In Plasma 6, the default behavior for file opening has been changed from single-click to double-click. While this may seem like a minor UI detail, it actually goes against a long-standing tradition and identity that KDE has cultivated for decades. Single-click has always been a conscious design decision in KDE – not just a preference, but a statement of efficiency, minimalism, and user empowerment. Changing this default without user interaction or notification (e.g. no dialog at first login) breaks the expected behavior for seasoned KDE users and creates unnecessary confusion for new users who rely on consistency with tutorials, documentation, and user guides based on single-click. This change may seem harmless, but it represents a drift towards mainstream behavior at the cost of KDE's uniqueness. If KDE starts mimicking Windows defaults for broader appeal, what’s next? Removing Dolphin tabs because they don’t exist in Windows? Disabling customization by default? KDE has always stood for choice, not conformity. I believe this is a regression in terms of UX philosophy and KDE's core identity. At the very least, the user should be offered a choice during initial setup (like Firefox offers layout selection, or Blender offers keymap presets). Out of protest and in defense of KDE's original design philosophy, I have decided not to install Debian with Plasma 6 in its current form. Please consider reverting this decision or offering an opt-in dialog during first boot to preserve what KDE always stood for: choice, clarity, and control. Thank you.
Thanks for registering your opinion. I don't think this will be changing though. If you want to change it, you can do so in three clicks: open System Settings, make the change, click "Apply". That's pretty simply in terms of giving users choice and putting them in control.
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #1) > Thanks for registering your opinion. I don't think this will be changing > though. > > If you want to change it, you can do so in three clicks: open System > Settings, make the change, click "Apply". That's pretty simply in terms of > giving users choice and putting them in control. Hi Nate, Thanks again for your reply. I understand your point, but I believe it still misses the core issue. Yes, technically it's just three clicks to change the setting — but that's not the real problem. The issue is that KDE silently changed a decades-old default without notifying the user or offering a choice during first setup. KDE has always been about freedom and flexibility. But users can only be in control if they are aware that something fundamental has changed. Altering such a long-standing UX behavior — like switching from single-click to double-click — without any dialog or heads-up doesn’t feel empowering. It feels confusing and inconsistent, especially to long-time KDE users. And while it's true that the setting can be changed manually, **defaults still matter**. They shape: – the experience for new users unfamiliar with KDE’s historical defaults, – the relevance of existing documentation and tutorials, – and KDE’s identity as a distinct desktop, not a clone of mainstream environments. Also, and importantly: **Even after re-enabling single-click**, it currently **doesn't behave properly in Dolphin**. There's a bug where clicking a file or folder in single-click mode **sometimes results in other directory levels or unrelated entries being unexpectedly selected or highlighted**. This makes navigation inconsistent and clearly shows that the feature is not fully functional in its current state. Beyond that, single-click behavior is also an **accessibility feature** for many users. It requires fewer fine motor actions, is faster, and is often preferred by users with physical limitations. This makes the silent change to double-click not only a UX regression, but also an accessibility concern — and those should always be treated with particular care. Finally, when user feedback like this is immediately marked as resolved and closed, it doesn’t feel like community input is truly welcome. KDE is an open-source project, but openness is not just about source code — it’s about listening, engaging with users, and staying true to KDE’s founding principles. I hope the team will reconsider not just the default itself, but also how such changes are communicated and handled. A simple first-run dialog offering the choice would be a respectful and KDE-like solution. Thanks again for reading.
"Defaults matter" is exactly why we changed this. Previously the default setting here was a barrier for basic desktop usage for 100% of people switching to Plasma from any other OS — which is to say, basically everyone. We got *endless* complaints about it over multiple decades. Those complaints tarnished KDE's image, demoralized contributors, and wasted time arguing over the topic; time that could have better spent doing something productive. The project to make this change was planned in public (https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-desktop/-/issues/72), implemented in public (https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-desktop/-/merge_requests/1671 + https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-integration/-/merge_requests/102), communicated in public (https://pointieststick.com/2023/08/18/this-week-in-kde-double-click-by-default + https://kde.org/announcements/megarelease/6/). There was nothing secretive about this. As a policy we don't offer settings in our first-run wizard to avoid overwhelming new users with choices they don't have the experience to be able to make ye. If single-click has a bug in Dolphin, that should be reported and fixed.
