Bug 509235

Summary: AppImages do not automatically adapt to system font changes
Product: [Plasma] kwin Reporter: thisemailisathrowaway
Component: generalAssignee: KWin default assignee <kwin-bugs-null>
Status: RESOLVED UPSTREAM    
Severity: minor CC: xaver.hugl
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: 6.4.4   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: EndeavourOS   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description thisemailisathrowaway 2025-09-07 16:48:20 UTC 
SUMMARY
On KDE Wayland, AppImage applications do not automatically adapt to system font changes. Instead, you need to restart the application first. For example, if I change from 'Noto Sarif 10-point' to 'Monospace 14-point', neither the font nor the size changes; I have to first close out of then reopen, at which point the text will have changed.

I originally found this testing PCSX2, but I confirmed it in the Kdenlive AppImage. Neither Flatpaks nor applications installed using pacman appear to have this problem.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Open an AppImage application.
2. While the application is open, go to Texts & Fonts and change the font style and/or size under 'General'.

OBSERVED RESULT
* The font will not change in the application.
* However, it will update automatically in your non-AppImage applications.
* If you close out of and reopen the AppImage application, the font is now updated accordingly. 

EXPECTED RESULT
AppImages should update fonts automatically like Flatpaks and Arch packages.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux kernel: 6.12.45-1-lts
Distribution: EndeavourOS
KDE Plasma Version: 6.4.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.17.0
Qt Version: 6.9.2
Graphics Platform: Wayland
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
Comment 1 Zamundaaa 2025-09-08 12:21:18 UTC 
Please report this to AppImage.
Comment 2 thisemailisathrowaway 2025-09-12 19:35:51 UTC 
(In reply to Zamundaaa from comment #1)
> Please report this to AppImage.
Done here: https://github.com/AppImage/AppImageKit/issues/1412
I'm confused why this was marked as "resolved upstream" since, assuming it's knowable that this is an AppImage problem and not a KWin one, it doesn't appear to be resolved yet (the GitHub issue is still open). I won't change it, though, since I'm not familiar with this area.
Comment 3 Zamundaaa 2025-09-13 11:28:52 UTC 
The confusion is understandable. Bugzilla is weird, "resolved" doesn't mean it's fixed, just that it's not relevant for us anymore.