Rare/intermittent grey horizontal bar graphical glitch
Author: kmandarin-orangeCreated Nov 6, 2025Updated Sep 15, 2026
Labelsquestionarea:visuals
This is currently a low-value bug report since I haven't been able to capture any videos of the visual glitch or find any plausibly-related log entries that line up with the times I've seen it yet, but I'll describe it to see if this lines up with others' experience:
Occasionally, seemingly unrelated to the number of connected displays or graphics-intensive work being done (sometimes happens when sitting doing nothing on a web browser and terminal window), a horizontal dark grey bar will appear for about a 1-2 frames before disappearing. Typically it's pretty thin, I'd estimate somewhere between 5px - 40px.
I haven't seen it coincide with visual lag or dropped frames, but around half the time I see it there isn't even any moving content on the screen or any mouse input happening.
The bar might be the same grey color as the default overview/wallpaper background, but I can't be sure. In any case, I've got desktop and overview backgrounds set via swww, so I don't think it's an issue of layers momentarily peeking through. It tends to appear in the lower half of the screen from what I've seen.
Here's a mockup of what I see on my screen (NOT an actual screen capture), one with a lighter background and one with a darker background, in case that helps anyone understand better:
Normally I'd write this off as a graphics glitch due to bad drivers, but typically I've had a good time with integrated AMD graphics, so I'm not sure what else to look into. Has anyone else seen similar visual glitches?
Niri config, window rules removed
// This config is in the KDL format: https://kdl.dev
// "/-" comments out the following node.
// Check the wiki for a full description of the configuration:
// https://github.com/YaLTeR/niri/wiki/Configuration:-Overview
// _______ __ __
// | |.--.--.| |_.-----.--.--.| |_.-----.
// | - || | || _| _ | | || _|__ --|
// |_______||_____||____| __|_____||____|_____|
// |__|
//
// Find more information on the wiki:
// https://github.com/YaLTeR/niri/wiki/Configuration:-Outputs
output "eDP-1" {
// Resolution and, optionally, refresh rate of the output.
// The format is "<width>x<height>" or "<width>x<height>@<refresh rate>".
// If the refresh rate is omitted, niri will pick the highest refresh rate
// for the resolution.
// If the mode is omitted altogether or is invalid, niri will pick one automatically.
mode "[email protected]"
scale 1.25
// Transform allows to rotate the output counter-clockwise, valid values are:
// normal, 90, 180, 270, flipped, flipped-90, flipped-180 and flipped-270.
transform "normal"
// Position of the output in the global coordinate space.
// This affects directional monitor actions like "focus-monitor-left", and cursor movement.
// The cursor can only move between directly adjacent outputs.
// Output scale and rotation has to be taken into account for positioning:
// outputs are sized in logical, or scaled, pixels.
// If the position is unset or results in an overlap, the output is instead placed
// automatically.
position x=0 y=0
focus-at-startup
}
output "Microstep MSI MAG401QR EA5H015302877" {
// Change layout for when using both screens
position x=-818 y=-1440
scale 1
}
output "Dell Inc. DELL P2721Q 3FDLXC3" {
// Change layout for when using both screens
position x=-378 y=-1440
}
output "ASUSTek COMPUTER INC ASUS VP28U 0x00006DCB" {
// Change layout for when using both screens
position x=-756 y=-1440
}
output "Samsung Electric Company S24D390 0x30323258" {
// Change layout for when using both screens
position x=-116 y=-1080
}
// switch-events {
// lid-close { spawn "loginctl" "lock-session"; }
// }
// _____ __ __
// | |_.---.-.--.--.-----.--.--.| |_ _| |_
// | | _ | | | _ | | || _| |_ _|
// |_______|___._|___ |_____|_____||____| |__|
// |_____|
// _______ __ __
// | __| |_.--.--.| |.-----.
