Missing icons-only widget for taskbar

hi, during the recent update where chrome kept crashing my plasmashell, i tried a bunch of random stuff to fix plasmashell before i heard that chrome caused the issue and uninstalled it.

i think i removed the icons only widget because after my desktop rebooted my taskbar has no icons for open windows, there’s an icons-text option, but no icons-only. how do i fix this please?

KDE Framework version Operating System: Kubuntu 26.04 LTS
KDE Plasma Version: 6.6.6
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.24.0
Qt Version: 6.10.2
Kernel Version: 7.0.0-34-generic (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland

You may have deleted the files for the widget. If this is the case, you’ll have to reinstall the plasma-desktop package. And possibly more, too.

is there a command for that, i tried reinstalling plasmashell and that didn’t fix it. so is it possible to manually download the required files and place it in the correct directory?

or maybe i’ll have to wait for a new kubuntu update then it’ll just fix itself?

sudo apt reinstall plasma-desktop

i ran this and rebooted, but it didnt work. thanks for trying

i guess the best thing to do is reinstall kubuntu. if someone can recommend a quick and easy backup like windows restore point. that’d be great

plasma-desktop reinstall not bringing icons-only back usually means junk left in ur local plasmoids dir for me

-ls ~/.local/share/plasma/plasmoids/
-if u see org.kde.plasma.icontasks in there, move it out: mv ~/.local/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.icontasks ~/icontasks.bak
-sudo apt install --reinstall plasma-workspace
-logout/in then right click the panel → Add Widgets → search icons-only

dont need a full kubuntu reinstall for this

don’t give up yet

try sudo apt reinstall kubuntu-desktop next

but for backups i suggest timeshfit for the OS because you can recover a snapshot from a live USB if need be when things go really sideways.

but that wouldn’t have helped in this case because the problem was in your /home dir

for that you can use backintime to give you versioned daily backups that you can restore when your /home gets borked.

i also use the built in backup feature of the plasma desktop (in the system tray) which is a GUI front end to bup but it still lacks some of the features of backintime and you can’t browse it’s backup files with dolphin like you can with backintime

oddly enough there’s no plasma folder in my .local/share directory, and this is after reinstalling plasma workspace and kubuntu desktop

that is just for widgets you have installed yourself via the Get New… button

the default widgets that come with plasma should come back when you reinstall the plasma-workspace

you can use aptitude show plasma-workspace | grep -E 'widget|task|icon' to see all the potentially relevant libraries that come with it.

no ~/.local/share/plasma usually means no local overrides, so the widget has to come from the packages.

-ls /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/ | grep -i icontask
-missing: sudo apt install --reinstall plasma-desktop plasma-workspace
-right click the panel → Show Panel Configuration → add Icons-only Task Manager (or make a new empty panel and add it there)

if Add Widgets search still hides it:
-rm -rf ~/.cache/plasmashell ~/.cache/plasma*
-plasmashell --replace &

here’s what i got after running the last command

Alloone@CREALTY:~$ rm -rf ~/.cache/plasmashell ~/.cache/plasma*
plasmashell --replace &
[1] 35234
Alloone@CREALTY:~$ kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmo
ids/org.kde.plasma.minimizeall/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
minimizeall/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
No QSGTexture provided from updateSampledImage(). This is wrong.
No QSGTexture provided from updateSampledImage(). This is wrong.
qrc:/qt/qml/plasma/applet/org/kde/plasma/panelspacer/main.qml:13:1: QML PlasmoidItem: Binding loop detected fo
r property “optimalSize”:
qrc:/qt/qml/plasma/applet/org/kde/plasma/panelspacer/main.qml:48:5
qrc:/qt/qml/plasma/applet/org/kde/plasma/panelspacer/main.qml:13:1: QML PlasmoidItem: Binding loop detected fo
r property “optimalSize”:
qrc:/qt/qml/plasma/applet/org/kde/plasma/panelspacer/main.qml:48:5
qrc:/qt/qml/plasma/applet/org/kde/plasma/panelspacer/main.qml:13:1: QML PlasmoidItem: Binding loop detected fo
r property “optimalSize”:
qrc:/qt/qml/plasma/applet/org/kde/plasma/panelspacer/main.qml:48:5
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
minimizeall/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
activitypager/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)
kf.package: Could not find required file “mainscript” for package “/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.
kickerdash/” should be QList(“ui/main.qml”)

