It provides the login screen where you select your user session before entering the desktop. KDE Plasma officially recommends SDDM because it integrates smoothly and ensures a stable, consistent login experience on Arch Linux.
- To enable SDDM, run:
sudo systemctl enable --now sddm
Stpe 4: Log into KDE Plasma
After enabling the SDDM service, you should have the following login screen:
- Simply enter your password for your User.
And, you are in!
What's Next?
At this point, you should have a fully working KDE Plasma desktop running on Arch Linux, ready for daily use, customization, and further experimentation. KDE Plasma provides a solid balance between performance, flexibility, and a familiar desktop experience, making it a great choice for both new and experienced Arch users.
If you enjoy exploring different desktop environments and workflows, you might want to try something more minimal or Wayland-based next. I recommend checking out my guide on installing Jakoolit Hyprland dotfiles or my walkthrough on running Arch Linux with the HyDE project for a more advanced and highly customized desktop setup.
And if you’re interested in exploring other Linux distributions and learning how different systems are set up, you may also find my guide on installing Debian the hard way useful for understanding manual system configuration and traditional Linux installation workflows.
This concludes the KDE Plasma setup on Arch Linux. If you run into any issues or have questions, feel free to leave a comment below. 1O1 out, I’ll see you in the next one.