Bug 515603 - Application Launcher's clicked off items are inconsistent with Desktop's/Dolphin's clicked off items
Summary: Application Launcher's clicked off items are inconsistent with Desktop's/Dolp...
Status: REPORTED
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: Application Launcher (Kickoff) widget (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 6.5.5
Platform: CachyOS Linux
: NOR minor
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords: accessibility, usability
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2026-02-06 10:49 UTC by Fernando Marcelino Muniz
Modified: 2026-02-07 16:40 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
Issue in Plasma 6.5.5 (1.42 MB, video/x-matroska)
2026-02-06 10:49 UTC, Fernando Marcelino Muniz
Details
Concept Art (416.74 KB, image/png)
2026-02-07 16:35 UTC, Fernando Marcelino Muniz
Details
Issue in Plasma 6.5.5 (1.16 MB, video/mp4)
2026-02-07 16:40 UTC, Fernando Marcelino Muniz
Details

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Description Fernando Marcelino Muniz 2026-02-06 10:49:53 UTC
Created attachment 189273 [details]
Issue in Plasma 6.5.5

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Highlight a Application Launcher item.
2. Click on a empty space next to it.

3. Highlight a Dolphin item.
4. Click on a empty space next to it.

5. Highlight a Desktop item.
6. Click on a empty space next to it.

OBSERVED RESULT
The Application Launcher is the only one that wrongly sends visual indicators that the item is still fully on focus, while Dolphin and Desktop rightfully sends visual indicators for when items are not fully on focus.

EXPECTED RESULT
The Application Launcher should not keep using the blue highlight when items are not fully on focus.
Ideally it should instead use the blue outline that Dolphin uses for items not fully on focus.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: CachyOS Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.5.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.22.0
Qt Version: 6.10.2
Kernel Version: 6.18.8-2-cachyos (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 8 × 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-11300H @ 3.10GHz
Memory: 9 GB of RAM (8.1 GB usable)
Graphics Processor 1: Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
Graphics Processor 2: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
Manufacturer: LENOVO
Product Name: 82MG
System Version: IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IHU6

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
I did press Enter just to confirm, and sure enough; the selected item (Telegram) did not open despite that blue highlight suggesting otherwise.
Comment 1 cwo 2026-02-07 15:38:33 UTC
 I can't reproduce this - the entry remains visually selected, but if I click elsewhere and press Return, it activates, so showing focus is not wrong.

(It does not activate when the search field is focused with no search term, but that is intentional to prevent accidental activation)
Comment 2 Fernando Marcelino Muniz 2026-02-07 16:15:53 UTC
When I click on an item in Dolphin then click off it has a outline around it, blatantly showing that the item is no longer on full focus.
When I click on an item in Desktop then click off it has nothing, blatantly showing that the item is no longer on full focus.
When I click on an item in the Application Launcher then click off it remains highlighted in blue with no blatant differences.
Comment 3 cwo 2026-02-07 16:30:23 UTC
(In reply to Fernando Marcelino Muniz from comment #2)
> When I click on an item in Dolphin then click off it has a outline around
> it, blatantly showing that the item is no longer on full focus.
> When I click on an item in Desktop then click off it has nothing, blatantly
> showing that the item is no longer on full focus.
> When I click on an item in the Application Launcher then click off it
> remains highlighted in blue with no blatant differences.

It's still selected, because there is always a selected element in kickoff. You can't unselect something, so this is expected.

Pressing Enter/Return should still launch it even after clicking.
Comment 4 Fernando Marcelino Muniz 2026-02-07 16:35:19 UTC
Created attachment 189329 [details]
Concept Art

This would be explicit way to show that something has focus over the Application Launcher, especially when pinned.
Comment 5 Fernando Marcelino Muniz 2026-02-07 16:40:20 UTC
Created attachment 189330 [details]
Issue in Plasma 6.5.5

Here I interact with Dolphin by pressing Enter despite having the cursor being over a bookmarked app that was fully highlighted by it. Application Launcher uses cursor hovering for focus, so the bookmarked app should have opened instead.