Arch Linux

date -u +%V$(unathe-isaac

Member

Registered: 2026-01-02

Posts: 2

[SOLVED] Trouble with SDDM logging me out automatically

tldr:
-----------
When running hyprland set

DisplayServer=x11

  in the config file:/etc/sddm.conf
not

DisplayServer=wayland

-----------

Hi,
I have run into some trouble with SDDM that I can't figure out.

Long story short, I started out with SDDM, when I installed arch, worked like a charm, but the default login page was kind of jarring,
so I decided to change to Ly as a display manager, because I thought it looked cooler.
Ly had some annoying visual glitches and after a bit I decided to reinstall SDDM.

Now I am getting some weird behaviour with SDDM that I haven't seen others post about.

The problem:
I enable SDDM with:

systemctl enable sddm.service

A startup or reboot gives me the login screen as expected, I can login, but it hangs on a black screen for a while before finally launching hyprland.
It hangs for 30 seconds pretty much on the dot (I timed it twice).

When hyprland is up I can proceed to use the computer normally for about a minute before it suddenly drops me back into the SDDM login screen.
Logging in again takes me through the black screen again, and when hyprland launches it does not remember any windows I had open when hyprland starts.
After a minute I get logged out again, cycle repeats.

Here is what I have done:
I tried to see if anyone else had the same problem, but I haven't found any posts or websites addressing the issue. Hence my posting here.

I have tried to look into the config files for SDDM, but the only thing I have changed there is
the one in /etc/sddm.conf where I set the following:

DisplayServer=wayland

The file in /usr/lib/sddm.conf.d/default.conf has the following:

DisplayServer=x11

I tried looking at the log file for the boot, with

journalctl -b

But nothing there of interest..

I have tried removing the SDDM package and reinstalling it, again to no avail. I tried installing a theme, it worked, but same behaviour with black screen and getting logged out.

Any ideas what I could take a look at?

Last edited by date -u +%V$(unathe-isaac (2026-01-02 19:42:52)

5hridhyan

Member

From: Asia

Registered: 2025-12-25

Posts: 652

Re: [SOLVED] Trouble with SDDM logging me out automatically

You are forcing SDDM to run on Wayland while the packaged default is X11, Hyprland does not require SDDM to run on Wayland, and forcing it can cause unstable behaviour. try setting back to  "DisplayServer=x11" . Also make sure Ly is fully removed (service disabled and no leftover config/PAM files).
can you share the output of

 journalctl -u sddm -b --no-pager | tail -50
journalctl -b -g "session" --no-pager | tail -30
journalctl -b -g "hyprland\|HYPR" --no-pager
ls -la /usr/share/wayland-sessions/
journalctl -b | grep -i "timeout\|30s\|30 seconds"
systemctl list-dependencies sddm.service

Last edited by 5hridhyan (2026-01-02 19:43:39)

---

"Nothing matters" -a Nihilist
"Why bother thinking what matters?" -me

date -u +%V$(unathe-isaac

Member

Registered: 2026-01-02

Posts: 2

Re: [SOLVED] Trouble with SDDM logging me out automatically

You are forcing SDDM to run on Wayland while the packaged default is X11, Hyprland does not require SDDM to run on Wayland, and forcing it can cause unstable behaviour. try setting "DisplayServer=x11". Also make sure Ly is fully removed (service disabled and no leftover config/PAM files).
can you share the output of

 journalctl -u sddm -b --no-pager | tail -50
journalctl -b -g "session" --no-pager | tail -30
journalctl -b -g "hyprland\|HYPR" --no-pager
ls -la /usr/share/wayland-sessions/
journalctl -b | grep -i "timeout\|30s\|30 seconds"
systemctl list-dependencies sddm.service

I set the configuration file /etc/sddm.conf back to:

DisplayServer=x11

I tested it with both a reboot and a shutdown.
And now it works again! Hooray!

Now I'll be off to screw up something else up royally! Thanks a bunch!

5hridhyan

Member

From: Asia

Registered: 2025-12-25

Posts: 652

Re: [SOLVED] Trouble with SDDM logging me out automatically

Please edit the thread title to [solved].
Happy fixing!

---

"Nothing matters" -a Nihilist
"Why bother thinking what matters?" -me