protonscr

Steam UI Black Unless Ran Using -cef-disable-gpu

steamopen Distro Family: ArchWeb Component
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#10561 · opened 2024-02-29 by 333voidGirl · updated 2026-06-25 · 15 comments · github
3333voidGirl 2024-02-29 github
  • Steam client version (build number or date): 02/29/2024
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Arch Linux
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: [Yes/No]
  • Have you checked for system updates?: [Yes/No]
  • Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080

Every time I open Steam, except by using -cef-disable-gpu when launching, Steam's UI would seemingly not visually load.
Running steam, steam-runtime, or steam -vgui will produce no obvious errors but produce an entirely black window with working menus (video). Running steam -cef-disable-gpu would load in the UI fine (video). Attempting to reinstall Steam (rm -rf ~/.local/share/Steam/, steam, click reinstall) also did not work. Not familiar with the logs so I haven't gone through them, sorry.

3333voidGirl 2024-03-01 github

Sorry not sure what happened I accidentally closed this.

IIronToBind 2024-03-01 github

+1 For -cef-disable-gpu letting the web component load all the way up.
also on Arch based
Steam version 1.0.0.78-2 -- 1709168962
All updated and reinstalled - No change

All of the components loaded, the on hover menus open, the app updates at page changes and will launch games

steam-logs.tar.gz

Aaliefhooghe 2024-03-02 github

Exactly the same issue with an arch-based linux distro (artix/runit).

Steam information:

Steam Beta Branch:  Stable Client
Steam Version:  1709168962
Steam Client Build Date:  Thu, Feb 29 01:39 UTC +01:00
Steam Web Build Date:  Mon, Feb 26 21:21 UTC +01:00
Steam API Version:  SteamClient021

GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3060

Disabling the gpu acceleration for web ui fix the issue, and games are not impacted.

WWesselinator 2024-03-02 github

Same issue. Entirely Black window with working Hover Windows as the Issue states.

Running arch spin (Garuda) with steam vers:

Steam Beta Branch:  Stable Client
Steam Version:  1709168962
Steam Client Build Date:  Thu, Feb 29 2:39 AM UTC -08:00
Steam Web Build Date:  Mon, Feb 26 10:21 PM UTC -08:00
Steam API Version:  SteamClient021

nvidia-smi

NVIDIA-SMI 550.54.14              Driver Version: 550.54.14      CUDA Version: 12.4
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970

Running with -cef-disable-gpu makes it work again.

Might be the 550.54.14. remember updating the GFX driver, but I did it with the steam client update so unclear if it's the cause.

Rrongil 2024-03-02 github

I don't think it's specific to the 550 graphics driver release. My steam client updated when I was still on 545 and that is when the issue started. Afterwards, I did a full system update including the 550 graphics driver (545.29.06 -> 550.54.14) and nothing changed (same issue with same workaround).

Aaliefhooghe 2024-03-03 github

Indeed, still having this issue with nvidia 550.54.14-3.

I was able to start the steam ui with hardware acceleration without having a black windows one single time. Thus I think the problem does not happen 100% of the time, it may be a sort of race condition.

FFrederikNJS 2024-03-09 github

I seem to be hit by this one as well, and -cef-disable-gpu seems to resolve it, but makes the UI very sluggish, and Big Screen almost unusable.

Steam Version: 1709846872
Distribution: EndeavourOS/Arch
System fully up to date, with Nvidia Driver Version: 550.54.14 on a GTX 1060 6GB

Eesavier 2024-03-11 github

Same issue, reporting config:
Distribution: Gentoo Linux
Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes and No, doesn't seems to matter
Have you checked for system updates?: Yes, fresh build
GPU: NVIDIA Corporation GA102 [GeForce RTX 3090] (rev a1)

And again, -cef-disable-gpu works for me too. Two weeks ago, there were no such issue

WWesselinator 2024-03-17 github

Everyone should check again.
It's working for me now.

Steam Beta Branch:  Stable Client
Steam Version:  1709846872
Steam Client Build Date:  Wed, Mar 6 10:28 PM UTC -08:00
Steam Web Build Date:  Thu, Mar 7 11:17 PM UTC -08:00
Steam API Version:  SteamClient021
NVIDIA-SMI 550.54.14              Driver Version: 550.54.14      CUDA Version: 12.4
Aaliefhooghe 2024-03-17 github

Replying to https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/10561#issuecomment-2002427110

Still having the issue with the exact same nvidia and steam version.

IIronToBind 2024-03-23 github

Steam updated today but the webview is still broken in apparently the same way for me

3333voidGirl 2024-04-19 github

Tested again. As of today it is still broken.

PPaiusco 2024-04-28 github

Still broken for me, although I looked at #10797 mention, ended up at #10543.

Tested with -system-compose and this also works for me.

It's worth checking if the issue is the same @333voidGirl and if this flag also fixes it for you

Ssintel-be 2025-04-07 github

Also had this exact behavior, but specifically with an AMD GPU & the flatpak distributable of steam.
I noticed that during startup, I only had LLVMpipe in the GPU topology.
Once I removed the flatpak version and installed the package from the repository (Fedora) instead, the GPU was detected and it worked without disabling GPU acceleration

Specific context, not sure if it matters:

  • First only used the integrated GPU installed on this system (from an AMD 9000 series CPU)
  • Recently switched to an 9070 discrete
    Either the GPU is too new for the flatpak version or the switch from integrated to discrete left some old config?
Rraghavmallampalli 2026-06-25 github

It's probably a good idea to just disable GPU compositing, instead of disabling hardware acceleration entirely. Relevant docs: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Command_line_options_(Steam)#:~:text=-cef-disable-gpu,compositing in browsers

steam -cef-disable-gpu-compositing this worked for me, tested on cachyos.
https://github.com/CachyOS/CachyOS-PKGBUILDS/issues/1376 issue that clued me in to this fix.