KaOS is making headlines again with a KaOS 2026.02 which completely breaks with what many took for granted about this distribution. Far from being a simple routine update, this release It represents a bold step towards a different KaOS, with a new default graphical environment and a profound rethinking of its relationship with systemd, all without abandoning its identity as a Qt-centric distro.
In this February ISO image, You will no longer find KDE Plasma or KWin pre-installed.This is surprising considering that KaOS has always defined itself as an exclusive KDE/Plasma distribution. Instead, the system boots directly into a combination based on Niri and Noctalia on Wayland, maintaining the philosophy of betting on modern technologies, but at the same time exploring alternatives that allow it to gradually free itself from dependence on systemd.
KaOS 2026.02 and its historic change: goodbye Plasma in the ISO, hello Niri + Noctalia
The most striking new feature of this release is that KaOS 2026.02 is distributed with niri and Noctalia as the default desktop environmentNiri acts as a Wayland compositor with a scrollable tiling design, while Noctalia provides a minimalist desktop shell that aims to be unobtrusive and not disrupt the user's workflow. This combination is complemented by Quickshell, a flexible tool for creating QtQuick-based desktop shells for Wayland, which helps to give visual and functional consistency to the whole.
Although ISO no longer includes Plasma, The KDE Plasma 6 desktop environment remains fully available in the repositories.In other words, the distribution hasn't "abandoned" Plasma as such, but is using this image to conduct large-scale tests and gauge the community's reaction to a shift that pursues a very specific objective: explore the feasibility of moving away from systemd without abandoning the Qt approach that has defined KaOS since its inception.
This change is not presented as permanent. The team makes it clear that This ISO is conceived as an important experiment to evaluate alternatives to both Plasma and systemd. If the transition to another init system, such as Dinit, proves viable, KaOS would thus reserve the possibility of evolving without being tied to the increasing demands of Plasma, which is becoming more and more dependent on systemd and will soon require it unavoidably.
Motivation for change: to escape dependence on systemd
The shift towards niri and Noctalia isn't a mere whim. The KaOS team has been exploring options for some time. replace systemd as a starting system, and Dinit appears as one of the possibilities on the table. The problem is that Plasma, in its current development line as KDE Plasma 6.4It integrates very deeply with systemd and tends to take its presence for granted, making it difficult to experiment with alternatives without breaking the desktop experience.
With this launch, KaOS is trying to test to what extent it can Staying true to its Qt philosophy by focusing on technologies like niri, Noctalia, and QuickshellAll of them are built on Qt 6, avoiding heavy dependencies on systemd. For now, however, the ISO still uses systemd in the Live session and boot environment, but the medium-term intention is to assess whether a complete migration to another init system, such as Dinit, is feasible.
In this context, the use of this ISO as a testbed is key: It allows the community to experiment with a fully functional alternative desktop environment., based on Wayland, and that developers receive real feedback on performance, usability, hardware compatibility and maturity of the accompanying tools.
Niri, Noctalia and Quickshell: the new Wayland desktop starting with KaOS 2026.02
In this February version, Niri arrives in its 25.11 editionIt acts as a Wayland compositor with a focus on scrollable tiling, ideal for those working with multiple windows and screens. Noctalia, meanwhile, is included in version 4.4 and serves as a lightweight shell, with an interface focused on not intrusive and leaving maximum space for user content.
To complete the set, ISO incorporates Quickshell 0.2.1A highly flexible toolkit built on QtQuick that allows you to design shell components, panels, and interface elements specifically for Wayland. This trio is built on Qt 6.10.2 in the more technical part of the main ISOThis ensures consistency in the graphics stack and a clear commitment to the latest Qt libraries.
In addition to these pillars, Additional utilities are added These tools enhance the daily experience: cliphist for managing the clipboard, seatd for managing seats in Wayland, ddcutil for controlling monitor parameters, pavucontrol-qt as a graphical panel for managing PulseAudio/PipeWire, qt6ct for fine-tuning the appearance of Qt6 applications, and xwayland-satellite for facilitating the execution of X11 programs on Wayland. All of this points to a polished, usable desktop that aligns with the KaOS philosophy.
A distribution that remains 100% Qt and without GTK in the ISO
Despite the default desktop rotation, KaOS retains its distinguishing feature: it remains a Qt-centric distro And, in the ISO, it avoids including GTK-based applications. The set of pre-installed programs still relies on Qt libraries and the KDE ecosystem, with tools such as Falkon, Octopi, NeoChat, Calligra, LibreOffice (in its adapted version), and other applications common in recent KaOS releases.