// |__ | _| | || || -__|
// |_______|____|___ ||__||_____|
// |_____|
//
// Find more information on the wiki:
// https://github.com/YaLTeR/niri/wiki/Configuration:-Layout
layout {
// Set gaps around windows in logical pixels.
gaps 2
center-focused-column "never"
always-center-single-column
// You can customize the widths that "switch-preset-column-width" (Mod+R) toggles between.
preset-column-widths {
// Proportion sets the width as a fraction of the output width, taking gaps into account.
// For example, you can perfectly fit four windows sized "proportion 0.25" on an output.
// The default preset widths are 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3 of the output.
proportion 0.33333
proportion 0.5
proportion 0.66667
}
// You can also customize the heights that "switch-preset-window-height" (Mod+Shift+R) toggles between.
// preset-window-heights { }
default-column-width { proportion 0.5; }
// If you leave the brackets empty, the windows themselves will decide their initial width.
// default-column-width {}
insert-hint {
gradient from="#6FBBE7CC" to="#526C7ECC" angle=135 relative-to="workspace-view"
}
// You can change how the focus ring looks.
focus-ring {
// How many logical pixels the ring extends out from the windows.
width 2
// Colors can be set in a variety of ways:
// - CSS named colors: "red"
// - RGB hex: "#rgb", "#rgba", "#rrggbb", "#rrggbbaa"
// - CSS-like notation: "rgb(255, 127, 0)", rgba(), hsl() and a few others.
// Gradients are rendered the same as CSS linear-gradient(angle, from, to).
// The angle is the same as in linear-gradient, and is optional,
// defaulting to 180 (top-to-bottom gradient).
active-gradient from="#6FBBE7EE" to="#526C7EEE" angle=135
// You can also color the gradient relative to the entire view
// of the workspace, rather than relative to just the window itself.
inactive-gradient from="#50505099" to="#80808099" angle=45 relative-to="workspace-view"
}
tab-indicator {
width 4
gap 4
gaps-between-tabs 2
length total-proportion=0.75
corner-radius 4
active-color "#E9C071"
inactive-color "#505050"
position "left"
place-within-column
}
shadow {
on
// draw-behind-window true
softness 25
spread 5
offset x=0 y=8
color "#1C2124"
}
// empty-workspace-above-first
}
// https://github.com/YaLTeR/niri/wiki/Configuration:-Animations
animations {
// off
slowdown 0.75
}
overview {
zoom 0.33334
workspace-shadow {
softness 150
spread 25
offset x=0 y=10
color "#1C2124"
}
}
hotkey-overlay {
skip-at-startup
}
prefer-no-csd
xwayland-satellite {
// off
}
environment {
ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM_HINT "auto"
}
// _______ __ __ __
// | __| |_.---.-.----.| |_.--.--.-----. _| |_
// |__ | _| _ | _|| _| | | _ | |_ _|
// |_______|____|___._|__| |____|_____| __| |__|
// |__|
// _______
// | _ |.-----.-----.-----.
// | || _ | _ |__ --|
// |___|___|| __| __|_____|
// |__| |__|
//
// Note that running niri as a session supports xdg-desktop-autostart,
// which may be more convenient to use.
spawn-sh-at-startup "swww-daemon & disown"
spawn-sh-at-startup "swww-daemon -n overview & disown"
spawn-at-startup "/usr/libexec/polkit-mate-authentication-agent-1"
// The path is formatted with strftime(3) to give you the screenshot date and time.
screenshot-path "~/Pictures/Screenshots/Screenshot from %Y-%m-%d %H-%M-%S.png"
// You can also set this to null to disable saving screenshots to disk.
// screenshot-path null
// ________ __ __
// | | | |__|.-----.--| |.-----.--.--.--.
// | | | | || | _ || _ | | | |
// |________|__||__|__|_____||_____|________|
// ______ __
// | __ \.--.--.| |.-----.-----.
