KaOS the independent Linux distribution focused on providing a streamlined KDE and Qt experience, has announced the release of KaOS 2025.05, its latest stable ISO. This update marks a significant milestone in the project’s evolution, introducing a host of new features and enhancements aimed at delivering a modern, efficient, and user-friendly desktop environment.

Embracing Qt6: A Complete Transition

With the 2025.05 release, KaOS has fully transitioned to Qt6, eliminating Qt5 from its default installation. This move ensures that all core applications and frameworks are built on the latest Qt 6.9.0, offering improved performance and future-proofing the system. While Qt5 remains available in the repositories for now, its complete removal is planned in the near future.

Updated KDE Ecosystem

KaOS 2025.05 ships with the latest KDE components, including:

• Plasma 6.3.5: Delivers a polished and responsive desktop experience.
• KDE Gear 25.04.1: Introduces enhancements such as:
  • Dolphin file manager now supports right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew.
  • KRDC (KDE Remote Desktop Client) offers improved scaling and authentication features.
  • Okular, the document viewer, now supports PGP/GPG-based digital signatures.
  • Falkon browser gains the ability to block websockets.
• Frameworks 6.14.0: Provides a robust foundation for KDE applications.

System Enhancements and New Features

The 2025.05 release brings several system-level improvements:

• Kernel and Core Updates: Upgraded to Linux kernel 6.14.8, with updates to essential components like GCC 14.2.1, Glibc 2.4.1, and Pacman 7.0.0.
• Phonon Backend: Transitioned to phonon-mpv as the default sound backend, ensuring full Qt6 compatibility.
• Wayland Support: SDDM 0.20.0 now offers the option to run in Wayland mode, moving closer to a complete Wayland environment.
• Filesystem Support: Introduced experimental support for the bcachefs filesystem, with necessary tools available in the repositories.
• Installer Improvements: Calamares installer now supports automated partitioning with popular filesystems like XFS, EXT4, BTRFS, and ZFS.
• New Applications: Added Nextcloud-client for seamless file synchronization.

Enhanced User Experience

KaOS continues to prioritize user experience with the following enhancements:

• Kjournald: A new GUI tool for viewing system logs, simplifying troubleshooting and system monitoring.
• Croeso: The welcome application assists users in configuring their new installation, offering customization options and package selection.
• Midna Theme: Updated artwork and icon themes provide a cohesive and modern visual experience.

Download and More Information

To download KaOS 2025.05 and learn more about this release, visit the official announcement:

👉 KaOS 2025.05 Release Notes

For detailed installation instructions and to verify the authenticity of your download, refer to the KaOS Download Page.