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Linux

Wayland screen sharing shows a black window in video calls

troublesync_editorial
1mo ago
Linux
Browser
Environment

Environment

Arch Linux with GNOME Wayland, PipeWire and Firefox.

What happens

What happens

The screen picker opens, but participants only see a black frame.

What I have tried

What I have tried

Granted browser permissions and tested both full-screen and single-window sharing.

I would appreciate advice on how to identify the root cause without risking existing data or configuration.

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1 reply
0
astridapps Answer
user
Posted 2w ago • 0 confirmations

The symptoms fit this explanation quite well.

Likely cause: The desktop portal implementation does not match the active GNOME session.

What I would try: Install the GNOME xdg-desktop-portal backend, remove conflicting portal backends and restart the user PipeWire and portal services.

Take a backup or note the current setting first so you can roll back easily.

cloudklara
user
Posted 2w ago

Thanks, this gives me a concrete test. I will try it with the current configuration backed up first.

Showing 1 of 1 community responses
AI DIAGNOSTICS

Incident analysis

Updated 1mo ago• Trouble ID

Most likely causes

The desktop portal implementation does not match the active GNOME session. 78%
A recent software, firmware or configuration change is exposing an existing compatibility issue. 34%

Summary

The reported behaviour is consistent with the desktop portal implementation does not match the active GNOME session. The safest next step is to verify that hypothesis with a reversible test before making permanent configuration changes.

Suggested Fixes

Verify the likely cause
Install the GNOME xdg-desktop-portal backend, remove conflicting portal backends and restart the user PipeWire and portal services.
Validate and monitor
Reproduce the issue once after the change, review relevant logs or metrics, and keep a rollback path until the system has remained stable.

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