Skip to main content
Open Source 1 min read 358 views

COSMIC Desktop 1.0.3 Improves File Manager and Portal Integration

System76's Rust-based desktop environment continues rapid iteration after December 1.0 launch with usability fixes.

TD

TechDrop Editorial

Share:

System76 released COSMIC Desktop 1.0.3 on January 22, bringing improvements to the Files app, Settings, Terminal, and portal integration for Linux users.

Key Improvements

The update includes several usability enhancements:

  • Users can now open multiple directories in separate tabs more easily
  • An open button was added to the multiple preview interface
  • Shift-click behavior refined for hidden files
  • Files app gains the ability to copy file timestamps

Security and Stability

COSMIC Terminal now more carefully loads and clears passwords in memory when the passwords page is toggled. The portal backend no longer aborts if dma-buf support is missing, and PipeWire data flags are now set for memfd, which may resolve screen casting issues in applications like OBS.

Availability

COSMIC 1.0.3 is available for Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS users, with rolling-release distros like Arch and openSUSE Tumbleweed expected to receive the update soon.

Growing Ecosystem

Since the stable 1.0 launch in December 2025, COSMIC has been adopted by other distributions including Origami Linux (based on Fedora Atomic) and Archboot. Built entirely in Rust, COSMIC offers a modern, modular desktop environment focused on tiling and workspace management.

Related Articles