Fixing Pixelated Spotify On Caelestia With HiDPI Scaling A Comprehensive Guide

by Sharif Sakr 79 views

Hey guys! Experiencing pixelated apps on your Caelestia setup after adjusting the scaling for your HiDPI display? It's a common issue, especially with Xwayland applications like Spotify. Let's dive into how we can tackle this problem and get your Spotify looking crisp and clear on Caelestia.

Understanding the Issue

When you're rocking a high-resolution display, like a 2.8K screen, setting the scaling to something like 1.5 often feels just right. However, this can lead to pixelation in applications that rely on Xwayland. This happens because Xwayland apps aren't natively designed to handle fractional scaling. They get rendered at a lower resolution and then scaled up, resulting in that dreaded pixelated look.

Many users, like the one who reported this issue, have tried the common fix of using xwayland { force_zero_scaling = true use_nearest_neighbor = true } in their Hyprland configuration. This often works wonders for apps like Discord, but unfortunately, Spotify seems to be a tougher nut to crack.

Diving Deep into the Solution

So, how do we fix this pixelated Spotify issue on Caelestia with HiDPI scaling? Let's explore some potential solutions, breaking them down step-by-step to ensure clarity and ease of implementation.

1. Verifying Your Setup

First things first, let's ensure your system is up-to-date. This means having the latest versions of Caelestia, your system packages, and any relevant dependencies. Outdated software can often be the culprit behind unexpected issues.

  • Update Caelestia: Follow the official updating guide to ensure you're on the latest version.
  • Update System Packages: Use your system's package manager (e.g., pacman -Syu for Arch-based systems) to update all packages to their newest versions.

This ensures that any recent bug fixes or improvements related to HiDPI scaling are applied to your system. If you skip this step, you might be trying to fix a problem that has already been addressed.

2. Tweaking Environment Variables

One of the most effective ways to combat pixelation in Xwayland applications is by adjusting environment variables. These variables can influence how applications are rendered and scaled.

  • GDK_SCALE and GDK_DPI_SCALE: These variables are crucial for GTK-based applications (and Spotify happens to be one of them). They tell the application how to scale its interface properly.
  • QT_SCALE_FACTOR: If Spotify uses any Qt components, this variable can help in scaling those elements correctly.

To set these variables, you can add them to your shell configuration file (e.g., .bashrc, .zshrc) or, even better, set them system-wide. Here's how you can do it system-wide:

  1. Create a new file in /etc/environment (you'll need sudo privileges):

    sudo nano /etc/environment

  2. Add the following lines, adjusting the values as needed (try starting with your scaling factor):

    GDK_SCALE=1
GDK_DPI_SCALE=1
QT_SCALE_FACTOR=1.5

    Note: The GDK_SCALE and GDK_DPI_SCALE variables control the scaling factor for GTK applications. Setting them to 1 and relying on QT_SCALE_FACTOR might yield better results for Spotify, but experimentation is key. You can adjust these values to match your display scaling (e.g., 1.5) or try different combinations to see what works best.

  3. Save the file and reboot your system or log out and log back in for the changes to take effect. This ensures that the environment variables are properly loaded.

After applying these environment variables, relaunch Spotify and check if the pixelation issue has been resolved. If not, let's move on to the next potential solution.

3. Force DPI Awareness

Another approach to tackle the pixelation problem is to force DPI awareness for Spotify. This essentially tells the application to be aware of the display's DPI (dots per inch) and scale its interface accordingly.

This can be achieved using the xprop command and modifying the application's properties. However, a more reliable method involves using a tool like xsettingsd.

  • Using xsettingsd: This is a lightweight daemon that allows you to configure X settings, including DPI awareness. It's a more robust solution compared to manually setting properties.

    1. Install xsettingsd if it's not already installed. On Arch-based systems, you can use:

      sudo pacman -S xsettingsd

    2. Create a configuration file for xsettingsd in ~/.config/xsettingsd/xsettingsd.conf:

      mkdir -p ~/.config/xsettingsd
nano ~/.config/xsettingsd/xsettingsd.conf

    3. Add the following content to the configuration file:

      Net/Dpi                   144 # Replace with your actual DPI
Net/GlobalScaleFactor     1.5

Gdk/WindowScalingFactor   1.5

Xft/DPI                   144 # Replace with your actual DPI

      Note: Replace 144 with your actual DPI. You can find your DPI using the command xdpyinfo | grep resolution. Also, adjust Net/GlobalScaleFactor and Gdk/WindowScalingFactor to match your desired scaling (e.g., 1.5). These settings instruct X11 applications to scale their interfaces appropriately.

