protonscr

UI Scale slider bug with 175% fractional scaling on Linux Wayland

steamopen Steam clientWindow managerDistro Family: Ubuntu
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#12637 · opened 2026-01-10 by sylock · updated 2026-01-10 · 0 comments · github
Ssylock 2026-01-10 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date): 1766451605
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): PoP OS! 24.04
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: No
  • Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
  • GPU: AMD 780M Phoenix3

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

On PoP OS! 24.04 up-to-date with Wayland and fractionnal scaling enabled to 175%:

  • first launch of Steam Client shows a very big fonts and UI
  • when going to Steam/Settings/Accessibility and moving the "UI Scale" slider (in the following screenshots, compare the font size of Steam UI and the one of the date/time in the TOP bar which is a correct font size):

    • keep it on the default value make the UI too big
      Image

    • moving it toward Smaller Text makes the UI too small

Image
  • moving it tower Lager Text makes the UI smaller
Image

*but the UI size is adjustable while sliding to the right and a correct UI size can be found

Image

CONCLUSION: there is a bug with the auto-detection of the scaling since only the default value of the slide is too big. But on the left and the right of it it's adjustable.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. start PoP OS! 24.04 with wayland and fractionnal scaling enabled (in my case 175%). That means that you need a HiDPI screen. I don't think the problem is related to the GPU brand but only the fractional scaling
  2. Be sure to erase any steam config
  3. Install Steam (by the way you'll see that a terminal is opened with very little fonts instead of opening the default terminal as defined in the COSMIC settings)
  4. At first launch you see the too big UI
  5. Go to Steam/settings/Accessibility and play with the "UI Scale" slider and see by yourself the behavior

Nothing extracted yet.