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #3) > "Defaults matter" is exactly why we changed this. Previously the default > setting here was a barrier for basic desktop usage for 100% of people > switching to Plasma from any other OS — which is to say, basically everyone. > We got *endless* complaints about it over multiple decades. Those complaints > tarnished KDE's image, demoralized contributors, and wasted time arguing > over the topic; time that could have better spent doing something productive. > > The project to make this change was planned in public > (https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-desktop/-/issues/72), implemented in > public (https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-desktop/-/merge_requests/1671 + > https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-integration/-/merge_requests/102), > communicated in public > (https://pointieststick.com/2023/08/18/this-week-in-kde-double-click-by- > default + https://kde.org/announcements/megarelease/6/). There was nothing > secretive about this. > > As a policy we don't offer settings in our first-run wizard to avoid > overwhelming new users with choices they don't have the experience to be > able to make ye. > > If single-click has a bug in Dolphin, that should be reported and fixed. Hi Nate, You say this was “communicated publicly,” but let’s be honest: that means the developer bubble talked to itself. You link GitLab issues and merge requests that 99% of normal users never see. You point to your personal blog, which sure, some people follow — but it’s not where the average KDE user looks for major UX shifts. This isn’t transparency. It’s internal consensus disguised as community engagement. Claiming that “100% of users switching from other OSes” struggled with single-click is a stretch at best. Sure, there were complaints — but there were also tons of users who valued single-click for its speed, efficiency, accessibility, and because it was KDE’s identity for decades. Now instead of offering a simple first-run dialog — which would have solved this entire debate — the excuse is “we don’t want to overwhelm new users.” Seriously? KDE has always been about **power, control, and customization**, not dumbing things down. You don’t preserve KDE’s vision by copying defaults from Windows. You destroy it. Let’s face it: this decision wasn’t open, wasn’t broadly discussed, and wasn’t communicated to the wider community in any meaningful way. It was pushed through internally, reinforced by links and blog posts, and when users raise concerns, they’re told “just change it in three clicks” — as if that’s the point. This isn’t a community-driven desktop anymore. This is a UX cartel. And if you truly believe “defaults matter,” then stop shifting them without asking the base. Or at least be honest and admit decisions are now made by a small group, not the KDE community at large. This entire episode shows KDE is drifting — away from user freedom, and toward top-down design. That’s not what brought people to KDE. And if this continues, it’ll be what drives them away.
Of course decisions are made by a small group of people — the developers. Who else could decisions be made by? We can't take a poll of every Plasma user in existence or build some kind of global UX direct democracy (and if we could and did, you probably wouldn't like the results it produced!). All we can do is apply our own judgment to our understanding of UX and public opinion, understanding that these are flawed and imperfect. As such, it's possible this decision was the wrong one, and if that becomes clear, we'll revert it — same as any decision we later realize was wrong. I'm not sensing a lot of willingness to engage with the fact that there are trade-offs and nuances here in the messy real world, so I'm not sure there's much value to be gained in continuing, and this will be my last comment in here.
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #5) > Of course decisions are made by a small group of people — the developers. > Who else could decisions be made by? We can't take a poll of every Plasma > user in existence or build some kind of global UX direct democracy (and if > we could and did, you probably wouldn't like the results it produced!). All > we can do is apply our own judgment to our understanding of UX and public > opinion, understanding that these are flawed and imperfect. As such, it's > possible this decision was the wrong one, and if that becomes clear, we'll > revert it — same as any decision we later realize was wrong. > > I'm not sensing a lot of willingness to engage with the fact that there are > trade-offs and nuances here in the messy real world, so I'm not sure there's > much value to be gained in continuing, and this will be my last comment in > here. Thank you for the clarity, Nate. What you've just expressed sounds more like Redmond than any truly open community. Decisions being made centrally, internally, by a small group, without direct input from the broader user base – that's exactly what Open Source was created to counter: closed circles, opaque direction shifts, and changes presented as "just the way it is." What bothers me most is that you seem to treat it as completely normal that fundamental UX changes are pushed through without broad consultation – under the pretense that including users would be too complicated. That’s not openness. That’s paternalism. And it doesn't fit the KDE I once knew. If this is the new reality, then I do at least thank you for laying the cards on the table. It makes it clear that the decision-making in this project is far less open than it’s presented to the outside world. Too bad that kind of honesty wasn’t communicated upfront — it would have saved many from holding on to the illusion of shared ownership. At least now we know where we stand: on the sidelines, watching. So much for open dialogue. **As the saying goes: “If you’re not at the table, you’re probably on the menu.”**