protonscr

March 18th 2025 Steam Client Beta displays windows in incorrect positions

steamclosed Steam clientWindow manager
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#11834 · opened 2025-03-19 by sonic2kk · updated 2025-03-30 · 8 comments · github
Ssonic2kk 2025-03-19 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date): 1742315482
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Arch Linux
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
  • Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
  • Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
  • GPU: AMD

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

I am using KDE Plasma Wayland 6.3.3. This issue began happening after updating to the latest Steam Client Beta of March 18th 2025.

The Steam Client now misplaces various windows, at least under XWayland. They no longer seem to remember their previous position in the case of the "Friends" window, and no longer seem to center themselves in most cases:

  • The "Starting Steam" dialog used to appear centered on my Primary Display, but now always appears in the top left corner, partially under my top panel.
  • The "Friends" window always appears in the top-left of the display that Steam starts on, even if moved and later closed. Previously, it remembered its position no matter where it was last opened, even between Steam Client restarts.
  • The "Recordings & Screenshots" window for a game (including individual screenshots/recordings) will always open in the top-left. Previously, it always opened centered on the display that the Steam Client was on.

The Steam Client itself remembers the display it was closed on, and the state it was closed in (size/position). The Settings Window and dialogs spawned under the "Help" menu all display in their correct position.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Update to the latest Steam Client Beta.
  2. Open the Steam Client on a multi-monitor setup under KDE Plasma Wayland 6.3.3 + XWayland.
  3. The "Starting Steam" dialogue will display on the Primary Display, but positioned incorrectly. Various other windows that the Steam Client creates will also be positioned incorrectly, though not all of them.
Ttoupeira 2025-03-20 github

Same on beta build 1742420835 with Gnome 48 / Xorg and /org/gnome/mutter/center-new-windows enabled. Splash screen and settings appear in the top-left corner.

Ssonic2kk 2025-03-21 github

Interesting about the Settings window. Last time I tried before filing this issue, it appeared centered for me on Plasma at least. I'll re-test tomorrow, I'm curious now :-)

Ssonic2kk 2025-03-22 github

Interesting, on my setup the Settings window appears centered. It seems like there are quirks with windowing between Desktop Environments and/or X11 and XWayland. It could also possibly be related to monitor arrangements.

That's very interesting to know, I wonder what changed in the Steam Client Beta to cause this :-)

Ttoupeira 2025-03-22 github

Oh man now you got me curious too, also because I wasn't sure if I misremembered :-)

I was testing the beta because of https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/9565, and realized now that the Settings window appears centered for me too if the setting "Scale text and icons to match monitor settings" is enabled. With it disabled the Settings appear in top-left, as well as the "Shutting down Steam..." dialog.

The "Starting steam" dialog always appears in the top-left for me in the beta, independent of this setting.

One small difference is that the windows don't overlap with my top bar, but I guess that's just GNOME's behaviour vs. KDE.

?ghost 2025-03-28 github

Steam is also not "remembering" window position on X as of the previous beta update.

?ghost 2025-03-29 github

@toupeira top left might be a related artifact to a long standing bug where all draw calls start at 0x0. Normally this just ends up in flashing white rect draws at those coordinates and then the menu is relocated to where it should be. This bug may make it so it just never relocates for you.

Today Steam had an update and it opened in the correct location. Glad to see if fixed...now if only they'd address the 2+ years old 0x0 rect draw issue or cloud sync constantly turning itself back on.

Ssonic2kk 2025-03-30 github

I can also confirm that this has now been fixed. Thanks!

?ghost 2025-03-30 · hidden on GitHub github

It is for me but no one else has chimed in. If you guys are actually fixing things feel free to address https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/9980 https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/9614 before I turn 70...

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