In the repositories, however, Widely used GTK applications are made available For those who need them, such as Firefox, Chrome, Thunderbird, GIMP, or Ardour, in very recent versions. The idea is clear: the core experience remains consistent and focused on Qt, but the user is not limited if they need popular software that traditionally comes packaged with GTK.
The combination of a modern Wayland desktop, updated Qt applications, and a pacman-based package system makes KaOS a highly specialized, but sufficiently flexible rolling release to adapt to different user profiles, from those looking for a very minimalist environment to those who need a more complete arsenal of productivity and multimedia applications.
System core and versions of the main components
On a more technical level, this edition of KaOS incorporates a set of major system-level updatesA modern toolchain is included with GCC 15.2.1, Glibc 2.42 and Binutils 2.45.1, tools that ensure the system can compile and run current software with optimal performance and the latest security enhancements.
Along with it, Key libraries and multimedia middleware are updated such as OpenCV 4.12.0 for computer vision, Poppler 26.02.0 for PDF handling, GStreamer 1.28 for processing audio and video streams, and PipeWire 1.4.9, which continues to consolidate itself as a pillar of the sound and multimedia capture section in modern Linux environments.
Regarding the core, The Linux kernel is updated to version 6.18.10Meanwhile, the repositories continue to support the Linux-next branch around the 6.19 series for those who want to stay even more up-to-date. Also included are Systemd 257.10 for disk-based installations, ZFS 2.4.0, CMake 4.2, OpenSSH 10.2, Bash 5.3, Protobuf 33.5, and Mesa 25.3.5, all in very recent versions designed to offer compatibility with modern hardware and good support for graphics, networking, and development.
An interesting feature is in the transition of systemd: ISO as such uses systemd 255.22Creating the image directly from newer versions caused problems, but after installing the system on disk, it was updated to use systemd 257.10. This is an interim step while the feasibility of abandoning systemd later on is fully evaluated, without compromising system stability in the short term.
Limine as the new default bootloader in KaOS 2026.02
Another outstanding novelty is that Limine becomes the default bootloader in this ISO. Until now, KaOS had primarily relied on systemd-boot in UEFI installations, but in this release, Limine takes over by default. However, Calamares still offers other alternatives for UEFI installations, so users can choose different configurations during the installation process.
This starter charger change fits with the general idea of gradually reducing the weight of systemd across different system componentsBy decoupling the boot process from systemd-boot, KaOS gains more flexibility to experiment with other init and boot organization solutions. In any case, installation options remain flexible, especially for those with more unusual hardware or configurations.
Improved and safer Calamari Installer
The Calamares graphical installer also receives significant adjustments, especially focused on security and usabilityUntil now, the welcome screen used an embedded web browser, running with root privileges, to display additional documentation and help links. Since launching a browser with administrator privileges is never ideal, this approach has been redesigned.
In the new ISO, The extra information is integrated directly via a QML Drawer within the welcome screenThis allows you to display guides, explanations, and links without needing to open a full browser under root, reducing potential risks and offering a more integrated experience with the rest of the QML design that characterizes KaOS's own tools.
In the partitioning section, Calamares' automatic option allows you to choose between the most common file systems Without having to resort to manual mode: XFS, EXT4, Btrfs, or ZFS are available for standard installations. This means users can choose a modern and robust file system without complications, while still maintaining flexibility for those who prefer advanced settings.
XFS with CRC and finobt as the default file system
In typical installations, KaOS opts for Use XFS as the default file systemSpecifically, with CRC and the finobt option enabled. Enabling CRC allows for better hardware error detection, as metadata integrity can be checked more reliably, reducing the likelihood of silent corruption.
The activation of finobt, on the other hand, means that The free inode B-tree stops indexing inodes that have already been usedThis improves performance and consistency in inode allocation as the file system ages and becomes fragmented with use. This results in more predictable behavior and smoother response times on older disks.
However, it is important to keep in mind some limitations: In installations with traditional BIOS, XFS cannot be used as an option if GRUB is to be installed.because the boot manager fails with the latest versions of XFS. In these cases, it is recommended to opt for other systems such as EXT4 to ensure a successful installation.
