Clockwork Orange

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What Clockwork Orange is

Clockwork Orange is a free desktop wallpaper manager for KDE Plasma 6, Windows 10/11, and macOS 13+. It can select random images from local folders, balance selections across sources, and assign a separate wallpaper to each monitor. On KDE Plasma, it can also rotate the lock-screen image separately from the desktop background. Download plugins fetch images from Wallhaven and DuckDuckGo Images. They can run hourly, daily, or weekly, and each source can have its own configured file limit. Access to Wallhaven's full catalogue requires an API key.

The program keeps a record of downloaded image URLs and content hashes to avoid fetching the same image again, even if its file is deleted. Users can mark an image in the application to delete the file and blacklist its hash, so a later download of that image is deleted as well. Version 4 is a native Go program; its command-line binary also serves as the daemon, and a Fyne desktop window provides plugin controls, download review, history, blacklist management, settings, and appearance options. Configuration is stored locally in YAML, with history and blacklist data in SQLite. Linux users can run it as a systemd user service. The project is distributed under the MIT License.

Who it suits

Clockwork Orange suits desktop users who want scheduled wallpaper changes from local folders or its Wallhaven and DuckDuckGo Images plugins. Its per-monitor selection and KDE lock-screen rotation may also suit people managing wallpaper across multiple displays or both KDE background areas.

What it does well

Supports KDE Plasma 6, Windows 10/11, and macOS 13+.
Can assign a separate wallpaper to each monitor.
KDE Plasma users can rotate the lock screen separately.
Download plugins support hourly, daily, and weekly schedules.
Tracks duplicate images and provides blacklist management.
Free software distributed under the MIT License.

What to know first

Wallhaven's full catalogue requires an API key.
The macOS app is ad hoc signed and not notarised.
macOS users must clear the app's quarantine flag after moving it to Applications.

Limits

Access to Wallhaven's full catalogue requires an API key. The macOS app is not notarised, and the README says users must clear its quarantine flag after moving it to Applications.

Getting started

Visit https://github.com/ushineko/clockwork-orange.
Choose the installation route for your system: Arch Linux or Debian/Ubuntu package, Linux source installation, or a Windows or macOS zip file.
On macOS, after moving the app to Applications, clear its quarantine flag.
Configure local image folders or the Wallhaven and DuckDuckGo Images plugins.
Set plugin schedules and per-source file limits.

Verdict

Pick Clockwork Orange if you want a free wallpaper manager with timed downloads, duplicate tracking, blacklist controls, and multi-monitor support across its listed desktop systems. KDE Plasma users also get separate lock-screen rotation. Wallhaven's full catalogue requires an API key, and macOS setup includes clearing the quarantine flag after moving the app to Applications.

Questions

Which systems does Clockwork Orange support?

The project describes support for KDE Plasma 6, Windows 10/11, and macOS 13+.

Does it support multiple monitors?

Yes. It can choose and assign one image per monitor.

Can it change the lock-screen wallpaper?

On KDE Plasma, it can rotate the lock-screen image and use a different image for the desktop.

Which sources can download images?

Its image plugins fetch from Wallhaven and DuckDuckGo Images. Wallhaven's full catalogue requires an API key.

Is Clockwork Orange free and open source?

It is free and distributed under the MIT License.

What should macOS users know about installation?

The macOS app is ad hoc signed, is not signed with an Apple Developer ID, and is not notarised. The README says users must clear its quarantine flag after moving it to Applications.

Facts from Clockwork Orange's own pages

Background operation: On Linux it can run as a systemd user service; on all supported platforms it can run in a window with a tray icon. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Blacklist: Marking an image in the window deletes the file and stores its hash so a later plugin download of that image is deleted too. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Configuration: The application uses a YAML configuration file and stores download history and blacklist data in SQLite databases. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Configuration and storage: Configuration, download history, and blacklist data are stored locally in YAML and SQLite files under the user's home directory. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Download schedule: Image plugins can run hourly, daily, or weekly, and each source can have a configured file limit. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Duplicate tracking: It records downloaded image URLs and content hashes to avoid downloading the same image again, including after its file is deleted. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
Image history: It records downloads by URL and content hash to avoid fetching the same image again, even after its file is deleted. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Image sources: Download plugins fetch images from Wallhaven and DuckDuckGo Images; Wallhaven's full catalogue requires an API key. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Installation: The README describes Arch Linux and Debian/Ubuntu packages, source installation on Linux, and downloadable zip files for Windows and macOS. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Interface: The desktop window includes plugin controls, download review, history, blacklist management, settings, and appearance options. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
License: The project is released under the MIT License, which permits use, copying, modification, and distribution without restriction, subject to its conditions. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Linux service: On Linux, it can run as a systemd user service that reloads configuration changes within about two seconds. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Lock screen: On KDE Plasma, it can rotate the lock-screen image and use a different image for the desktop. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
macOS distribution: The macOS app is ad-hoc signed and not notarised, and the README says users must clear its quarantine flag after moving it to Applications. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
macOS signing: The README says the macOS app is signed ad hoc, is not signed with an Apple Developer ID, and is not notarised. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Purpose: Clockwork Orange manages desktop wallpapers for KDE Plasma 6, Windows 10/11, and macOS 13+. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Release downloads: The releases page lists version 4.3.1 as the latest release and shows six assets for it. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Rotation: It supports timed rotation, including hourly, daily, and weekly download intervals, and can choose one image per monitor. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Supported systems: The project describes support for KDE Plasma 6, Windows 10/11, and macOS 13+. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Version 4: Version 4 is a native Go program with a command-line binary that also serves as the daemon and a desktop window built with Fyne. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Wallhaven limit: A Wallhaven API key is needed to access its full catalogue. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Wallpaper rotation: It selects random wallpapers from local directories, choosing sources fairly, and can assign one image per monitor. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
Wallpaper sources: It selects images from local folders and downloads them through Wallhaven and DuckDuckGo Images plugins. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026

Where Clockwork Orange stands on Freedom251

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