System Settings

System Settings gives you a central, convenient way to configure your desktop. It's made up of multiple modules, which it organizes into categories in one window. You can also run each module on its own.

#Starting System Settings

You can start System Settings in three ways:

1. Select it from the application launcher.
2. Press Alt+F2 or Alt+Space to bring up KRunner, type systemsettings, and press Enter.
3. Type systemsettings & at any command prompt.

All three do the same thing. To quit, press Ctrl+Q or close the window.

#The window

The sidebar lists the categories, with a search field at the top. Selecting a category shows its modules, and selecting a module shows its options in the main area. Some categories contain subcategories, and Back returns from one. Quick Settings is the page that appears when System Settings starts.

To find a setting, type keywords into the search field. Only the matching modules stay in the list.

The menu button next to the search field has these items:

• Highlight Changed Settings marks the settings you've changed from their defaults.
• Show Inapplicable Pages also lists modules that don't apply to your system, which are normally hidden.
• Report a Bug in the Current Page… and the usual help items.

#Module buttons

Each module has some or all of these buttons:

• Help: Opens help for the current module.
• Defaults: Restores the module's default values. You must click Apply to save them.
• Reset: Returns the module to its previous settings.
• Apply: Saves all changes and makes them take effect.

If you switch to another module with unsaved changes, you're asked whether to apply or discard them.

#Categories and modules

The modules you see depend on what's installed and on your hardware.

#Input & Output

• Mouse & Touchpad: Mouse, Touchpad, Screen Edges
• Keyboard: Keyboard, Shortcuts, On-Screen Keyboard
• Touchscreen: Touchscreen Gestures
• Display & Monitor: Display Configuration, Compositor, Gamma, Night Light
• Accessibility, Drawing Tablet, Game Controller, Sound

#Connected Devices

• Disks & Cameras: Device Actions, Device Auto-Mount
• Bluetooth, Printers, Thunderbolt

#Networking

• Wi-Fi & Internet: Wi-Fi & Networking, Connection Preferences, Proxy, Firewall
• Online Accounts

#Appearance & Style

• Colors & Themes: Global Theme, Colors, Application Style, Desktop Style, Window Decorations, Icons, Pointers, System Sounds, Splash Screen
• Text & Fonts: Fonts, Font Management
• Animations, Wallpaper

#Apps & Windows

• Default Applications: Default Applications, File Associations
• Window Management: Window Behavior, Task Switcher, Desktop Effects, Virtual Desktops, Window Rules, KWin Scripts
• Activities, Notifications

#Workspace

• Search: File Search, Search, Web Search Keywords
• General Behavior, Trash

#Security & Privacy

Login Screen, Recent Files, Remote Desktop, Screen Locking, User Feedback

#Language & Time

Date & Time, Day-Night Cycle, Region & Language, Spell Check

#System

• Session: Desktop Session, Locations, Background Services
• About this System, Autostart, Power Management, Users

#Running individual modules

You can run a module without opening the whole window using kcmshell6. Type kcmshell6 --list to see the available modules, and kcmshell6 with a module's name to open it, for example kcmshell6 kcm_kscreen.

To open a module in the System Settings window instead, use systemsettings with its name, for example systemsettings kcm_kscreen.

You can also start KRunner and type keywords, which lists matching modules.