Arch Linux

AddouDevoo

Member

From: Kolea

Registered: 2025-09-15

Posts: 2

XFCE Wayland show a black screen when logged in.

Hi,

I just finished reinstalling Arch, and I installed XFCE4 along with it. When I downloaded some apps, most of them required Wayland, so I did switch to a Wayland session, but it showed a black screen, no cursor in both of my displays, nothing, even after disabling compositor.

I'd really appreciate it if someone can help me.

---

Devo

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,169

Re: XFCE Wayland show a black screen when logged in.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xfce#U … nd_support

When I downloaded some apps, most of them required Wayland

I beg your pardon?

even after disabling compositor

You cannot disable the compositor in a wayland session, the compositor is the display server.

---

How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

AddouDevoo

Member

From: Kolea

Registered: 2025-09-15

Posts: 2

Re: XFCE Wayland show a black screen when logged in.

Yeah, sorry for the inconvenience. I was reading some forum posts and most of them said to "disable the compositor" I don't really know much about that.

---

Devo

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,169

Re: XFCE Wayland show a black screen when logged in.

You probably followed some advice for xfwm4, but xfce4/wayland would only work (iff at all, see the wiki link) w/ labwc - since this is all rather experimental:
what exactly then are

some apps, most of them required Wayland

'cause that's actually not very likely.

---

How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

nichts

Member

Registered: 2020-11-14

Posts: 35

Re: XFCE Wayland show a black screen when logged in.

I was reading some forum posts and most of them said to "disable the compositor" I don't really know much about that.

That’s with Xfce4 and X11 – here the compositor is the part responsible for transparency effects and shadows and such things. Also Xfce4 with wayland is experimental, as seth stated, and you should just install Xorg-Server instead. The only software I know about that demands on Wayland are the Wayland compositors (somewhat comparable with Xorgs window managers) themself.

Last edited by nichts (2025-09-16 09:28:18)

---

english is not my first language. If you find a mistake in this post, please mention it in your reply – this way I can learn.  TIA