Latest Omarchy Tips: v4.0.4 Kernel, AI Agents and 12 Practical Workflows

The latest stable Omarchy release is v4.0.4, published on 2026-09-15. This page checked tagged GitHub Releases, the current official manual, and public search results on 2026-10-02. Useful changes include the default linux-omarchy kernel, Hermes/OpenClaw integration, Tailscale file transfers, a scriptable bar, and plugin maintenance. These 12 workflows include steps and observable checks.

1. Check the running kernel after updating

Version 4.0.4 makes linux-omarchy the default boot kernel; installation and execution are separate checks. The release notes state:

“Install our bespoke kernel and set linux-omarchy as the default boot option” — Omarchy v4.0.4 release

Save work, verify a backup, finish Update → Omarchy, and reboot during a recovery window. Then inspect:

uname -r
pacman -Q linux-omarchy

The first reports the running kernel, the second the installed package. Do not equate any numeric output with a match. Record before/after values and test webcam, sound, Wi-Fi, suspend, and external displays. Responsiveness, Btrfs, and compatibility improvements are official release claims without a common independently reproduced benchmark here; they do not guarantee faster performance on every machine.

2. Choose Hermes or OpenClaw

Install → AI gained Hermes and OpenClaw integration in v4.0.3. Hermes shares an installation across desktop, terminal, and default-agent entry points. OpenClaw includes a Control UI, terminal entry, and local user gateway management. Source: v4.0.3 release.

1. Select the tool under Install → AI and complete its onboarding.
2. Choose it under Setup → Defaults → Agent.
3. Request a read-only inspection in a test project and check directory, model, and permissions.
4. If you later authorize edits, inspect git diff and run the project's own verification.
5. Read the data-deletion prompt when removing OpenClaw and preserve wanted sessions and settings.

Auto-approval depends on the selected agent and installed wrapper. A default-agent launcher is not necessarily plan mode. Opening its UI does not prove supplier authentication or gateway health.

3. Transfer files with Taildrop

The Tailscale bar panel can select a device and send files directly. Install it through Install → Service, authenticate, and confirm that both devices share a tailnet and satisfy Tailscale/Taildrop receiving requirements. Select the destination and press s to send; c copies its IP, n its name, and d its full DNS name.

The CLI format is omarchy tailscale send <machine> [file...]. Replace placeholders with an actual panel-listed machine and file paths after checking local help. Verify the received name, size, and ability to open the file. Review recipient and contents before sending secrets or private logs.

4. Express bar layout through CLI commands

Bar position, widget order, and clock formatting are scriptable. Back up ~/.config/omarchy/shell.json before changing it; do not overwrite the whole directory.

omarchy plugin list
omarchy bar position bottom
omarchy bar set omarchy.clock format "HH:mm"

Change one setting at a time and check display and hotkeys. omarchy bar defaults restores the shipped layout and can discard your choices. Restore your own backup when you need a precise undo rather than a complete layout reset.

5. Add media and microphone controls

Media and microphone widgets are built in but may not be visible by default. Find actual IDs with omarchy plugin list. The official media example is:

omarchy plugin enable omarchy.media --section center

Click media to play/pause, middle-click for the next track, and scroll to change tracks. Control depends on the application's MPRIS support. The microphone widget mutes on click and adjusts input volume on scroll. Speak and inspect the input meter before a meeting; an icon color does not prove a participant can hear you.

6. Turn down one noisy application

The Audio panel provides a per-app mixer instead of only global volume. Open it with Super + Ctrl + A, choose the correct output device, and adjust the active application stream. Whether browser tabs appear separately depends on their audio streams. Play the target content first, identify it in the panel, and verify that meeting audio and other applications still work.

7. Update plugins while preserving local edits

Use the official plugin updater and review its diff.

omarchy plugin list
omarchy plugin update

Without an ID it updates every Git-managed plugin; add an actual ID to target one. The updater requires fast-forward changes and refuses incompatible local edits. Save those edits and understand upstream changes before deciding how to proceed; do not replace review with a forced reset. Plugins execute as unsandboxed code inside the user's shell, so updates deserve the same source review as installation.

8. Clone built-in plugins before customizing

Package-owned plugins and user copies have different maintenance boundaries. The official example is:

omarchy plugin clone omarchy.clock

The command creates a namespace using your username and keeps the widget's position/settings. Do not copy the manual's dhh.clock as your own ID. Record the output and plugin list before editing the new copy. Removing the clone can restore the built-in, but first back up your work. User-plugin saves automatically reload code, so watch logs and UI while changing it.

9. Read Agents Panel usage as estimates

The current manual lists Claude Code, Codex, and Fireworks coverage in Agents Panel. Its icon appears once coding usage is detected. Left-click opens the panel and right-click launches your default agent. The manual says records refresh every 15 minutes through omarchy agent usage-update; request a refresh when needed.

Quota percentage, prepaid balance, and token totals measure different things. Local summaries are not final supplier invoices. Inspect a sync folder for session paths or private details before merging usage across devices.

10. Keep crash evidence before muting one program

Muting one known program preserves notifications for other crashes. The current manual provides omarchy crash mute <program> and adds off to restore notifications. Use the actual process name. Muting does not fix the crash or replace core-dump diagnosis.

Record time, versions, reproduction steps, and the relevant coredumpctl list entry. Before handing a core to a remote agent, check whether memory, paths, and command arguments leave the machine. Do not publish raw dumps. See the AI agent guide.

11. Keep stable and schedule firmware separately

Stable is the everyday channel; edge, RC, and dev serve different testing and development purposes. The current manual describes roughly a one-month validation delay for the stable Arch mirror. Being behind Arch's newest package version does not automatically indicate update failure.

Use Update → Omarchy instead of direct system upgrades through pacman -Syu or yay -Syu, which miss coordinated snapshots, migrations, and configuration updates. Update → Firmware uses fwupd/LVFS and may write firmware during reboot. Confirm power and supported hardware before scheduling it. See the update guide.

12. Rehearse Direct Boot and snapshot access separately

Limine snapshots restore root, not /home or ~/.config. With Direct Boot enabled, accessing snapshots usually requires selecting Limine in the firmware menu. GRUB and systemd-boot do not provide this same recovery feature.

First verify a readable backup, firmware-menu access, and the snapshot's date/version. Do not restore just to experiment. During an actual failure, boot the chosen snapshot and verify it before committing to restoration. User configuration may retain newer formats after a root rollback, so check application compatibility separately. See snapshots and recovery.

Continue learning and check sources

For the complete workflow, see power-user tips, hotkeys, and plugins. Community results may describe the older Walker/Waybar stack; check their version first.

• Omarchy v4.0.4 release
• Omarchy v4.0.3 release
• Official Top Bar manual
• Official Shell Plugins manual
• Official AI manual
• Official Updates manual
• Official System Snapshots manual