KDE Plasma 6.7.0 Will Make Managing Your Printers a Lot Easier

Managing printers on Linux has historically presented challenges, particularly around driver installation and configuration troubleshooting. KDE Plasma 6.7.0, scheduled for release in March 2026, aims to fundamentally improve this experience through several key enhancements to its printing subsystem.

The most notable change is the integration of automatic driver installation directly within the printer setup workflow. When adding a new printer, Plasma will now automatically query the OpenPrinting database and present compatible driver options without requiring manual package installation. This eliminates the previous need to separately install printer driver packages via terminal commands or package managers before configuring devices.

Beyond driver management, the printer settings interface has been completely overhauled. The redesigned UI consolidates previously scattered options into a logical workflow:

1. Discovery: Improved network printer detection using Avahi/mDNS
2. Configuration: Simplified queue management with preset optimization profiles
3. Maintenance: Integrated print job monitoring and error diagnostics

Technical improvements extend to the underlying printing stack. The update enhances integration with the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) through better IPP Everywhere support, reducing dependency on proprietary driver bundles. For enterprise environments, administrators will appreciate the refined Samba configuration tools for Windows printer sharing.

Practical benefits include:

• One-click test page printing with detailed error reporting
• Paper size presets that sync with per-printer capabilities
• Ink level monitoring for supported devices
• Print queue pausing/resuming directly from system tray

These changes reflect KDE's ongoing commitment to refining fundamental desktop workflows. By addressing printer management – a historically problematic area for Linux desktops – Plasma 6.7.0 reduces a significant barrier for users transitioning from other operating systems. The improvements are particularly valuable in educational and office environments where printer reliability directly impacts productivity.

Existing Plasma 6 users can expect these features to arrive via standard system updates through their distribution's package manager. The complete technical specifications are available in the Plasma 6.7 changelog.