Are you using Kubuntu Linux, or another distribution with KDE Plasma, and you want to take full advantage of the powerful features it has to offer? Put these keyboard shortcuts into practice and you’ll be moving so fast you’ll forget the mouse exists.
10Meta+V: Open Clipboard History
If you press Meta+V on Kubuntu, it’ll open a history of everything you’ve recently copied. You can use the arrow keys to cycle through the entries and then hit Enter to bring it put it back on the clipboard so you can paste it again. This is endlessly useful if you’re like me and are copy-pasting things several times per hour, and it’s sometimes the same text or files repeatedly.
It’s so powerful, in fact, I wrote abouthow much better Plasma’s clipboard history iscompared to Windows' version. If you click the clipboard’s system tray widget, you can do things like edit entries or pull up QR codes. You can even configure it to include a longer history, or to automatically copy anything you highlight.
9Meta+Shift+X: Wipe Clipboard History
Staying with clipboard history, there’s another shortcut that’s important for privacy, and it’s Meta+Shift+X. When you press it, your clipboard history will be erased.
By default, you’ll see a confirmation prompt asking if you’re sure you want to wipe the history. If you want to avoid being seen erasing the history and want it to happen the moment you hit the key combo, you’re able to check the box to “Do not ask again.”
Just be warned, if you do that, the deletion will happen instantly upon using the shortcut, and there will be no announcement that it happened.
8Meta+R: Start a Screen Recording
If you want tomake a screencastof a specific area, you can press the Meta+R key combo, and Kubuntu’s Spectacle program will let you select a region and then double-click to start recording. A red dot icon will appear in the system tray telling you the recording is ongoing, and you can click it to stop and save. Alternatively, you can use Meta+Alt+R to record the entire screen, or Meta+Shift+R to record a specific window.
Note that the screen record feature is only available in Wayland sessions; X11 is not supported. At the time of writing, it also can’t record any audio. If you want to record a game or your own voice, I recommendinstalling a dedicated screencasting app like OBS Studio.
7Ctrl+Function Keys: Switch Virtual Desktops
If you have virtual desktops configured, you can switch between them by holding Ctrl and then hitting the function key that corresponds to that desktop’s number. So to pull up the second desktop you’d use Ctrl+F2, for the third Ctrl+F3, and to go back to the first Ctrl+F1. It goes all the way up to F4, if you have that many virtual desktops. If you have more, you’ll have to manually create shortcuts for the fifth, sixth, and so on.
If you aren’t using virtual desktops, you’re missing out on a great way to organize your workspace. Place spreadsheets and documents in one desktop, the music you’re listening to in another, and the chat applications you’re socializing with in a third, for example. How you stay organized and productive is up to you.
6Meta+Tab: Cycle Activities
If you hit Meta+Tab, Kubuntu will let you cycle through your “activities.” They need to be configured first, though, as in my experience Kubuntu doesn’t preconfigure activities for you. Some other Plasma distros might do that, so give it a try.
Kind of like a step above virtual desktops,activites are essentially a collection of specific settingsyou choose for specific modes of operation you have. For example, you can make a “Work” activity that uses a minimalist wallpaper and panel for focus, with several virtual desktops dedicated to specific programs you’re multitasking with. Then you could have a separate “Gaming” activity with a cool RGB wallpaper and just two virtual desktops for a game and for Discord.
What kinds and how many activities you have are up to you, but always remember you can switch back and forth between them with the Meta+Tab keys.
5Meta+Esc: Open System Monitor
If you ever need to check resource usage or active processes, like in the situation of an unexpected slowdown, you may quickly bring up Plasma’s System Monitor tool by hitting Meta+Esc.
When you open it, System Monitor defaults to putting your cursor in the running applications search bar. So if you just want to see how much RAM Chrome is consuming, you may just start typing “chrome” and you’ll get filtered results.
4Meta+Ctrl+Esc: Kill a Window
Do you have a program that’s giving you trouble and not responding to your input, even when you clicked the quit button? Plasma has a built in app killer you’re able to bring up with the Meta+Ctrl+Esc keys. Your mouse will turn into a skull and cross-bones, and whatever you click next will get the kill signal.
If you hit the combo by accident and you don’t want your next click to stop any applications, you’re able to just hit Esc to back out.
3Ctrl+H in Dolphin: Toggle Hidden Folders
If you’re using the Dolphin file browser, at any time you’re able to press Ctrl+H to reveal the presence of hidden folders, and again to hide them.
Whether you knew it or not,your Linux system has many hidden folders, including several in your home directory. They’re hidden because they mostly contain files used by your operating system or applications, and they’re generally not intended to be manipulated by you. Still, it can occasionally be useful to access and edit them.
I tend to need this shortcut the most when I’m manipulating games to mod, optimize, or make them playable on Linux. Steam and other launchers store game and compatibly layer files in hidden folders, so I often need to see and move through them.
2F4 in Dolphin: Open a Mini Terminal
Another useful trick for operating Dolphin is to hit F4. Whatever directory Dolphin currently has open, it’ll bring up an in-browser terminal. You can then start issuingshell commandsin that directory.
Alternatively, if you want a dedicated terminal and not one stuck in the Dolphin browser, you can hit Shift+F4 and your default terminal emulator will launch with Dolphin’s current directory already open.
1Ctrl+Shift+, (Comma): Open KDE Application Settings
Finally, this keyboard shortcut is useful if you’re like me and are constantly tweaking settings to optimize your experience. In any application developed by KDE, just hit Ctrl+Shift+, (comma) and that application’s settings dialog will appear.
Again, this is exclusive to KDE apps, but if you’re on Kubuntu or another Plasma desktop, you’re probably using them a lot anyway. It includes Dolphin, plus the Spectacle screenshot tool, and Kate, its native IDE. Remember this shortcut and you’ll never have to eyeball dropdown menus for the settings again.
If these shortcuts aren’t powerful enough for you, then I recommend, if you haven’t yet, becoming more prolific in Kubuntu’s terminal. We have guides togetting started with the Linux terminal, plus alist of basic Linux commands. Once you know how to issue some highly efficient commands, the sky’s the limit in terms of productivity.
