Arch Linux

okbzl

Member

Registered: 2024-08-03

Posts: 57

How to have multiple DE/WM configs without messing up icons

So I have a Hyprland config for my daily use, and KDE for fallback in case Hyprland update break anything. Having both installed at the same time, though, usually mess up both DE's icons (both use different icon pack). Anyway to prevent this from happening?

5hridhyan

Member

From: Asia

Registered: 2025-12-25

Posts: 560

Re: How to have multiple DE/WM configs without messing up icons

I too have the same setup, but for me icons are consistent, but switching each/ vice-versa tends to change, which I re-apply, since both in yours and mine case KDE is a fallback, and I personally haven't used KDE more than 3 months obviously I didn't face inconsistency... I guess one click shouldn't be that frustrating? but in your case, you can try with using two different accounts for each, one for Hyprland, one for KDE, I guess it's the sane way to deal with it, also yeah its a nuclear option.

But I have another idea though, first create a dedicated Hyprland config folder, copy your GTK settings there, & launch Hyprland with a custom variable, like if you use a DM (like SDDM), you can create a custom session script, or if you launch from TTY, use a wrapper, so now, any changes KDE makes to gtk won't affect Hyprland, and vice-versa.

or you can also set your desired theme/path mouse/cursor theme size etc in hyprland.conf For Qt apps, install and configure qt5ct / qt6ct and then set `export QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct` for GTK apps install https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/nwg-look/ and set it in hyprland.conf

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seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 74,651

Re: How to have multiple DE/WM configs without messing up icons

Having both installed at the same time, though, usually mess up both DE's icons (both use different icon pack).

Possibly rather having different icon packs "mess up" icon selection (path resolution, size preferences etc)?
Or an effort to juggle different Qt/gtk configurations causes interference?

1. How exactly gets what exactly the "wrong" icons where?
2. As principle question: why do you have different icon themes installed anyway - notably since KDE is only meant to be a fallback solution?
I assume https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x8 … eze-icons/ then just gets dragged in as dependency? Skip it, you can "--assume-installed breeze-icons" to bypass the dependency check and except for occasionally missing an icon in KDE that your main theme doesn't provide that should™ not cause any problems.

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