here’s the libraries it came up with

Alloone@CREALTY:~$ aptitude show plasma-workspace | grep -E ‘widget|task|icon’
Depends: default-dbus-session-bus | dbus-session-bus, frameworkintegration6, gdb, iso-codes, kactivitymanagerd (>= 6.2.90~), kded6, kglobalacceld (>= 6.2.90~), knighttime (>= 6.5.0~), kwin-common (>= 4:6.2.90~), kwin-wayland (>= 4:6.2.9
0~), libgeoclue-2-0, libkf6config-bin, libqt6wlshellintegration6, milou (>= 4:6.2.90~), plasma-desktoptheme, plasma-integration (>= 6.2.90~), plasma-workspace-data (>= 4:6.6.6-0ubuntu0.1), python3:any, qdbus-qt6, qml6-module-org-kde-act
ivities, qml6-module-org-kde-breeze, qml6-module-org-kde-config, qml6-module-org-kde-coreaddons, qml6-module-org-kde-draganddrop, qml6-module-org-kde-kcmutils, qml6-module-org-kde-kholidays, qml6-module-org-kde-kirigami, qml6-module-org
-kde-kirigamiaddons-components, qml6-module-org-kde-kitemmodels, qml6-module-org-kde-kquickcontrols, qml6-module-org-kde-kquickcontrolsaddons, qml6-module-org-kde-ksvg, qml6-module-org-kde-ksysguard, qml6-module-org-kde-kwindowsystem, q
ml6-module-org-kde-newstuff, qml6-module-org-kde-notifications, qml6-module-org-kde-pipewire, qml6-module-org-kde-plasma-plasma5support, qml6-module-org-kde-prison, qml6-module-org-kde-quickcharts, qml6-module-org-kde-userfeedback, qml6
-module-qt5compat-graphicaleffects, qml6-module-qtcore, qml6-module-qtpositioning, qml6-module-qtqml, qml6-module-qtqml-models, qml6-module-qtqml-workerscript, qml6-module-qtquick, qml6-module-qtquick-controls, qml6-module-qtquick-dialo
gs, qml6-module-qtquick-layouts, qml6-module-qtquick-shapes, qml6-module-qtquick-templates, qml6-module-qtquick-virtualkeyboard, qml6-module-qtquick-window, qt6-base-dev-tools, qt6-svg-plugins, qt6-wayland, udisks2, x11-utils, x11-xserv
er-utils, kio6, kwallet6, libappstreamqt3 (>= 1.1.2), libbatterycontrol6 (>= 4:6.6.6), libc6 (>= 2.38), libcanberra0 (>= 0.2), libcrypt1 (>= 1:4.1.0), libdbus-1-3 (>= 1.10), libfontconfig1 (>= 2.12.6), libfreetype6 (>= 2.2.1), libgcc-s1
(>= 3.0), libice6 (>= 1:1.0.0), libicu78 (>= 78.1-1~), libkexiv2qt6-0 (>= 24.05.1), libkf6archive6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6authcore6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6baloo6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6bookmarks6 (>= 6.0.0), libkf6calendarevents6 (>= 6.22.0~),
libkf6colorscheme6 (>= 6.20.0), libkf6completion6 (>= 6.0.0), libkf6configcore6 (>= 6.16.0), libkf6configgui6 (>= 6.3.0), libkf6configqml6 (>= 6.0.0), libkf6configwidgets6 (>= 6.0.0), libkf6coreaddons6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6crash6 (>= 6.2
2.0~), libkf6dbusaddons6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6globalaccel6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6guiaddons6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6holidays6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6i18n6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6i18nlocaledata6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6iconthemes6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6idl
etime6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6jobwidgets6 (>= 6.0.0), libkf6kcmutils6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6kcmutilscore6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6kcmutilsquick6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6kiocore6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6kiofilewidgets6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6kiogui6 (>= 6.2
2.0~), libkf6kiowidgets6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6networkmanagerqt6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6newstuffcore6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6newstuffwidgets6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6notifications6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6package6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6parts6 (>= 6.22.0~
), libkf6runner6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6service-bin, libkf6service6 (>= 6.0.0), libkf6solid6 (>= 6.11.0), libkf6statusnotifieritem6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6svg6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6texteditor-bin (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6texteditor6 (>= 6.22.0~), l
ibkf6textwidgets6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6userfeedbackcore6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6wallet6 (>= 6.22.0~), libkf6widgetsaddons6 (>= 6.0.0), libkf6windowsystem6 (>= 6.19.0), libkf6xmlgui6 (>= 6.0.0), libkfontinst6 (>= 4:6.6.6), libkfontinstui6 (>
= 4:6.6.6), libklipper6 (>= 4:6.4.90), libklookandfeel6 (>= 4:6.6.0), libkmpris6 (>= 4:6.6.6), libknighttime0 (>= 6.6.5~), libkscreenlocker6 (>= 6.6.5~), libksysguardsensorfaces2 (>= 4:6.6.5~), libkwaylandclient6 (>= 4:6.6.4~), libkwork
space6-6 (>= 4:6.1.0), liblayershellqtinterface6 (>= 6.6.4~), libnotificationmanager1 (>= 4:6.1.0), libplasma7 (>= 6.6.6~), libplasmaactivities7 (>= 6.6.4~), libplasmaactivitiesstats1 (>= 6.6.4~), libplasmaquick7 (>= 6.6.6~), libpolkit-
qt6-1-1 (>= 0.200.0), libprocesscore10 (>= 4:6.6.5~), libqalculate23 (>= 5.9.0), libqt6core6t64 (>= 6.10.2), libqt6dbus6 (>= 6.10.0~), libqt6gui6 (>= 6.10.0~), libqt6network6 (>= 6.10.0~), libqt6positioning6 (>= 6.10.0~), libqt6printsup
port6 (>= 6.10.0~), libqt6qml6 (>= 6.10.2), libqt6quick6 (>= 6.10.0~), libqt6sql6 (>= 6.10.0~), libqt6svg6 (>= 6.10.0~), libqt6waylandclient6 (>= 6.10.2), libqt6widgets6 (>= 6.10.0~), libqt6xml6 (>= 6.10.0~), libsm6 (>= 2:1.2.6), libstd
c++6 (>= 13.1), libsystemd0, libtaskmanager6 (>= 4:6.6.0), libudev1 (>= 183), libwayland-client0 (>= 1.20.0), libx11-6, libxcb-composite0, libxcb-cursor0 (>= 0.0.99), libxcb-damage0, libxcb-image0 (>= 0.2), libxcb-shape0, libxcb-util1 (

