Bug 504016

Summary:	Black flickering on desktop and maybe panels.
Product:	[Plasma] plasmashell	Reporter:	kdebugs8
Component:	Containment	Assignee:	Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status:	REPORTED ---
Severity:	normal	CC:	ivan.pessotto, kde, kdedev, nate, notmart, qydwhotmail, xaver.hugl
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	6.3.4
Target Milestone:	1.0
Platform:	Manjaro
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description kdebugs8 2025-05-10 14:53:49 UTC

SUMMARY
I have black flickering going on with random monitors using three monitor setup when opening apps like Chatty or Steam. The black flickering doesn't show on apps, only on desktop wallpaper and maybe panels.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Open up Chatty Java or Steam Flatpak and see the flickering happen at times. 

OBSERVED RESULT
Black flickering on desktop wallpaper and maybe panels.

EXPECTED RESULT
No black flickering.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
(available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window)
Linux/KDE Plasma: 6.12 kernel
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.13.0
Qt Version: 6.9.0

Comment 1 kdebugs8 2025-05-10 16:34:35 UTC

Operating System: Manjaro Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.13.0
Qt Version: 6.9.0
Kernel Version: 6.12.25-1-MANJARO (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 12 × AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-Core Processor
Memory: 15.5 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon RX 6600
Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
Product Name: B550 AORUS PRO V2

Comment 2 Ivan Pessotto 2025-08-04 09:58:29 UTC

I have a machine with the exact same issue: black flickering on desktop wallpaper, but no flicker on apps and desktop widgets.
I don't have Chatty or Steam and i can't reproduce the problem sistematically, it happen sometimes....
This issue is apparently wayland related because X11 session works well.

This is a video recording of the problem: https://imgur.com/a/3r5Xhcg

After a recent plasma update, now works better (flicker is less frequent and less visible) but not resolved.

My system is:
Operating System: Gentoo Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.6
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.13.0
Qt Version: 6.9.1
Kernel Version: 6.12.31-gentoo (64-bit custom compiled)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 16 × AMD Ryzen 7 1800X Eight-Core Processor
Memory: 31,3 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon RX 550 / 550 Series
Mainboard Name: Gigabyte AX370-Gaming 5

Do you solve it?

Comment 3 Zamundaaa 2025-08-04 17:28:08 UTC

As the black region doesn't cover widgets, this is definitely an issue in plasmashell, not in KWin

Comment 4 Nate Graham 2025-08-19 22:41:31 UTC

Could it be a GPU driver issue, Xaver?

Comment 5 Ivan Pessotto 2025-08-20 06:13:42 UTC

(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #4)
> Could it be a GPU driver issue, Xaver?

I forgot to mention that it started doing this right after i updated the video card and switched the driver from radeon to amdgpu.
I have another system with the same OS and configuration (but a different graphic card: HD6450) and works well.

I don't think it's a GPU driver issue because only the desktop background is affected, not the apps nor the widgets.