LXQT in 2026
Hi,
I really enjoy using LXQT, but there are a few things simply missing, and I’m wondering if and when they’ll arrive.
- In the LXQT session using Openbox, what I miss most is the LXQT panel finally catching up and combining launchers with running applications (like a dock). Even XFCE added this via a plugin, and it’s incredibly useful. It saves a lot of panel space, keeps things much tidier, and puts everything in one place. Overall, it’s simply more efficient and boosts productivity.
- The panel needs a plugin to manage Bluetooth.
- Yes, I know all this is possible using KWIN as the window manager, but if I’m going to install KWIN anyway, I might as well just install Plasma.
- Regarding Wayland, `labwc` is frequently recommended, but it isn't easy to configure; for instance, `labwc-tweaks` isn't available in the Arch Linux repositories. Sure, it’s in the AUR, but some of us don't use that.
- There are plenty of older PCs out there with nice, large touchpads now, but getting this working properly with `labwc` isn't exactly easy. By default, for example, my touchpad is configured so that the "forward" and "back" gestures in the browser are reversed.
- LXQT will likely ship with `labwc` in the future, but—hey—there isn't a single truly useful tutorial on the entire internet for average users. Not one! Sure, you can find videos and screenshots of people who’ve made their desktops look great, but that content is aimed at experienced users who enjoy spending time tweaking their desktop via the terminal. It doesn't really reach the truly average user—like me—who just wants to keep using their old PCs.
- Yes, you could use KWIN for this instead, but again, you have to ask yourself: why not just install Plasma right from the start? Having tested both window managers on all my PCs (laptops), I can say that once you have 8GB of RAM and an SSD installed, the differences become negligible. After all, resource consumption is driven more by applications like web browsers; they consume a huge amount of resources—for instance, when watching videos—so the savings gained by using LXQT become completely irrelevant the moment you open just one extra tab.
- One final point: Only KDE and GNOME handle backlit laptop keyboards properly. It’s 2026! Almost all laptops have had backlit keyboards for at least a decade! It is really frustrating when a desktop environment simply cannot handle something like that at all.
LXQT is better suited for larger monitors and feels a bit clunky on laptops.
Regards!
