Version: 1.5

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Configuration

Custom Compositor Configuration

tip

Custom compositor configurations allow you to configure displays (resolution, refresh rate, position, etc.) specifically for the greeter.

niri

Create a baseline configuration file at /etc/greetd/niri.kdl:

sudo tee /etc/greetd/niri.kdl > /dev/null << 'EOF'
hotkey-overlay {
    skip-at-startup
}

environment {
    DMS_RUN_GREETER "1"
}

gestures {
  hot-corners {
    off
  }
}

layout {
  background-color "#000000"
}
EOF

Update the command in `/etc/greetd/config.toml to use this configuration

#...existing configuration
command = "dms-greeter --command niri -C /etc/greetd/niri.kdl"
#...existing configuration

Edit /etc/greetd/niri.kdl however you see fit, the greeter will run under this compositor configuration

Hyprland

Create a baseline configuration file at /etc/greetd/hypr.conf:

sudo tee /etc/greetd/hypr.conf > /dev/null << 'EOF'
env = DMS_RUN_GREETER,1

misc {
    disable_hyprland_logo = true
}
EOF

Update the command in `/etc/greetd/config.toml to use this configuration

#...existing configuration
command = "dms-greeter --command hyprland -C /etc/greetd/hypr.conf"
#...existing configuration

Edit /etc/greetd/hypr.conf however you see fit, the greeter will run under this compositor configuration

Sway

Create a baseline configuration file at /etc/greetd/sway:

sudo tee /etc/greetd/sway > /dev/null << 'EOF'
# Sway greeter configuration
# The exec command to launch the greeter is automatically appended by dms-greeter
EOF

Update the command in `/etc/greetd/config.toml to use this configuration

#...existing configuration
command = "dms-greeter --command sway -C /etc/greetd/sway"
#...existing configuration

Edit /etc/greetd/sway however you see fit, the greeter will run under this compositor configuration

Mango

Create a baseline configuration file at /etc/greetd/mango.conf:

sudo tee /etc/greetd/mango.conf > /dev/null << 'EOF'
# Mango greeter configuration
EOF

Update the command in `/etc/greetd/config.toml to use this configuration

#...existing configuration
command = "dms-greeter --command mango -C /etc/greetd/mango.conf"
#...existing configuration

Edit /etc/greetd/mango.conf however you see fit, the greeter will run under this compositor configuration

Miracle WM

Create a baseline configuration file at /etc/greetd/miracle-wm.yaml:

sudo tee /etc/greetd/miracle-wm.yaml > /dev/null << 'EOF'
# Miracle WM greeter configuration
EOF

Update the command in `/etc/greetd/config.toml to use this configuration

#...existing configuration
command = "dms-greeter --command miracle-wm -C /etc/greetd/miracle-wm.yaml"
#...existing configuration

Edit /etc/greetd/miracle-wm.yaml however you see fit, the greeter will run under this compositor configuration

Syncing with DMS

You can automatically sync the system greeter with the logged in user's wallpaper, themes, fonts, etc.

Automatic Sync

You can use dms greeter sync to automatically set up theme syncing. This command is available for:

dankinstall users
Arch AUR users
Fedora COPR users

note

NixOS users: The dms greeter sync command is not available on NixOS. Please follow the manual sync steps below.

dms greeter sync

This will:

Add your user to the greeter group (if needed)
Set up ACL permissions on parent directories for greeter access
Configure group permissions on DMS config directories
Create symlinks to sync settings, wallpapers, and color themes
Copy your per-user theme slot to /var/cache/dms-greeter/users/<username>/ (for multi-account picker preview)

note

After running dms greeter sync, you will need to log out and log back in for group membership changes to take effect. After logging back in, your greeter will automatically reflect your current DMS theme, wallpaper, and settings.

Multi-user systems

On a shared PC, each account can have its own greeter theme and profile photo on the login screen. DMS shows a user picker (avatar + inline list) when more than one local account exists.

Recommended workflow: One main admin runs dms greeter sync once (system setup). Every other account—including other sudo admins—uses dms greeter sync --profile only. Full sync from multiple accounts repoints root cache symlinks and greetd; --profile updates only that user's login-screen slot.

