Arch Linux

plrigaux

Member

Registered: 2025-03-25

Posts: 8

Gnome desktop application freezes on x11 settings and dual monitors

Hello,

I want to share my share my experience about some application freezes when I was compiling and running my opensource application SysD Manager (AUR).

I opened an issue at GTK and found out that freeze happened when I use 2 monitors and the display backend was set to x11 by default.

To solve my issue I can either shut down one of my monitor (which make me sad) or force the display backend to Wayland by setting the environmental variable to GDK_BACKEND=wayland.

My question: To force Wayland throughout out my Desktop (Gnome), where on Arch/Linux the GDK_BACKEND  environmental variable is set?

Are there best practices regarding the GDK_BACKEND settings (or things to be careful about)?

Thank you

Last edited by plrigaux (Yesterday 13:30:16)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 24,802

Re: Gnome desktop application freezes on x11 settings and dual monitors

Archlinux does not set that variable by default and it generally should not be set globally by default but only in cases where the autodetection does something incorrect, or you know a certain application to behave better with it set.

Since this will be something you've set globally somewhere, peruse the potential locations: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Enviro … _variables