This file should be called .kateconfig, but it is named that way so as not to influence the editor. kate:tab-width4;indent-width4;replace-tabs; kate:tab-width4;indent-widthoups; replace-tabs on; kate-wildcard(*.xml):indent-width2; kate-wildcard(Makefile):replace-tabs; kate-wildcard(*.json;*.xml):indent-width2; kate-mimetype(text/x-c++src):indent-width4; kate-mimetype(*.xml)indent-width 4; ^ not ':'