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Better Blur DX includes a contrast pass that processes the blurred background before it’s composited with the window. This allows you to fine-tune the appearance of the blur effect to match your theme and preferences.

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Contrast Pass Overview

The contrast pass applies three adjustments to the blurred background:
  1. Brightness - How light or dark the blur appears
  2. Saturation - How vibrant or muted the colors are
  3. Contrast - The difference between light and dark areas
These parameters work together to create the final appearance of the blur effect beneath your windows.

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Brightness

Controls how bright the blurred background appears.
  • Range: 0% to 500%
  • Default: 100% (no change)
  • Step size: 25%

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Effect

  • Below 100% - Darkens the blur, creating a more subdued background
  • 100% - Original brightness (no adjustment)
  • Above 100% - Brightens the blur, making the background more prominent

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Usage Tips

  • Use lower brightness (50-75%) with light themes to reduce glare
  • Use higher brightness (125-150%) with dark themes to maintain visibility
  • Set to 0% for a completely black blur background

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Saturation

Controls the color intensity of the blurred background.
  • Range: 0% to 500%
  • Default: 150% (enhanced saturation)
  • Step size: 25%

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Effect

  • 0% - Complete desaturation (grayscale blur)
  • 100% - Original color saturation
  • Above 100% - Enhanced color vibrancy
The default value of 150% is deliberately higher than neutral because it helps blurred backgrounds appear more lively and distinct from the window content.

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Usage Tips

  • Use 0-50% for a subtle, professional appearance
  • Use 100-150% (default range) for balanced, pleasant blur
  • Use 200%+ for vibrant, eye-catching effects

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Contrast

Controls the difference between light and dark areas in the blurred background.
  • Range: 0% to 500%
  • Default: 100% (no change)
  • Step size: 25%

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Effect

  • Below 100% - Reduces contrast, creating a softer, more uniform appearance
  • 100% - Original contrast (no adjustment)
  • Above 100% - Increases contrast, making edges and gradients more pronounced

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Usage Tips

  • Lower contrast (50-90%) can help reduce visual noise in busy backgrounds
  • Higher contrast (110-150%) can make the blur effect more dramatic
  • Extreme values (0% or 300%+) create artistic effects

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Force Contrast Parameters

By default, Better Blur DX respects contrast parameters that are provided by the windows themselves. Many Plasma components specify their own brightness, saturation, and contrast values.

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Default Behavior (Force OFF)

When Force Contrast Parameters is disabled:
  • Windows that provide their own values use those values
  • Windows without custom values use your configured settings
  • Plasma surfaces maintain their theme-consistent appearance

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When to Force

Enable Force Contrast Parameters if:
  • Plasma panels or widgets look incorrect with their default values
  • You want consistent blur appearance across all windows
  • Window-provided values conflict with your theme
Forcing contrast parameters overrides values from all windows, including Plasma system surfaces. This may cause the panel, widgets, and other system UI to look different than intended by the theme designer.

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Why Plasma Surfaces Have Custom Values

Plasma components (panels, widgets, system tray, KRunner, etc.) are designed with specific blur parameters that complement the Plasma theme. These values are defined in the theme configuration files.

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Example: Breeze Plasma Theme

The Breeze Plasma theme defines custom contrast parameters optimized for its visual design:
  • Panel backgrounds are tuned for readability
  • Popup backgrounds are adjusted for proper contrast with text
  • Widget backgrounds maintain theme consistency
Better Blur DX respects these values by default to ensure your Plasma desktop looks as the designers intended.

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Identifying Windows with Custom Values

Windows with custom contrast values typically include:
  • Plasma panels (top/bottom bars)
  • Plasma widgets (desktop widgets and panel applets)
  • KRunner (application launcher)
  • System tray popups (network, sound, notifications)
  • Plasma system dialogs (logout, session dialogs)
If you notice certain windows look different when you adjust your contrast settings, they’re likely providing their own values. Enable “Force Contrast Parameters” to override them.

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Combining Parameters for Different Effects

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Subtle Professional Blur

Brightness: 75%
Saturation: 100%
Contrast: 90%
Creates a muted, understated blur effect suitable for professional environments.

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Vibrant Modern Blur

Brightness: 100%
Saturation: 175%
Contrast: 110%
Produces a colorful, energetic blur effect with enhanced colors.

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Dark Theme Blur

Brightness: 50%
Saturation: 125%
Contrast: 100%
Darkens the blur significantly while maintaining color depth.

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Soft Dreamy Blur

Brightness: 110%
Saturation: 150%
Contrast: 70%
Creates a soft, low-contrast effect with pleasant colors.

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Configuration Location

Contrast parameters are configured in System Settings → Workspace Behavior → Desktop Effects → Better Blur DX → General tab. Each parameter can be adjusted using:
  • A slider for quick adjustments
  • A spin box for precise numeric input
Changes are applied immediately to all affected windows.

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