Guide

KDE Connect and GSConnect on Shani OS — Your Phone and Desktop, Together

Shrinivas Vishnu Kumbhar · 2026-05-04 · 6 min

KDE Connect is one of the most useful integrations available on Linux — it connects your Android phone to your desktop over your local Wi-Fi network, enabling a tight integration that rivals what you get with Apple's Handoff or Samsung's Link to Windows.

On Shani OS, the firewall rules required for KDE Connect are pre-configured at installation — ports 1714–1764 are open in the public zone. You never need to manually configure the firewall.

KDE Plasma edition: KDE Connect is pre-installed. Open it from the system tray or System Settings → KDE Connect.

GNOME edition: GSConnect (a GNOME Shell extension that implements the KDE Connect protocol) is pre-installed as a GNOME Shell extension. Enable it in Extension Manager (pre-installed) and it appears in the top bar.

Full reference: docs.shani.dev — KDE Connect.

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Setting Up

On Your Phone

Install the KDE Connect app from:

Both phone and desktop must be on the same Wi-Fi network.

On KDE Plasma

  1. Open KDE Connect from the system tray (phone icon) or System Settings
  2. Your phone should appear in the device list automatically
  3. Click the phone name → "Pair"
  4. Accept the pairing request on your phone

On GNOME (GSConnect)

  1. Open Extension Manager → enable GSConnect
  2. A new icon appears in the top bar
  3. Click it → your phone appears → click "Pair"
  4. Accept on your phone

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Features

Notification Mirroring

Phone notifications appear on your desktop as standard desktop notifications. Reply to messages directly from the desktop notification popup (for supported apps like WhatsApp, Messages, Gmail).

Shared Clipboard

Copy something on your phone → paste it on your desktop. Copy on desktop → paste on phone. The clipboard syncs automatically in both directions.

File Sharing

From desktop to phone:
- Right-click any file in Nautilus/Dolphin → "Send to Phone via KDE Connect"
- Or drag files into the KDE Connect device panel

From phone to desktop:
- Use the "Share" option on Android → KDE Connect
- Files arrive in ~/Downloads on desktop

Remote Input

Use your phone as a touchpad or keyboard for your desktop — useful when your desktop is connected to a TV or when you want to control media from across the room.

SMS / Messages from Desktop

Read and reply to SMS messages from your desktop keyboard. Supports most Android SMS apps.

Media Control

Control media playback on your desktop from your phone — pause, skip, adjust volume. Also works in reverse: control phone audio from the desktop.

Run Commands

Configure custom commands on your desktop that can be triggered from your phone. For example: lock the screen, run a script, open a specific application.

KDE Connect → Device settings → Run Commands → Add Command
Name: Lock Screen
Command: loginctl lock-session

Remote Filesystem Access

Browse your phone's storage from the desktop file manager. On KDE, the phone appears as a location in Dolphin. On GNOME, it mounts via GSConnect.

Battery Level

See your phone's battery percentage in the desktop status bar.

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Troubleshooting

Phone Not Appearing

Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Check that:

# Verify the firewall rules are in place
sudo firewall-cmd --list-all | grep 1714

# If missing (should not be needed on Shani OS, but just in case):
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=1714-1764/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=1714-1764/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Also check the KDE Connect app on your phone is not blocked by Android's battery optimisation. In Android Settings → Battery → KDE Connect → "Don't optimise."

Pairing Fails

# Restart KDE Connect daemon
systemctl --user restart kdeconnectd    # KDE
# or
systemctl --user restart gsconnect      # GNOME

# Check daemon status
systemctl --user status kdeconnectd
journalctl --user -u kdeconnectd -n 30

Connection Drops Frequently

Android may kill the KDE Connect background process to save battery. Disable battery optimisation for the KDE Connect app:

Android Settings → Apps → KDE Connect → Battery → Unrestricted

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KDE Connect via Tailscale (Remote Access)

KDE Connect normally requires the same local Wi-Fi network. With Tailscale (pre-installed on Shani OS), you can use KDE Connect over the internet when you are away from home:

# On Shani OS desktop: start Tailscale
sudo tailscale up

# On your phone: install the Tailscale app and join your tailnet

# Add your phone's Tailscale IP to KDE Connect manually
# KDE Connect → Add Device → enter Tailscale IP

Full Tailscale guide: Networking on Shani OS.

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Resources

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