How to Install Deepin Desktop on Manjaro 21 Linux
You’ll learn how to pull the polished Deepin Desktop into a fresh Manjaro 21 install without turning the machine into an endless crash loop.
Prerequisites: Make sure the base system is healthy
Updating the core before adding new software keeps dependency hell at bay.
Run
sudo pacman -Syy
sudo pacman -Su
The -Syu flag syncs the database and upgrades all packages, which is especially important on Manjaro’s rolling‑release model.
Installing Deepin Desktop Core Packages
Deepin isn’t in the official Manjaro repos, so an AUR helper (pamac or yay) is required.
If pamac is already configured:
sudo pacman -S deepin-desktop-core
Otherwise, fetch and build the AUR meta‑package that pulls everything you need:
yay -S deepin-desktop
The meta‑package installs deepin-dde-session, themes, icons, and other DDE components.
Why this matters: without the core session package, the login screen won’t recognize a Deepin desktop entry.
Optional extras that make the experience shine
If the default theme feels a little flat:
sudo pacman -S deepin-themes
sudo pacman -S deepin-icon-theme
These packages add the glossy look and icon set that people rave about.
Skipping them gives you a more minimal desktop, which can be handy for low‑resource machines.
Choosing a Display Manager
Deepin ships its own DM, deepin-dde-greeter, but it’s not mandatory.
If you’re happy with GDM or SDDM, keep your current manager; the Deepin session will still appear in the login menu.
To install the native greeter:
sudo pacman -S deepin-dde-greeter
Then edit /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf to set greeter-session=deepin-dde-greeter and restart LightDM.
Troubleshooting: What if the session won’t start?
I’ve seen this happen after a kernel bump. The Deepin session relies on certain Xorg libraries that sometimes get removed or mismatched during upgrades.
If you’re stuck in a black screen, try:
sudo pacman -Syu
sudo pacman -S --overwrite '*:/usr/lib/mesa/*' mesa-dri-drivers
Re‑installing Mesa resolves missing library references and gets the session back up.
Switching Back to Your Old Desktop
If you decide Deepin isn’t your cup of tea, simply remove the core packages:
sudo pacman -Rns deepin-desktop-core deepin-dde-session
Your previous desktop manager will stay intact and boot as usual.
