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I'm on Kubuntu 18.04 and was able to activate the application launcher using the meta key before, but it is not working anymore. How can I enable it again?

battery
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3 Answers3

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Though it might be late but I just faced with the same issue right after upgrading from 18.04 into 19.04. The solution is to right click on your application launcher and choose Configure Application Launcher.... Then in Keyboard shortcuts assign Alt+F1 for it. You might get an alert for conflict with Plasma app shortcut for the same functionality, but just accept it and apply the change.

Now you should be able to use Meta/Super key to open Application Launcher.

Mostafa Ahangarha
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Turned out I had modified the file ~/.config/kwinrc when I installed Latte dock and after I removed it, the meta key was no longer activating Plasma's application launcher.

To enable it again open ~/.config/kwinrc and update the following section:

[ModifierOnlyShortcuts]
Meta=org.kde.plasmashell,/PlasmaShell,org.kde.PlasmaShell,activateLauncherMenu
Zanna
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battery
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  • Interesting! I don't have the `[ModifierOnlyShortcuts]` section in my `~/.config/kwinrc` (Kubuntu 18.04) and the meta key works to activate the launcher. – DK Bose Oct 28 '18 at 04:28
  • @DKBose That's strange. Are you using ksuperkey? – battery Oct 29 '18 at 05:43
  • No, I haven't heard of ksuperkey. Anyway, things are working for you & for me :) – DK Bose Oct 29 '18 at 05:51
  • Just came across this and thought it may interest you: https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showthread.php/74673-Disable-the-Windows-Key-Popping-up-Launcher?p=422438&viewfull=1#post422438 – DK Bose Nov 06 '18 at 09:54
  • Had the same problem as a result of installing Latte dock, then reverting back to the Plasma panel. This fix worked on Kubuntu 20.04. Thanks. – mydoghasworms Sep 18 '20 at 06:35
  • After fiddling with kwin-bismuth, my meta-key stopped working for some shortcuts, not for others. Adding the section to `kwinrc` fixed it. – sba Dec 22 '22 at 23:41
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Mostafa Ahangarha's answer is correct and it works! I just want to clarify his answer:

Meta/Super/Windows key alone can not be selected as a hot key in Plasma. It has to have an "alias" of one or two other keys.

Once you have selected whatever one key (I used Fn -key) or two keys combination to open Launcher, Meta/Super key acts as alias for this/those two and you can open Launcher with Meta key alone.

It's explained here: KDE Plasma Fixes - WindowsMeta key

H2onvety
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  • That link could one day be broken... just thinking. – ThunderBird Mar 10 '21 at 17:56
  • I did also try to set Launcher as an applet to worktable, but I did not find a way to set META key activation there. It seems that the Launcher has to be in a panel in order this to work – H2onvety Mar 12 '21 at 18:58
  • @ThunderBird is right if I correctly understand what he is meaning: The Fn-key might not work permanently. For META-key the default alias key combination is ALT+F1 in KDE Plasma. – H2onvety Mar 13 '21 at 10:52