How to change login screen sddm on KDE Plasma 5

Question

I'm using Kubuntu 16.10 with KDE plasma 5 installed.

I'd like to install and try new login screen with custom layouts. But I don't know how. Tried google,but didn't get what I want. Also I'd like to change that loading animation screen too.

1. How can I use new login screens with custom layouts?

2. Can I change loading animation screen?if yes how?

I've already installed sddm , it was shipped default with Kubuntu.

Solution

1 Alternative SDDM greeter themes

Ubuntu Packages: https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=sddm-theme&searchon=names&suite=all&section=all

1) Install package from your package manager. An example with the apt-get and the theme sddm-theme-circles:

sudo apt-get install sddm-theme-circles

2) Change the theme from the KDE SDDM control module KDE System Settings > Startup and Shutdown > Login Screen (SDDM)

KDE Store

With the plasma 5.8 or older: Browse to the https://store.kde.org/browse/cat/101/ read the installation notes and download the wanted package. Install as told in the installation notes. Test as told in the https://github.com/sddm/sddm/wiki/Theming . Enable from the KDE SDDM control module.

With the plasma 5.9 or newer: Use the KDE SDDM control module.

Other sources

i.e: https://www.reddit.com/r/sddm_themes/

Read the installation notes. Usually:

1) Download archive.

2) Read notes.

3) Extract archive to the /usr/share/sddm/themes/

4) Test the theme ( https://github.com/sddm/sddm/wiki/Theming ) with the command:

sddm-greeter --theme /path/to/you/theme

5) Enable the theme from the KDE settings.

Making and editing SDDM themes

Theming explained at: https://github.com/sddm/sddm/wiki/Theming

2 Alternative Plasma Splash screens

Plasma splash screen is a short qml script. The plasma splash is part of the plasma look and feel theme or with the plasma 5.13 it is possible to install the splash screens from the KDE System settings:

A bug report: Bug 358839 - Splash screen not easily customizable from the splash screen settings menu. - https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=358839

and a fix: https://phabricator.kde.org/D11919

The plasma splash screens are downloaded from the KDE Store: https://store.kde.org/browse/cat/488/ord/latest/

Comments

[WooJoo]

If you have already installed another display-manager like sddm you can switch the active one with sudo dpkg-reconfigure sddm.

[Vishwa]

sddm is installed default with kubuntu. i just need to know how to customize it for my needs

[user26687]

Please only ask one question per thread.

[Vishwa]

@user26687 I updated the question, thanks for the answer. I'll try it out

[Todd Baur]

@WooJoo your comment happens to answer my question exactly because this answer comes up when you try searching for changing sddm - I'll happily upvote an answer from you even if it doesn't exactly answer this question - I'd argue it does argue what's in the title