KDE has released Plasma 6.8 to mark the software developer's 30th anniversary. In doing so, it officially retired support for starting new X11 sessions in its desktop environment. The update, dubbed the "30th Anniversary Edition" by KDE, signals a complete shift toward the Wayland display protocol.
Plasma will no longer allow users to start new X11 sessions. However, legacy X11 applications will continue to function through the XWayland compatibility layer. KDE stated that its own applications will also maintain X11 support when running under other desktop environments. Users who choose to remain on the previous version, Plasma 6.7, will keep their existing sessions for the time being.
The move follows a broader industry trend. GNOME dropped X11 sessions by default in 2025. The release includes several technical improvements aimed at modernizing the user experience. Notable additions include Nvidia triple buffering enabled by default and the integration of Kup, KDE's backup utility, directly into Plasma.
The update also introduces kscreenctl, a command-line tool designed for power users to adjust display configurations. Visual enhancements include increased support for window decorations such as shadows and rounded corners on third-party applications, alongside a more streamlined Union theming system. KDE described the release as a step to prepare Plasma for the future, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the organization.