// | <| | || || -__|__ --|
// |___|__||_____||__||_____|_____|
//
// Find more information on the wiki:
// https://github.com/YaLTeR/niri/wiki/Configuration:-Window-Rules
//
// DESKTOP-WIDE RULES -- rules for tweaking desktop appearance overall
//
// Round all window corners
window-rule {
geometry-corner-radius 16
clip-to-geometry true
}
// Set overview wallpaper
layer-rule {
match namespace="swww-daemonoverview"
place-within-backdrop true
}
window-rule {
draw-border-with-background false
}
window-rule {
match is-floating=true
default-window-height { fixed 600; }
default-column-width { fixed 500; }
}
// _______ __
// |_ _|.-----.-----.--.--.| |_.-----.
// _| |_ | | _ | | || _|__ --|
// |_______||__|__| __|_____||____|_____|
// |__|
//
// Find the full list of options on the wiki:
// https://github.com/YaLTeR/niri/wiki/Configuration:-Input
input {
keyboard {
xkb {
// You can set rules, model, layout, variant and options.
// For more information, see xkeyboard-config(7).
options "caps:escape,compose:rctrl"
}
repeat-delay 500
repeat-rate 50
}
disable-power-key-handling
// Next sections include libinput settings.
// Omitting settings disables them, or leaves them at their default values.
touchpad {
// off
tap
// dwt
// dwtp
natural-scroll
accel-speed 0.25
accel-profile "adaptive"
// disabled-on-external-mouse
}
mouse {
// off
// natural-scroll
// accel-speed 0.2
// accel-profile "flat"
// scroll-method "no-scroll"
scroll-factor 2.5
}
warp-mouse-to-focus mode="center-xy"
// Focus windows and outputs automatically when moving the mouse into them.
// Setting max-scroll-amount="0%" makes it work only on windows already fully on screen.
focus-follows-mouse max-scroll-amount="50%"
// workspace-auto-back-and-forth
}
binds {
// Keys consist of modifiers separated by + signs, followed by an XKB key name
// in the end. To find an XKB name for a particular key, you may use a program
// like wev.
//
// "Mod" is a special modifier equal to Super when running on a TTY, and to Alt
// when running as a winit window.
//
// Most actions that you can bind here can also be invoked programmatically with
// `niri msg action do-something`.
// Mod-Shift-/, which is usually the same as Mod-?,
// shows a list of important hotkeys.
Mod+Shift+Slash { show-hotkey-overlay; }
// Suggested binds for running programs: terminal, app launcher, screen locker.
Mod+Ctrl+Q hotkey-overlay-title="Lock Screen" { spawn "hyprlock"; }
Mod+Space hotkey-overlay-title="Open App Launcher" { spawn "fuzzel"; }
Mod+T hotkey-overlay-title="Open Terminal" { spawn "kitty"; }
Mod+E hotkey-overlay-title="Open File Manager" { spawn "nautilus"; }
Ctrl+Shift+Escape hotkey-overlay-title="Open Task Manager" { spawn "flatpak" "run" "net.nokyan.Resources"; }
Mod+Ctrl+C hotkey-overlay-title="Open Collector" { spawn "flatpak" "run" "it.mijorus.collector"; }
Mod+N { spawn "swaync-client" "-t" "-sw"; }
Mod+Shift+N { spawn "swaync-client" "-d" "-sw"; }
// You can also use a shell. Do this if you need pipes, multiple commands, etc.
// Note: the entire command goes as a single argument in the end.
// Mod+T { spawn "bash" "-c" "notify-send hello && exec alacritty"; }
// Example volume keys mappings for PipeWire & WirePlumber.
// The allow-when-locked=true property makes them work even when the session is locked.
// TODO: Add notifications for changing values, use mako?