KaOS 2026.02 introduces improvements to sound, login, and event logging.
In the multimedia field, this ISO introduces a new sound backend for PhononUntil now, VLC was mainly used as the engine, but since there is still no complete port of the player to Qt6, the decision has been made to switch to phonon-mpv as the default option. In this way, KaOS ensures an audio chain fully prepared for Qt6, without losing compatibility or performance.
The SDDM login manager also takes a step forward, as Version 0.20.0 allows running the display manager session directly in WaylandThis brings KaOS a little closer to a purely Wayland environment from start to finish, gradually reducing dependence on X11 and aligning with the project's overall commitment to more modern and efficient technologies.
Another area where progress has been made is log management. So far, Obtaining good records involved mastering journalctl commands in the terminalThis is somewhat user-unfriendly for many users. To simplify this process, KaOS now includes it as standard. Kjournald, a graphical tool that allows you to view system logs with a clear interface and numerous filters in a side panel, facilitating the diagnosis of problems without having to resort exclusively to the command line.
Proprietary tools: Croeso, welcome and installation guide
Once the installation is complete, when you start the newly installed system, Croeso enters the sceneKaOS, the well-known welcome tool created by KaOS (its name means "welcome" in Welsh). This application helps adjust around 15 common system parameters, from appearance details to small settings that many users change after a fresh installation.
In addition to those options, Croeso integrates a custom wallpaper selectorA section with information about the distribution and several groups of packages organized into six categories, ranging from basic software to more advanced tools. All of this is written in QML, visually matching the welcome application used in Live mode, which already includes an installation guide accessible directly from the test desktop.
Thanks to these proprietary tools, The post-installation experience is much more user-friendly even for less experienced users, reducing the time needed to get the system up and running and offering a sense of careful integration from the first boot to the final configuration.
Creation of ISO installation and verification media
One of the aspects where KaOS is particularly insistent is in the correct creation of the installation meansThe distributor emphasizes that its ISO images are not compatible with tools like Unetbootin or Rufus, so if these programs are used, it is very likely that the resulting media will not boot or will present errors during installation.
To avoid problems, It is recommended to follow the official instructions on the download page.Whether using a USB drive or a DVD, it's crucial to maintain a consistent recording speed. For optical discs, it's strongly advised not to exceed 4x to minimize errors and ensure reliable storage. While this might seem like an overreaction, it significantly reduces the likelihood of problems during subsequent installations.
KaOS also emphasizes the security and integrity of the download. Users are invited to verify the SHA256 checksum of the ISO file You can now verify authenticity using the project's official GPG signature. To do this, you need to download the KaOS signing key (KaOS.asc) and import it into your local keychain using the following command:
gpg --import KaOS.asc
Next, the corresponding signature file is downloaded, for example KaOS-2026.02-x86_64.iso.sig, in the same directory where the ISO is located, and run:
gpg --verify KaOS-2026.02-x86_64.iso.sig
With this, The user can be sure that the image has not been modified. and it actually comes from the KaOS project, reducing the risk of using corrupt or manipulated ISOs.
Kernel, microcode, and hardware compatibility
Regarding hardware support, The KaOS kernel includes the necessary microcode embedded to perform an early microcode update.This means that, during the boot process, microcode fixes for the processor are loaded before the system fully starts up, improving stability and security, especially on CPUs affected by known vulnerabilities.
The use of a recent kernel along with a modern graphics stack (Mesa 25.3.5) and updated libraries This is essential for supporting the latest graphics cards and current hardware, as well as for efficiently utilizing Wayland and compositors like niri. For those requiring even more cutting-edge features, the repositories offer Linux-next variants, which closely follow the development of kernel 6.19.
Regarding virtualized environments, A specific limitation in VirtualBox is noted.Wayland support only works when 3D acceleration is enabled, which requires the use of the VMSVGA graphics adapter. Anyone wishing to try KaOS under VirtualBox with the niri/Noctalia desktop environment must ensure that this option is enabled in the virtual machine settings.
Overall, this version of KaOS features a very modern system, with an alternative Wayland desktop, a cutting-edge software stack, and a clear intention to experiment beyond the usual pathsIt combines the tradition of being a Qt-centric distro with a radically different environment than what many KaOS users were accustomed to. For those who enjoy trying new ways of working in Linux without sacrificing a polished environment, this release represents a particularly interesting opportunity.
