Bug 499289

Summary: Font Management KCM preview exhibits jagged rendering with Wayland and fractional scaling
Product: [Applications] systemsettings Reporter: Gilles Gagniard <gilles>
Component: kcm_fontsAssignee: Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status: CONFIRMED ---    
Severity: normal CC: greenulito, john.kizer, kdedev, madness742, nate, strong.drum0546, u0sd2qpny
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: 6.2.5   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Arch Linux   
OS: Linux   
See Also: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=502322
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=502103
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501715
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: Font Management with bad font rendering in preview panel
Chromium vs Firefox, 125% fractional scaling, 1080p

Description Gilles Gagniard 2025-01-29 19:42:11 UTC
Created attachment 177800 [details]
Font Management with bad font rendering in preview panel

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SUMMARY


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Use Plasma Wayland session, 150% scale in System Settings > Display & Monitor 
2. Open System Settings > Text & Fonts > Font Management and select any font
3. 

OBSERVED RESULT
The font rendering in the preview panel on the right is atrocious (no antialiasing, hinting broken), while the other fonts in the app render correctly; see attached screenshot.

EXPECTED RESULT
Fonts are rendered correctly with antialiasing and correct hinting.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
KDE Plasma Version: 6.2.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.10.0
Qt Version: 6.8.1

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2025-01-30 17:57:09 UTC
Can reproduce.
Comment 2 TraceyC 2025-04-07 15:42:26 UTC
*** Bug 501975 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 3 Alex J Green 2025-04-20 11:24:24 UTC
This issue is not limited to the Font Management KCM — it also affects other software, applications, and browsers. Assuming it's only related to the Font KCM creates a false impression that the problem is minor and can be postponed. In reality, it's a broader and more important issue that deserves timely attention.
Comment 4 Gilles Gagniard 2025-09-02 19:56:32 UTC
(In reply to Alex J Green from comment #3)
> This issue is not limited to the Font Management KCM — it also affects other
> software, applications, and browsers. Assuming it's only related to the Font
> KCM creates a false impression that the problem is minor and can be
> postponed. In reality, it's a broader and more important issue that deserves
> timely attention.

Indeed, there are several "old" KDE applications (examples: KolourPaint, KPatience) whose rendering seem to be broken as well with similar symptoms. Maybe the issue is not related to font rendering itself, but a more general bitmap scaling issue when fractional scaling is enabled.
Comment 5 Alex J Green 2025-10-25 21:01:38 UTC
> Indeed, there are several "old" KDE applications (examples: KolourPaint,
> KPatience) whose rendering seem to be broken as well with similar symptoms.
> Maybe the issue is not related to font rendering itself, but a more general
> bitmap scaling issue when fractional scaling is enabled.

The problem has wider surface, than just "old" KDE applications.

If for example I open in Firefox https://fonts.google.com/noto/specimen/Noto+Sans and set background to black (there is a theme button on the page) and change font (there is a dropdown on that page) from 48px to 20px, then fonts become colored like a rainbow. This is only observed under Wayland session with non integer scale. Slowly scroll page up and down -- and characters change their shape.
Comment 6 TraceyC 2025-10-27 18:14:16 UTC
(In reply to Alex J Green from comment #5)
> If for example I open in Firefox
> https://fonts.google.com/noto/specimen/Noto+Sans and set background to black
> (there is a theme button on the page) and change font (there is a dropdown
> on that page) from 48px to 20px, then fonts become colored like a rainbow.
> This is only observed under Wayland session with non integer scale. Slowly
> scroll page up and down -- and characters change their shape.

This may be a different bug, since browsers can set extra parameters for font rendering outside of KDE's control. I'll let those more experienced with font rendering make that determination. I found a similar problem in bug 511126, which was fixed for that user by settin this in Firefox in about:config:

 widget.wayland.fractional-scale.enabled = true

However, I am still able to reproduce the font rendering problem on that page with that setting enabled.
Comment 7 Lenzoid 2025-10-27 18:35:56 UTC
Can reproduce the scaling issue in "Font Management" but not the Firefox issue that Alex J Green reported in comment #5.

Operating System: Arch Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.5.0
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.19.0
Qt Version: 6.10.0
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Comment 8 Lenzoid 2025-10-27 19:09:32 UTC
Created attachment 186241 [details]
Chromium vs Firefox, 125% fractional scaling, 1080p
Comment 9 Lenzoid 2025-10-27 19:09:57 UTC
(In reply to Lenzoid from comment #8)
> Created attachment 186241 [details]
> Chromium vs Firefox, 125% fractional scaling, 1080p

Correction, I do see aliasing problems in Firefox with fractional scaling enabled. 

May not be the same bug but I'm posting a Chromium vs Firefox screenshot anyway. Sorry for the noise.