XF86AudioNext { spawn "playerctl" "next"; }
XF86AudioPrev { spawn "playerctl" "previous"; }
XF86AudioPlay { spawn "playerctl" "play-pause"; }
XF86AudioStop { spawn "playerctl" "stop"; }
XF86MonBrightnessUp allow-when-locked=true { spawn-sh "brightnessctl set +2% --min-value=6954"; }
XF86MonBrightnessDown allow-when-locked=true { spawn-sh "brightnessctl set 2%- --min-value=6954"; }
XF86AudioRaiseVolume allow-when-locked=true { spawn-sh "wpctl set-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ 0.02+ --limit 1 && paplay /usr/share/sounds/freedesktop/stereo/audio-volume-change.oga"; }
XF86AudioLowerVolume allow-when-locked=true { spawn-sh "wpctl set-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ 0.02- --limit 1 && paplay /usr/share/sounds/freedesktop/stereo/audio-volume-change.oga"; }
XF86AudioMute allow-when-locked=true { spawn-sh "wpctl set-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ toggle"; }
XF86AudioMicMute allow-when-locked=true { spawn-sh "wpctl set-mute @DEFAULT_SOURCE@ toggle"; }
Mod+Q { close-window; }
Mod+F { switch-focus-between-floating-and-tiling; }
Mod+Ctrl+F { toggle-window-floating; }
Mod+Left { focus-column-left; }
Mod+Down { focus-window-down; }
Mod+Up { focus-window-up; }
Mod+Right { focus-column-right; }
Mod+H { focus-column-left; }
Mod+J { focus-window-down; }
Mod+K { focus-window-up; }
Mod+L { focus-column-right; }
Mod+Shift+Left { move-column-left; }
Mod+Shift+Down { move-window-down; }
Mod+Shift+Up { move-window-up; }
Mod+Shift+Right { move-column-right; }
Mod+Shift+H { move-column-left; }
Mod+Shift+J { move-window-down; }
Mod+Shift+K { move-window-up; }
Mod+Shift+L { move-column-right; }
Mod+Shift+T { toggle-column-tabbed-display; }
// Alternative commands that move across workspaces when reaching
// the first or last window in a column.
// Mod+J { focus-window-or-workspace-down; }
// Mod+K { focus-window-or-workspace-up; }
// Mod+Ctrl+J { move-window-down-or-to-workspace-down; }
// Mod+Ctrl+K { move-window-up-or-to-workspace-up; }
Mod+Ctrl+Left { focus-column-first; }
Mod+Ctrl+Right { focus-column-last; }
Mod+Ctrl+H { focus-column-first; }
Mod+Ctrl+L { focus-column-last; }
Mod+Ctrl+Home { move-column-to-first; }
Mod+Ctrl+End { move-column-to-last; }
Mod+Shift+Ctrl+H { move-column-to-first; }
Mod+Shift+Ctrl+L { move-column-to-last; }
Mod+Shift+Ctrl+Left { move-column-to-first; }
Mod+Shift+Ctrl+Right { move-column-to-last; }
Super+Alt+Left { focus-monitor-left; }
Super+Alt+Down { focus-monitor-down; }
Super+Alt+Up { focus-monitor-up; }
Super+Alt+Right { focus-monitor-right; }
Super+Alt+H { focus-monitor-left; }
Super+Alt+J { focus-monitor-down; }
Super+Alt+K { focus-monitor-up; }
Super+Alt+L { focus-monitor-right; }
Mod+Ctrl+Down { focus-workspace-down; }
Mod+Ctrl+Up { focus-workspace-up; }
Mod+Ctrl+J { focus-workspace-down; }
Mod+Ctrl+K { focus-workspace-up; }
Mod+Shift+Ctrl+Down { move-column-to-workspace-down; }
Mod+Shift+Ctrl+Up { move-column-to-workspace-up; }
Mod+Shift+Ctrl+J { move-column-to-workspace-down; }
Mod+Shift+Ctrl+K { move-column-to-workspace-up; }
Super+Ctrl+Alt+Down { move-workspace-down; }
Super+Ctrl+Alt+Up { move-workspace-up; }
Super+Ctrl+Alt+J { move-workspace-down; }
Super+Ctrl+Alt+K { move-workspace-up; }
// Super+Ctrl+Alt+1 { move-workspace 1}
// Alternatively, there are commands to move just a single window:
// Mod+Shift+Ctrl+Left { move-window-to-monitor-left; }
// ...
// And you can also move a whole workspace to another monitor:
// Mod+Shift+Ctrl+Left { move-workspace-to-monitor-left; }
// ...
