Bug 504773

Summary:	Not clear enough how to disable display of all files and folders on the desktop
Product:	[Plasma] plasmashell	Reporter:	Thomas Lutkus <tomlutkus>
Component:	Desktop icons & Folder View widget	Assignee:	Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status:	CONFIRMED ---
Severity:	minor	CC:	akselmo, cwo.kde, hein, nate
Priority:	NOR	Keywords:	usability
Version First Reported In:	6.3.5
Target Milestone:	1.0
Platform:	Other
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Thomas Lutkus 2025-05-25 13:36:25 UTC

SUMMARY
There is no option "Right-click desktop > Desktop and Wallpaper > Location" to just have no icons in the desktop. I don't use a default skeleton for my home directory, therefore no ~/Desktop folder. That just throws my whole ~/ into the desktop.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Delete ~/Desktop, home folder icons will appear on the desktop instead of contents of ~/Desktop
2. Right-click desktop > Desktop and Wallpaper > Location
3. No obvious choice to not have desktop icons

OBSERVED RESULT
Delete ~/Desktop, contents of ~/ will show on desktop instead

EXPECTED RESULT
Delete ~/Desktop, no clutter on my desktop

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: Arch Linux, Kernel 6.14.6-arch1-1
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.14.0
Qt Version: 6.9.0

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
I regarded this as a bug, not feature request, because it's not really obvious to me that when there are no icons in the desktop in the first place, deleting a folder in ~/ will result in stuff appearing on the desktop. I hope that this is ok. This is my first time trying to collaborate with an open source project, if I'm approaching this the wrong way I'm open to listening.

Comment 1 cwo 2025-05-25 17:22:23 UTC

> There is no option "Right-click desktop > Desktop and Wallpaper > Location" to just have no icons in the desktop

It's not in Location, it's the first page in the configuration dialog: Layout: Desktop (instead of the default Folder View).

This could certainly be explained better.

Comment 2 Nate Graham 2025-05-27 18:42:54 UTC

> Delete ~/Desktop
Side note: don't do this. It will break a variety of things and cause the system to behave strangely (as you've noticed!)

If you want to never see any files or folders on the desktop, you can do as Christoph indicated. Or you can set the location to a folder that's always empty. Or you can just make sure to never put any filed or folders in ~/Desktop. But don't delete ~/Desktop or else it's just inviting trouble.

Comment 3 Akseli Lahtinen 2025-07-03 14:24:46 UTC

One idea: In icons dropdown, add a checkbox that is "hide desktop icons" which changes the layout from Folder to Desktop in the settings. (and back when unchecked)