= 0.4.0), libxcb1 (>= 1.6), libxcursor1 (> 1.1.2), libxfixes3, libxft2 (> 2.1.1), libxtst6 (>= 2:1.2.5), qt6-base-private-abi (= 6.10.2), qt6-declarative-private-abi (= 6.10.2), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)

i think doing all these commands has fried my plasma workspace, cus it now crashes completely even after reboot, reinstall and restarting the service, i now have no desktop or taskbar.
just the reliable terminal

those mainscript / ui/main.qml errors mean the plasmoid packages are half missing on disk. cache wipe wont fix that.

-from that terminal:
-sudo apt install --reinstall plasma-widgets-addons plasma-desktop plasma-workspace plasma-desktoptheme
-ls /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.icontasks/contents/ui/main.qml
-if that file is back: sudo systemctl restart sddm

if apt says already newest and the qml is still gone:
-dpkg -V plasma-desktop plasma-workspace plasma-widgets-addons | head

after running the install, i tried using ls to find that folder but it doesn’t exist

Alloone@CREALTY:~$ ls /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids
org.kde.desktopcontainment org.kde.plasma.minimizeall org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor.memory
org.kde.kdeconnect org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor.(notalink)net
org.kde.kupapplet org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor.cpu org.kde.plasma.vault
org.kde.plasma.activitypager org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor.cpucore org.kde.plasma.wacomtablet
org.kde.plasma.folder org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor.diskactivity
org.kde.plasma.kickerdash **org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor.diskusage

the other commands didn’t do anything besides restart
i added (notalink) cuz the website wouldn’t let me post

icontasks isnt in that plasmoids list so the package never dropped the files.

from the same terminal:
-apt-cache search icontasks
-dpkg -L plasma-desktop | grep -i icontask
-sudo apt install --reinstall plasma-desktop plasma-workspace kde-plasma-desktop

if dpkg -L still has no icontasks path paste:
-apt-cache policy plasma-desktop
-ls /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids | head

dpkg never returns anything but look at this

Alloone@CREALTY:~$ apt-cache policy plasma-desktop
plasma-desktop:
Installed: 4:6.6.6-0ubuntu0.1
Candidate: 4:6.6.6-0ubuntu0.1
Version table:
*** 4:6.6.6-0ubuntu0.1 500
500 Index of /ubuntu resolute-updates/universe amd64 Packages
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
4:6.6.4-0ubuntu1 500
500 Index of /ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages

Alloone@CREALTY:~$ ls /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids | head
org.kde.desktopcontainment
org.kde.kdeconnect
org.kde.kupapplet
org.kde.plasma.activitypager
org.kde.plasma.folder
org.kde.plasma.kickerdash
org.kde.plasma.minimizeall
org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor
org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor.cpu
org.kde.plasma.systemmonitor.cpucore

ls /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids | grep icon instead

this also returns nothing

Alloone@CREALTY:~$ ls /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids | grep icon
Alloone@CREALTY:~$