How to install KDE on Ubuntu

Ubuntu Desktop comes with GNOME as the default desktop environment. Ubuntu Desktop also has the necessary GNOME applications and tools, configured for the Ubuntu experience.

If you're already running Ubuntu, you can still install KDE, or even the complete Kubuntu desktop on top of your Ubuntu or GNOME desktop. It can be done by installing the appropriate meta package via apt at the terminal.

1. Launch terminal.
2. Update apt's package list.

   $ sudo apt update
   [sudo] password for user: 
   Hit:1 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports kinetic-security InRelease
   Hit:2 http://us.ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports kinetic InRelease
   Hit:3 http://us.ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports kinetic-updates InRelease
   Hit:4 http://us.ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports kinetic-backports InRelease
   Reading package lists... Done
   Building dependency tree... Done
   Reading state information... Done
   All packages are up to date.

3. Upgrade installed packages using apt (optional).

   $ sudo apt dist-upgrade --assume-yes
   Reading package lists... Done
   Building dependency tree... Done
   Reading state information... Done
   Calculating upgrade... Done
   0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

4. Install kde-plasma-desktop meta package via apt.

   $ sudo apt install --assume-yes kde-plasma-desktop
   Reading package lists... Done
   Building dependency tree... Done
   Reading state information... Done
   The following additional packages will be installed:
     aha appmenu-gtk-module-common appmenu-gtk3-module apt-config-icons-large
     apt-config-icons-large-hidpi baloo-kf5 bluedevil breeze breeze-cursor-theme
     breeze-gtk-theme breeze-icon-theme bup bup-doc catdoc cryfs debconf-kde-data
     debconf-kde-helper desktop-base docbook-xsl dolphin drkonqi encfs
     ffmpegthumbs fonts-hack fonts-noto-core fonts-noto-hinted fonts-noto-ui-core
     fonts-noto-unhinted fonts-quicksand frameworkintegration gamin git git-man
     haveged hwdata javascript-common kaccounts-providers kactivities-bin
   ##### snipped
   0 upgraded, 585 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
   Need to get 352 MB of archives.
   After this operation, 1,211 MB of additional disk space will be used.
   ##### snipped

   This will install a basic KDE Plasma packages and experience on your Ubuntu system. To install a more complete KDE Plasma experience, you can install kubuntu-desktop meta package instead.

5. Select sddm or Simple Desktop Display Manager and click Ok (use arrow and [tab] key to navigate).

   Select Ok using the [TAB] key and press [ENTER] to continue on the Package configuration menu if you're first presented with the following screen. You'll get this screen if you're using a low resolution monitor and/or not running terminal in full screen.

   SDDM is the default display manager for Kubuntu/KDE.

6. Wait for installation to finish.
7. Reboot your system.

   $ sudo reboot

8. Select Plasma when logging in to the system.

   Select Ubuntu or Ubuntu on Wayland (Wayland) if you want to log in to GNOME desktop environment.