How to show Trash and computer icons on desktop?

I’m on Manjaro KDE and when I installed this OS there were no icons by default on desktop. How can I get computer and trash icons there?

Right-click the desktop and choose “Enter Edit Mode”. Then right-click the desktop again and choose “Configure Desktop and Wallpaper”.

You will right away see a setting called Layout:, which is set to Desktop. Change that to Folder View and click Apply. It should now show you the contents of the ~/Desktop folder. If it doesn’t, or if it shows another folder, click on “Location” in the column on the left and change it to whatever you wish.

When you’re done, click OK. Don’t forget to then also right-click the desktop again and choose “Exit Edit Mode”, so that you don’t accidentally move or remove widgets.


P.S.: I do not believe that Plasma has a Computer icon ─ that’s a Microsoft thing. It does however have a Trashcan icon.

The equivalent is probably just Dolphin or Home Folder.
And I guess you could also use a custom icon and/or .desktop file if you want the “My Computer” look.

It was changed to Folder by default about 3 or 4 years ago…

Cinnamon and I believe Mate have a Computer icon alongside a Home folder on the desktop. Not just Microsoft.

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Of course. I was just pointing out that there is no such icon by default. :man_shrugging:


Well, it’s always possible that the OP accidentally switched it to Desktop. :man_shrugging:


Okay, okay.* But the OP is using Plasma.

(* Why is everyone suddenly so pedantic today? :face_with_raised_eyebrow:)

How is it pedantic to suggest an equivalent?
(* gees why is everyone so silly all the time)

So, as I understand I can’t put trash icon on desktop. Okay, I can live without it.

I’m afraid you misunderstand. Please read post #2 again.

try this:

for computer icon (in windozs world) or home (in linux world)

kate ~/Desktop/home.desktop

paste this, save and exit kate:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Home
GenericName=Personal Files
URL[$e]=$HOME
Icon=user-home
Type=Link

for trash icon:

kate ~/Desktop/trash.desktop

paste this, save and exit kate:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Trash
Comment=Contains removed files
Icon=user-trash-full
EmptyIcon=user-trash
Type=Link
URL=trash:/
OnlyShowIn=KDE;

result:

Screenshot_20220106_013122

edit → another similar and way more easier approach is to open dolphin on desktop and drag home and trash to link it there

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Trash(can) can also be added to desktop as a widget with associated edit’able properties. This may be easiest, especially for those coming from a GUI environment…

Right click in lower panel area to Enter Edit Mode and select Add Widgets. Then search for “trash” in the searchbar, select the Trashcan widget and drop it anywhere you want on your desktop. It’s easily resizeable by dragging borders.

Guys, the Trash and Home icons should already be there on the OP’s system. They come supplied out-of-the-box in a fresh Plasma install. But if the desktop is set to the “Desktop” view instead of Folder View", then you won’t see those icons unless you change the view.

It really is that simple.

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Agreed. But apparently he’s not seeing them :wink:

Surprisingly nothing was on desktop when I installed this OS & before installing it, I installed on virtual box too & there were no icons too & even if I change those views I still don’t see any icons, however if I change to one of them & in location I choose “home”, it puts all folders from home to desktop.

What’s so weird that, before trying Manjaro, I tried Garuda distro in virtual box with same environment - KDE plasma & it didn’t have icons on desktop either, so I started thinking that KDE plasma devs decided that icons on desktop aren’t needed anymore & by default they removed it or they never had them?

By the way, I will try suggestions mentioned by others when I get home today & will let you know how it goes.

Is it something new? KDE desktop never had icons on it as far as I know. You need to add what you want on your desktop. By default it is just a blank desktop.

PS: also the Kate instructions here to add the icons are OK, but I think in localized installation (other than English language), the user folders are also localized (to be verified) so the path could be wrong.

I’m not sure if this is relevant but I am using the Latte dock with a Mac OS knockoff layout that I enjoy which includes a nice trash can in the dock.

(Don’t kill me for liking the Mac OS look feel) :rofl:

You can just drag and drop the “Home” and “Trash” icons form the side bar in Dolphin (the file manager) onto the desktop. This will show a context menu, where you can choose “Link Here” so they can be accessed directly from the desktop.

If they should be there, then the manjaro-kde-21.2.0-211220-linux515.iso has an error. I tried a new installation and they not there. OP is correct stating that they are missing.

Worked like charm. Thank you.

SomeGuy’s method worked too, but only for trash. Also it opens with one click and it also counts how many items are inside the trash, so I think I’ll leave this widget.

Thanks both of you :slight_smile:

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