System76 has updated the COSMIC Desktop with window shadows and consistent corner sizing across all applications, a change available on Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS right now and coming to users on other Linux distributions soon.
Both features apply the effects consistently, meaning that apps in different toolkits (Qt, GTK, Iced, etc) match better (if not perfectly) than they did before. Controls for applying roundness and shadowing in floating and tiled modes is user‑adjustable.
Prior, only GTK windows running on COSMIC had drop shadows. Native COSMIC apps, and Qt ones, appeared flat.
This often made it hard(er) to tell which app was in focus if several overlapped (I will add there’s a setting to. draw an ‘active hint’ border around a focused window).
But in an updated shared by System76’s CEO Carl Richell on X, the desktop now has them.
Similarly, COSMIC boasts improved consistency in the shape of window corners across different apps.
For example, if you change the ‘Style’ to ‘Square’, the shape of window corners across all apps adopt the same look:
That goes for “Round” and “Slight round” options too; apps in all major toolkits update their window radii on the fly to maintain harmony.
Small features? Yeah, but big ones in furthering the visual appeal of the COSMIC Desktop.
Expect more “small” tweaks and UI refinements like this to continue filtering as developers are able to extend focus from simply building the foundations of the desktop to improving what’s on top.
Where to find the new settings
If you run Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS or you have installed COSMIC on Ubuntu using a PPA, just check for new software updates and install the ones available. Amongst the churn will be packages adding shadows and harmonised window radii.
Access the new settings from Settings > Appearance > Experimental Settings > Window shadow and corners, where you’ll find controls to:
- use corner radius on floating and tiled windows
- Enabling or disabling window shadows
These are in addition COSMIC’s existing expanse of appearance and layout options. I can’t stress enough how configurable COSMIC is. What you see out of the box is just a starting point for your own experimentation.
More visual bling to come
Alongside this update comes a hint from the COSMIC development team on more visual flourishes to expect in due course. In a Reddit thread, blur effects for windows and panels are said to be in active development.
In Linux, visual finesse is often seen as pointless fluff or perceived as being done at the expense of more worthy work. UI consistency and animated cues are important parts of usability, and for ensuring the desktop can stand against established players.