# How to reduce panel opacity

**URL:** <https://discuss.kde.org/t/how-to-reduce-panel-opacity/14761>\
**Category:** Help\
**Tags:** plasma\
**Created:** [April 29, 2024, 10:00am UTC](https://discuss.kde.org/t/how-to-reduce-panel-opacity/14761 "2024-04-29T10:00:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zam7am](https://discuss-cdn.kde.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Zam7am](https://discuss.kde.org/u/Zam7am)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 10:00am UTC](https://discuss.kde.org/t/how-to-reduce-panel-opacity/14761/1 "2024-04-29T10:00:46Z")

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How do I reduce panel opacity to create a transparent effect? The built in transparent option does not actually make it transparent.

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**Author:** ![frc\_kde](https://discuss-cdn.kde.org/user_avatar/discuss.kde.org/frc_kde/32/8004_2.png) [@frc\_kde](https://discuss.kde.org/u/frc_kde)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 1:21pm UTC](https://discuss.kde.org/t/how-to-reduce-panel-opacity/14761/2 "2024-04-29T13:21:38Z")

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I have been using Global Theme “Breeze” or “Breeze Dark” with “Maia Transparent” – from “Colors & Themes \>\> Plasma Style \>\> Get New” – and it has been working fine for years.

 ![2024-03-10_17-55-07_Ne-Maia-Transparent-WOW](https://discuss-cdn.kde.org/uploads/default/original/2X/4/42ac5b0a2f82c89a6d9476fd4bf19ce5adccaa98.jpeg)

It is more “readable” if Blur is enabled in “Window Management \>\> Desktop Effects”.

 ![2024-04-29_09-58-53_A](https://discuss-cdn.kde.org/uploads/default/original/2X/0/0bbaf99ff4f2480babe07c0670e5492dfd2bb70a.jpeg)

There are other “Global Themes”, and / or “Plasma Styles”, and / or “Window Decorations” which give you transparency – but many of them are not available for Plasma 6.

So, I could keep “Transparent Oxygen” (_Window Decorations_) in my previously installed distros – but I could not get it in a new installed KDE Neon with Plasma 6.

 ![2024-04-29_10-16-47_A](https://discuss-cdn.kde.org/uploads/default/original/2X/3/3256ee4e44c832a232b785face2b0d1a3f79a529.jpeg)

Indeed, the lone “Panel Translucent / Opaque” has been frustrating for me, since the first time I have tried it, +/-2016.

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**Author:** ![rockandstone](https://discuss-cdn.kde.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@rockandstone](https://discuss.kde.org/u/rockandstone)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://discuss.kde.org/t/how-to-reduce-panel-opacity/14761/3 "2024-04-29T14:00:22Z")

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This question appears pretty often, it is a sign that KDE should do something about it. The panel should offer a transparency slider.

@Zam7am

> [@KDE needs a dock](https://discuss.kde.org/t/kde-needs-a-dock/11795/6):
>
> Well, you could use something like [Panel Colorizer](https://store.kde.org/p/2130967) and do all sorts of things with the Plasma Panel’s colours in Plasma 6 - including changing the transparancy of the different elements…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zam7am](https://discuss-cdn.kde.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Zam7am](https://discuss.kde.org/u/Zam7am)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://discuss.kde.org/t/how-to-reduce-panel-opacity/14761/4 "2024-04-29T16:34:03Z")

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I installed the Maia theme and it indeed works now. Configuring Blur in desktop effects also works.

Thank you for your help.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![digitaltrails](https://discuss-cdn.kde.org/user_avatar/discuss.kde.org/digitaltrails/32/3723_2.png) [@digitaltrails](https://discuss.kde.org/u/digitaltrails)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 9:25pm UTC](https://discuss.kde.org/t/how-to-reduce-panel-opacity/14761/5 "2024-04-29T21:25:33Z")

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> [@Zam7am](#):
>
> How do I reduce panel opacity to create a transparent effect? The built in transparent option does not actually make it transparent.

Is there some documentation on what the panel opacity options do? I don’t see any changes no matter which one I choose, It’s quite confusing.