Super+Shift+Alt+Left { move-column-to-monitor-left; }
Super+Shift+Alt+Down { move-column-to-monitor-down; }
Super+Shift+Alt+Up { move-column-to-monitor-up; }
Super+Shift+Alt+Right { move-column-to-monitor-right; }
Super+Shift+Alt+H { move-column-to-monitor-left; }
Super+Shift+Alt+J { move-column-to-monitor-down; }
Super+Shift+Alt+K { move-column-to-monitor-up; }
Super+Shift+Alt+L { move-column-to-monitor-right; }
// Alternatively, there are commands to move just a single window:
// Mod+Ctrl+Page_Down { move-window-to-workspace-down; }
// ...
// You can bind mouse wheel scroll ticks using the following syntax.
// These binds will change direction based on the natural-scroll setting.
//
// To avoid scrolling through workspaces really fast, you can use
// the cooldown-ms property. The bind will be rate-limited to this value.
// You can set a cooldown on any bind, but it's most useful for the wheel.
Mod+WheelScrollDown cooldown-ms=150 { focus-workspace-down; }
Mod+WheelScrollUp cooldown-ms=150 { focus-workspace-up; }
Mod+Ctrl+WheelScrollDown cooldown-ms=150 { move-column-to-workspace-down; }
Mod+Ctrl+WheelScrollUp cooldown-ms=150 { move-column-to-workspace-up; }
Mod+WheelScrollRight { focus-column-right; }
Mod+WheelScrollLeft { focus-column-left; }
Mod+Ctrl+WheelScrollRight { move-column-right; }
Mod+Ctrl+WheelScrollLeft { move-column-left; }
// Usually scrolling up and down with Shift in applications results in
// horizontal scrolling; these binds replicate that.
Mod+Shift+WheelScrollDown { focus-column-right; }
Mod+Shift+WheelScrollUp { focus-column-left; }
Mod+Ctrl+Shift+WheelScrollDown { move-column-right; }
Mod+Ctrl+Shift+WheelScrollUp { move-column-left; }
// Similarly, you can bind touchpad scroll "ticks".
// Touchpad scrolling is continuous, so for these binds it is split into
// discrete intervals.
// These binds are also affected by touchpad's natural-scroll, so these
// example binds are "inverted", since we have natural-scroll enabled for
// touchpads by default.
// Mod+TouchpadScrollDown { spawn "wpctl" "set-volume" "@DEFAULT_AUDIO_SINK@" "0.02+"; }
// Mod+TouchpadScrollUp { spawn "wpctl" "set-volume" "@DEFAULT_AUDIO_SINK@" "0.02-"; }
// You can refer to workspaces by index. However, keep in mind that
// niri is a dynamic workspace system, so these commands are kind of
// "best effort". Trying to refer to a workspace index bigger than
// the current workspace count will instead refer to the bottommost
// (empty) workspace.
//
// For example, with 2 workspaces + 1 empty, indices 3, 4, 5 and so on
// will all refer to the 3rd workspace.
Mod+1 { focus-workspace 1; }
Mod+2 { focus-workspace 2; }
Mod+3 { focus-workspace 3; }
Mod+4 { focus-workspace 4; }
Mod+5 { focus-workspace 5; }
Mod+6 { focus-workspace 6; }
Mod+7 { focus-workspace 7; }
Mod+8 { focus-workspace 8; }
Mod+9 { focus-workspace 9; }
Mod+0 { focus-workspace 10; }
Mod+Shift+1 { move-column-to-workspace 1; }
Mod+Shift+2 { move-column-to-workspace 2; }
Mod+Shift+3 { move-column-to-workspace 3; }
Mod+Shift+4 { move-column-to-workspace 4; }
Mod+Shift+5 { move-column-to-workspace 5; }
Mod+Shift+6 { move-column-to-workspace 6; }
Mod+Shift+7 { move-column-to-workspace 7; }
Mod+Shift+8 { move-column-to-workspace 8; }
Mod+Shift+9 { move-column-toSource: niri-wm/niri