The System Settings Handbook

# The System Settings Handbook

Richard A. Johnson `<rjohnson@kde.org>`

Revision Plasma 5.20 (2021-04-11)

Copyright © 2007 Richard A. Johnson

Legal Notice

This documentation describes system configuration and administration center for your desktop.

Chapter 1. Introduction
Introduction

# Chapter 1. Introduction

The System Settings provides the user with a centralized and convenient way to configure all of the settings for your desktop.

System Settings is made up of multiple modules. Each module is a separate application, however the System Settings organizes all of these applications into a single location.

### Tip

Each System Settings module can be executed individually

See section entitled Running individual System Settings modules for more information.

System Settings groups all of the configuration modules into several categories:

- Appearance

- Workspace

- Personalization

- Network

- Hardware

- System Administration

The modules that make up System Settings fall under one of the above categories, making it easier to locate the correct configuration module.

Chapter 2. Using System Settings
Using System Settings

# Chapter 2. Using System Settings

This section details the use of System Settings itself. For information on each individual module, please see System Settings Modules.

## Starting System Settings

The System Settings can be started in one of three ways:

1. By selecting Settings → System Settings from the Application Menu.

2. By pressing Alt+F2 or Alt+Space. This will bring up the KRunner dialog. Type systemsettings, and press Enter.

3. Type systemsettings & at any command prompt.

All three of these methods are equivalent, and produce the same result.

The System Settings Screen
The System Settings Screen

## The System Settings Screen

When you start System Settings, you are presented with a window, which is divided into two functional parts.

Across the top is a toolbar. The toolbar provides the user with the ability to go back into the main view from within a module using All Settings. You can also find a Help menu as well as a Configure button which provides you a dialog with alternate view settings.

To search for something within all of the modules, start to type keywords into the search field at the right of the toolbar in the All Settings view. When you start typing, a list of matching topics will popup. Select one and only the groups with settings for this keyword are enabled, the other are greyed out.

When the icon window has the focus, you can type the first letter of any module or module group name to select it. Typing this letter again the selection moves to the next match.

Underneath the toolbar is an icon view of the individual modules or module groups that make up System Settings grouped by different categories. By default, if your mouse stays a few seconds over an icon, a tooltip appears, either explaining the purpose of the module or showing the modules in this group.

System Settings Categories and Modules
System Settings Categories and Modules

## System Settings Categories and Modules

A brief overview of all categories and their modules:

Appearance

  - Global Theme

  - Plasma Style

  - Application Style (Application Style, Window Decorations)

  - Colors

  - Font (Fonts, Font Management)

  - Icons

  - Cursors

Workspace

  - Workspace Behavior (General Behavior, Desktop Effects, Screen Edges, Touch Screen, Screen Locking, Virtual Desktops, Activities)

  - Window Management (Window Behavior, Task Switcher, KWin Scripts, Window Rules)

  - Shortcuts (Shortcuts, Custom Shortcuts)

  - Startup and Shutdown (Login Screen (SDDM), Autostart, Background Services, Desktop Session, Splash Screen)

  - Search (File Search, Krunner, Web Search Keywords)

Personalization

  - Notifications

  - Users

  - Regional Settings (Language, Formats, Spell Check, Date & Time)

  - Accessibility

  - Applications (Default Applications, File Associations, Locations, Launch Feedback)

  - KDE Wallet

  - Online Accounts

  - User Feedback

Network

  - Settings (Proxy, Connection Preferences, SSL Preferences, Cache, Cookies, Browser Identification, Windows Shares)

Hardware

  - Input Devices (Keyboard, Mouse, Game Controller, Graphic Tablet, Touchpad)

  - Display and Monitor (Display Configuration, Compositor, Gamma, Night Color)

  - Audio

  - Multimedia (Audio CDs, CDDB Retrieval)

  - Power Management (Energy Saving, Activity Settings, Advanced Settings)

  - Bluetooth

  - Removable Storage (Device Actions, Digital Camera, Removable Devices)

System Administration

  - System Information

### Tip

Use the search field at the top right in All Settings view to find all matching modules for a given keyword. Start typing a keyword opens a list of keywords and only the matching modules are enabled.

Exiting the System Settings
Exiting the System Settings

## Exiting the System Settings

System Settings can be exited in one of two ways:

1. Press Ctrl+Q on the keyboard.

2. Click on the Close button located in the toolbar.

Configuring System Settings
Configuring System Settings

## Configuring System Settings

The Configure icon in the toolbar allows you to change some System Settings parameters. You can change from Icon View (default view) to Sidebar View. In Sidebar View mode, the welcome page shows the frequently used modules for quick access.

You can also turn off the detailed tooltips by unchecking Show detailed tooltips. You will then get only normal tooltips and not the content of a module group.

Running Individual System Settings Modules
Running Individual System Settings Modules

## Running Individual System Settings Modules

Individual modules can be run without running System Settings using the command kcmshell5 from the command line. Type kcmshell5 --list to see a list of the available System Settings modules.

Additionally you can start KRunner and start type keywords. When you start typing, a list of matching modules prefixed with System Settings will popup.

Chapter 3. The System Settings Modules
The System Settings Modules

# Chapter 3. The System Settings Modules

In order to make it as easy as possible, the System Settings has organized options into six categories. Under each category, there are icons grouped together under subcategories. Each icon is called a module. When you double click on a module icon, you will be presented with the options of the module in the main window.

Each module will have some or all of the following buttons:

Help

  This button will provide help specific to the current module. Clicking the button will open KHelpCenter in a new window providing detailed information on the module.

Defaults

  Clicking this button will restore this module to its default values. You must click Apply to save the options.

Reset

  This button will “Reset” the module to the previous settings.

Apply

  Clicking this button will save all changes. If you have changed anything, clicking Apply will cause the changes to take effect.

### Note

You must either “Reset” or “Apply” the changes before changing to another module.

If you try to change without saving or resetting your options, you will be asked if you want to save your changes, or discard them.

Chapter 4. Credits and License
Credits and License

# Chapter 4. Credits and License

System Settings

Program copyright 2007 Benjamin C. Meyer.

Program copyright 2009 Ben Cooksley.

Contributors:

- Will Stephenson `(wstepheson AT kde.org)`

- Michael D. Stemle, Jr. `(manchicken AT notsosoft.net)`

- Matthias Kretz `(kretz AT kde.org)`

- Daniel Molkentin `(molkentin AT kde.org)`

- Matthias Elter `(elter AT kde.org)`

- Frans Englich `(englich AT kde.org)`

- Michael Jansen `(kde AT michael-jansen.biz)`

Documentation Copyright (c) 2008 Richard A. Johnson `(rjohnson AT kde.org)`

This documentation is licensed under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.

This program is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.