The Sov desktop

Sov is Arkyn’s name for System76’s COSMIC desktop: dark theme, Arkyn red accent, Papirus icons with red folders, and an app library sorted into folders.

Sov is a name, not a fork

The COSMIC packages are unmodified, so updates keep working. Window titles and text inside COSMIC apps still say COSMIC, and the login screen lists both a Sov and a COSMIC session — both start the same desktop.

The dock

LibreWolf · Proton Mail · Files · Terminal · Text Editor · VSCodium · Store · Settings.

The app library

Super + A opens it. Library Home shows the essentials and anything you install later; the rest is in red folders: Internet, Privacy, Development, Gaming, Media, Office and System.

Wallpapers

The Sovrant T is the default, alongside an eight-image 4K pack: Nebula, Outrun, Monolith, Constellation, Blueprint, Circuit, Frosted and Topographic. Change it in Arkyn Setup or Sov Settings › Wallpaper.

Shortcuts and tips

Straight from the tips Arkyn ships (sov tip shows a random one):

Launcher

Tap the Super key and start typing to open an app, a file or a setting.

App library

Super + A opens the app library, with apps grouped into folders.

Workspaces

Super + W shows every workspace and window at once.

Jump to a workspace

Super + 1 to 9 jumps straight to that workspace.

Take a window with you

Super + Shift + a number moves the window to that workspace.

Next workspace

Super + Ctrl + arrow keys step through your workspaces.

Tiling

Super + Y switches automatic window tiling on and off.

Float one window

Super + G lets a single window float above the tiles.

Close a window

Super + Q closes the window you're in. Alt + F4 works too.

Maximise

Super + M maximises a window. Super + F11 goes full screen.

Move focus

Super + arrow keys move focus between windows. Super + H, J, K, L work too.

Rearrange

Super + Shift + arrow keys move a window around the layout.

Swap windows

Super + X swaps the focused window with its neighbour.

Resize with the keyboard

Super + R starts resizing a window with the arrow keys.

Lock up

Super + Escape locks the screen when you step away.

Log out

Super + Shift + Escape logs you out.

Terminal

Super + T opens Sov Terminal.

Files

Super + F opens your home folder in Sov Files.

Browser

Super + B opens LibreWolf.

Screenshot

Press Print Screen to capture the screen, a window or an area.

Zoom

Super + = zooms the screen in, Super + - zooms back out.

Switch windows

Alt + Tab or Super + Tab flips between open windows.

Keyboard layouts

Super + Space switches between your keyboard layouts.

Power and the screen

On a fresh install the screen never turns off by itself and the laptop never suspends by itself. Change both in Sov Settings › Power.

Fast boot

No boot menu and no countdown. Hold Esc (UEFI) or Shift (BIOS) during start-up to see the themed menu. After a failed boot, the menu shows by itself.