[SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

Maciejke · 2026-10-16 16:55:58

Hello, after updating Plasma to 6.8 I am experiencing an issue with kwin (probably), which draws window frames and titlebars even if it should not. It applies to EVERY window, including Application Launcher, Activity Switcher, notifications, plasmashell tooltips, etc..
I want to know if somebody is experiencing this issue too; for now I am speculating that kwin doesn't respect drawing windows without frames at their spawn moment - for non-shell windows temporary solution is to manually disable drawing window frames, if needed.

Last edited by Maciejke (2026-10-20 18:44:07)

V1del · 2026-10-16 17:23:12

This update introduced some default window rules (primarily for styling steam, but apparently also some konsole transparency, which feels somewhat weird to have introduced randomly) but you can configure what and where it applies in the window rule settings.

kcmshell6 kcm_kwinrules

Though I can't say I have one that would be this globally and I can't say I've noticed something off, do you have a screenshot?

gabrielsec · 2026-10-16 19:31:02

I'd first check whether this is related to the window decoration theme. The ArchWiki explains where to change window decorations in Plasma. I'd switch to Breeze temporarily and check whether the launcher, notifications, and tooltips still show unwanted frames.

Plasma 6.8 introduced automatic shadows, outlines, and rounded corners for some client-side-decorated windows, as described in the KDE release notes. However, that change doesn't describe adding title bars to every Plasma component.

If the issue persists with Breeze, I'd collect KWin's diagnostic information using the command documented in the ArchWiki KDE guide:

qdbus6 org.kde.KWin /KWin org.kde.KWin.supportInformation

That should help narrow down whether this is a decoration-theme compatibility issue or a KWin regression.

Regards,
Gabriel

Maciejke · 2026-10-20 15:28:39

Hi again, sorry for long delay, here are some screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/saLueZx. As you can see this happens even with Breeze theme. There are also properties of all two active window rules

qdbus6 logs: https://pastebin.com/uV2rdSSS

seth · 2026-10-20 18:17:13

The 2nd rule forcefully adds titlebars to all windows - since there're no override_redirect windows that were ignore by the X11 WM that means *all* windows.
And that's what you get.

Maciejke · 2026-10-20 18:41:00

Thanks, I set it to "Do not affect" "Always" and seems it works. Kinda weird it got (probably) changed with last Plasma update; I have never screwed with window rules before. Closing now

Last edited by Maciejke (2026-10-20 18:42:49)

seth · 2026-10-20 18:44:53

It's because you moved from X11 to wayland.
On X11 there's a kind of window that gets ignored by the window manager and that's used for tooltips, popup menus etc.
On wayland there's no such thing.

You'd simply need to narrow the scope of the rule if you want to enforce titlebars on some windows like dialogs or just "normal" windows.

Maciejke · 2026-10-20 18:52:16

Well, actually I am on Wayland about by year - but it may be somehow related to the recent drop of X11 support by Plasma

seth · 2026-10-20 18:54:58

Possibly, https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=315272

seth wrote:

overzealously

Arch Linux

#1 2026-10-16 16:55:58

[SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

#2 2026-10-16 17:23:12

Re: [SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

#3 2026-10-16 19:31:02

Re: [SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

#4 2026-10-20 15:28:39

Re: [SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

#5 2026-10-20 18:17:13

Re: [SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

#6 2026-10-20 18:41:00

Re: [SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

#7 2026-10-20 18:44:53

Re: [SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

#8 2026-10-20 18:52:16

Re: [SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

#9 2026-10-20 18:54:58

Re: [SOLVED] Plasma 6.8 update: kwin is forcibly drawing window frames

Board footer