plasma-apply-desktoptheme

List available desktop themes

$ plasma-apply-desktoptheme --list-themes

$ plasma-apply-desktoptheme [default]

$ plasma-apply-desktoptheme --help

plasma-apply-desktoptheme theme_name

theme_name
    The case-sensitive name of the installed KDE Plasma desktop theme to be applied. For example, 'Breeze' or 'Oxygen'.

The plasma-apply-desktoptheme command is a utility provided by the KDE Plasma desktop environment designed to programmatically change the active global Plasma desktop theme. It acts as a convenient command-line wrapper for underlying D-Bus calls, specifically interacting with the org.kde.Plasma.Desktop service to instruct the Plasma shell to load and apply a new theme. When invoked with a valid theme name, this command changes the visual appearance of various Plasma components, including the desktop background, panels, widgets, and other core Plasma elements. It is particularly useful for scripting, automation, or users who prefer command-line interaction over graphical configuration tools like System Settings. While it primarily affects the Plasma shell's visual style, it does not typically change separate theme categories such as KWin window decorations, icon themes, or GTK application themes, which are managed independently. For a complete look and feel change, related commands like plasma-apply-lookandfeel might be more appropriate.

This command requires the KDE Plasma desktop environment to be running for it to function correctly, as it relies on the Plasma D-Bus service. The specified theme must be already installed and available on the system. Although theme changes usually take effect immediately for the Plasma shell, some applications or components might require a restart or a full logout/login to fully adopt the new theme's appearance.

The plasma-apply-desktoptheme utility is a part of the KDE Plasma 5 series and later, representing an evolution from earlier theme management approaches in KDE 4. Its introduction simplified the command-line application of Plasma themes, leveraging the D-Bus communication framework for robust interaction with the Plasma shell. It reflects KDE's ongoing commitment to providing both graphical and programmatic interfaces for desktop configuration.

qdbus(1), systemsettings5(1), kcmshell5(1), kwriteconfig5(1), plasma-apply-colorscheme(1), plasma-apply-lookandfeel(1)