A new version of the LXQt desktop environment is now available for download.

LXQt is the successor to the lightweight LXDE desktop.

While it isn’t a desktop environment we’ve given much attention to over the past few years, the improvements on offer in its latest update are well worth a shout out.

This 0.14.0 release is the latest on the road to LXQt 1.0 and features file manager enhancements, better desktop icon handling, and even new photo viewer features:

pcmanfm-qt (file manager) now has split view

Improvements in libfm-qt allow the desktop to mount ‘more efficiently’

Options to show full file names and shadowing icons of hidden items

Properties dialog contains more info, including a device bar.

Support for Computer, Network, User-Dir and Trash desktop icons

Photo viewer can now show EXIF data

Ability to annotate images in photo viewer

Qterminal now supports custom terminal margins and history-based tab switching

I particularly like that desktop items can be moved and placed anywhere on the LXQt desktop, and desktop shortcuts for Trash, Computer, etc can be added. The Trash item now supports ‘drag and drop’ file trashing!

The LXQt 0.14.0 release can be downloaded at downloads.lxqt.org or Github. For a greater appreciation of all the changes the new release carries, check out the full LXQt 0.14 change-log.

Install LXQt

The LXQt desktop is available to install on Ubuntu direct from the archives. You can install it alongside GNOME Shell and switch between them from the login screen.

But to run the latest version of LXQt on Ubuntu you will need to either download it and build from source or wait for an unofficial PPA to package it up (which, based on past releases, isn’t likely).

Alternatively, LXQt 0.14.x is likely to be available in Ubuntu 19.04, due for release this April.