    4. Start xsettingsd when your session starts. You can add it to your Hyprland configuration file (e.g., ~/.config/hypr/hyprland.conf):

      exec-once xsettingsd

    5. Reboot your system or log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.

With xsettingsd configured, Spotify should be forced to be DPI-aware, potentially resolving the pixelation issue. If this doesn't completely fix the problem, let's explore further options.

4. Launch Options for Spotify

Sometimes, you can directly influence how an application is rendered by using specific launch options. These options are passed to the application when it's launched and can override default settings.

  • --force-device-scale-factor: This Chromium flag can be used to force a specific scale factor for the application. Since Spotify is built on Chromium, this option might be effective.
  • --high-dpi-support and --enable-remote-debugging: These are other Chromium flags that can help with HiDPI support.

To use these launch options, you can modify the Spotify desktop entry file or create a custom launcher script.

  1. Modify the Desktop Entry:

    • Locate the Spotify desktop entry file. It's usually in /usr/share/applications/spotify.desktop or ~/.local/share/applications/spotify.desktop.

    • Open the file with a text editor (you'll need sudo privileges if it's in /usr/share/applications).

    • Find the Exec line, which specifies the command to launch Spotify. Modify it to include the launch options. For example:

      Exec=/usr/bin/spotify --force-device-scale-factor=1.5

      Note: Adjust the scale factor (e.g., 1.5) to match your desired scaling. You can also try combining multiple options:

      Exec=/usr/bin/spotify --force-device-scale-factor=1.5 --high-dpi-support=1 --enable-remote-debugging

    • Save the file.

  2. Create a Custom Launcher Script:

    • Create a new script file (e.g., ~/bin/spotify-launcher.sh):

      mkdir -p ~/bin
nano ~/bin/spotify-launcher.sh

    • Add the following content to the script:

      #!/bin/bash
/usr/bin/spotify --force-device-scale-factor=1.5

      Note: Adjust the scale factor as needed. Make the script executable:

      chmod +x ~/bin/spotify-launcher.sh

    • Modify the Spotify desktop entry file to use this script:

      Exec=/home/yourusername/bin/spotify-launcher.sh

After applying these launch options, restart Spotify and see if the pixelation issue is resolved. Experiment with different options to find the optimal configuration for your setup.

5. Exploring Alternative Spotify Clients

If none of the above solutions completely eliminate the pixelation, it might be worth considering alternative Spotify clients. There are several community-built clients that might handle HiDPI scaling more effectively.

  • ncspot: A terminal-based Spotify client that's lightweight and efficient.
  • psst: Another terminal-based client with a focus on performance and features.
  • Spicetify: A command-line tool to customize the official Spotify client, including themes and extensions. While not a client itself, it can potentially help improve the visual experience.

While these clients might not offer the exact same user experience as the official Spotify client, they can be viable alternatives if HiDPI scaling is a persistent issue.

6. Reporting the Issue and Seeking Community Help

If you've tried all the above steps and are still facing pixelation with Spotify on Caelestia, it's time to seek help from the community and report the issue.

  • Caelestia Forums/Discussions: Post a detailed description of your issue, including the steps you've taken, your system information, and any relevant logs. This can help others understand the problem and offer potential solutions.
  • Spotify Forums: Check if other users have reported similar issues and if there are any official recommendations from Spotify.
  • Hyprland Community: Since Caelestia uses Hyprland, the Hyprland community might have specific insights into HiDPI scaling issues with Xwayland applications.

Reporting the issue can also help developers identify and address the problem in future updates.

Final Thoughts

Fixing pixelated Spotify on Caelestia with HiDPI scaling can be a bit of a journey, but with the right steps, it's definitely achievable. Remember, the key is to systematically try different solutions, starting with the most common ones and then diving into more specific configurations.

By verifying your setup, tweaking environment variables, forcing DPI awareness, using launch options, exploring alternative clients, and seeking community help, you'll be well-equipped to tackle this issue and enjoy a crisp and clear Spotify experience on your HiDPI display. Good luck, and happy listening!