Add or Switch Desktop Environments on Fedora

Updated 10 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

Adding a desktop environment to Fedora lets you try a different interface without replacing Fedora or your existing desktop. You can install another environment with DNF, then choose it from the session menu on the login screen; have an administrator password and an internet connection ready.

What You’ll Need

A Fedora installation with working internet access and enough free disk space for the additional desktop and its applications.
An account with administrator privileges, so you can use sudo to install software.
Access to the graphical login screen. Save your work and close applications before logging out or restarting.

Step-by-Step

Check your current desktop and Fedora edition. Open a terminal and run echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP to see the current session name, if available. For Fedora Workstation, GNOME is usually installed by default. Fedora spins may already use another desktop. You can check the Fedora release with cat /etc/fedora-release. Knowing what is installed helps avoid adding a duplicate.
Refresh package metadata. Run sudo dnf makecache. Enter your password when prompted. If DNF reports a network or repository problem, resolve that first; installing a desktop from incomplete or unavailable repositories will fail. You can also use sudo dnf upgrade --refresh to update the system, but allow it to finish and restart if it updates core components before proceeding.
Choose a desktop environment. Fedora provides desktop environments through package groups, though names and availability can vary by Fedora release and enabled repositories. To list available groups, run dnf group list --available. Look for the desktop you want, such as KDE Plasma, Xfce, Cinnamon, or MATE, and note the exact group name shown. Do not assume every group is available on every Fedora edition.
Install the group. Use the group name reported on your system. For example, if the listing shows a group named “KDE Plasma Workspaces,” run sudo dnf group install "KDE Plasma Workspaces". Substitute the exact name for your chosen desktop. Review DNF’s transaction summary, including the packages and disk space, then confirm only if it looks right. Let the installation complete without closing the terminal or powering off.
Log out of your current session. Save documents first. Use the desktop’s system menu to sign out, or restart if you prefer. You normally do not need to remove your existing desktop: installing another environment adds a choice rather than converting or replacing the old one.
Select the new session at the login screen. On the graphical sign-in screen, select your user account, then find the session or gear menu. Its position and icon vary by display manager and Fedora version. Choose the newly installed desktop before entering your password. If the menu is not visible, select the user first or look near the password field. Sign in normally.
Check the session. Once the desktop loads, open its settings or application menu and confirm that the new environment is running. If it looks correct, sign out and select your previous desktop from the same session menu whenever you want to switch back. Each environment may have its own panel, settings, and default applications.
Set your preferred session. Many login screens remember the last session used for your account, but behavior depends on the display manager. Sign out, choose the desktop you want as the default, and sign in again. Avoid changing system-wide display-manager configuration unless you have a specific need and know how to restore it.

Common Mistakes

Guessing the group name: DNF’s group names can differ or change. Check dnf group list --available and use the name it actually displays.
Expecting installation to switch the current session: Installing packages does not normally change a desktop that is already running. Log out and choose the new session at sign-in.
Removing the old desktop too soon: Both environments can share applications and system components. Keep the original until you have verified that the new one works and you know how to switch back.
Assuming settings and applications are shared: A new desktop may use different defaults, panels, themes, and configuration tools. Installing it does not necessarily change your personal files, but preferences can be separate.
Interrupting DNF: Do not shut down during package installation. If a transaction is interrupted, check DNF’s output and repair package state before trying another large install.

Tips

Install one desktop at a time, then sign in and test it before adding another. This makes problems easier to identify.
Read DNF’s proposed transaction before confirming. If it proposes removing packages you rely on, answer no and investigate rather than accepting blindly.
Keep a note of the working session name and how to reach the login-screen session menu. The menu can look different between display managers.
Use the Fedora release’s current documentation or package-group listing if a guide gives a group name that DNF does not recognize.

Troubleshooting

The group cannot be found: Run sudo dnf makecache, then repeat dnf group list --available. Check that the intended repositories are enabled and that the group name is copied exactly. A group may not be offered by your edition or enabled repositories. Do not install a similarly named package group unless you understand what it contains.

The new desktop is missing from the login menu: First verify that DNF completed successfully and that the desktop’s packages are installed. Log out completely, then check the session menu again. If necessary, restart. If it remains absent, review the DNF output for errors and consult Fedora’s documentation for that desktop and release; avoid manually creating session files as a first fix.

Sign-in returns to the login screen or shows a blank display: Switch back to the previous session from the login menu. Restart once if needed, then check for incomplete updates or failed package transactions. If neither session starts, use a text console if you are comfortable doing so, or Fedora’s recovery options, and inspect system logs before removing packages. Keep your user files backed up.

There is no session or gear menu: The control depends on the display manager and may appear only after selecting your account. Look around the sign-in screen for a session selector. If no selector is available, check whether the desktop’s session packages installed correctly and seek instructions for the display manager actually in use.

Applications or appearance differ between desktops: This is expected. Choose defaults and themes within the active environment. If an application behaves oddly in one session, test it in the original session before changing shared configuration or removing packages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install more than one desktop environment?
Yes. Fedora can have multiple environments installed. Choose the one you want at the login screen each time you sign in.

Will adding a desktop erase my files?
No, installing a desktop group is not intended to erase personal files. Still, back up important data before system changes and read DNF’s proposed transaction before confirming.

Do I have to remove my current desktop first?
No. Keeping it gives you a fallback and lets you switch between sessions. Removing it is a separate package-management task and can affect shared components.

Can I switch desktops without logging out?
Generally, no. Sign out of the current graphical session and select another one at the login screen. Save open work first.

Will my files and account be the same in both desktops?
Usually, both sessions use the same Fedora user account and home folder. Desktop-specific settings and default applications may differ.

How do I return to my original desktop?
Sign out, select the original session in the login-screen session menu, and sign in. If it is missing, verify that its packages are still installed.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.