Roles

Who	Command	Needs sudo?
Main admin (first setup)	`dms greeter sync`	Yes
All other users (including other admins)	`dms greeter sync --profile`	No
Add users to greeter group	Settings → Users (toggle) or `sudo usermod -aG greeter <user>`	Yes (Polkit or sudo)

Full dms greeter sync only adds the user running the command to the greeter group. You must add other accounts explicitly.

Adding users to the greeter group (admin)

GUI (recommended): In DMS, open Settings → Users. Use the greeter access toggle (login icon) on each account, or enable Allow greeter login access when creating a user. DMS runs usermod -aG for granting administrator access to the user.

note

After you add someone to the greeter group, they must log out and back in before group membership applies, then run dms greeter sync --profile on their account.

CLI alternative:

sudo usermod -aG greeter otheruser1 otheruser2

Each added user must log out and back in, then sync their own slot:

dms greeter sync --profile

One-time setup (main admin)

# Configure greetd, ACLs, and your own theme slot
dms greeter sync

Then add every other account—either in Settings → Users (greeter toggle) or from a terminal:

sudo usermod -aG greeter alice bob charlie

Per-user setup (everyone except the main admin)

After logging out and back in (so the greeter group applies):

dms greeter sync --profile

This writes only to /var/cache/dms-greeter/users/<your-username>/ — settings, colors, wallpapers, and profile photo — without changing greetd or system configuration. Re-run after theme changes.

What gets stored per user

Under /var/cache/dms-greeter/users/<username>/:

settings.json — theme, clock, weather, fonts
session.json — wallpaper configuration (paths localized into the slot)
colors.json — color scheme
profile.jpg (or .png) — profile photo for the user picker
Wallpaper image copies as needed

The root cache (/var/cache/dms-greeter/settings.json, etc.) remains the default fallback when no per-user slot exists or no user is selected yet.

Developer note: `--local`

When developing from a DMS checkout, only the primary admin should use:

dms greeter sync --local

All other accounts use dms greeter sync --profile. If greetd is already configured with a -p path to a shared checkout, the main admin can refresh that path with --local; other users should not need it.

Not the same as Switch User

DMS Switch User in the running session (dms switch-user) switches between active Wayland sessions. The greeter user picker lists local login accounts from the system password database for signing in after logout or reboot.

Manual Sync

If you prefer to set up syncing manually:

Add your user to the greeter group:

sudo usermod -aG greeter <username>

Set up ACL permissions on parent directories:

setfacl -m u:greeter:x ~
setfacl -m u:greeter:x ~/.config
setfacl -m u:greeter:x ~/.local
setfacl -m u:greeter:x ~/.cache
setfacl -m u:greeter:x ~/.local/state

Set group permissions on DMS config directories:

sudo chgrp -R greeter ~/.config/DankMaterialShell
sudo chmod -R g+rX ~/.config/DankMaterialShell

sudo chgrp -R greeter ~/.local/state/DankMaterialShell
sudo chmod -R g+rX ~/.local/state/DankMaterialShell

sudo chgrp -R greeter ~/.cache/quickshell
sudo chmod -R g+rX ~/.cache/quickshell

Create configuration symlinks:

sudo mkdir -p /var/cache/dms-greeter
sudo ln -sf ~/.config/DankMaterialShell/settings.json /var/cache/dms-greeter/settings.json
sudo ln -sf ~/.local/state/DankMaterialShell/session.json /var/cache/dms-greeter/session.json
sudo ln -sf ~/.cache/quickshell/dankshell/dms-colors.json /var/cache/dms-greeter/colors.json

note

You will have to logout or reboot for group change to take effect.

Checking Sync Status

To verify that your greeter is properly configured and syncing with your user settings, run:

dms greeter status

This command is available for all users and will check:

✓ Group membership (whether your user is in the greeter group)
✓ Cache directory existence
✓ Configuration symlinks (settings, wallpaper, colors)
✓ Whether source files exist and are readable

Example Output

=== DMS Greeter Status ===

Group Membership:
  ✓ User is in greeter group

Greeter Cache Directory:
  ✓ /var/cache/dms-greeter exists

Configuration Symlinks:
  ✓ Settings: synced correctly
  ✓ Session state: synced correctly
  ✓ Color theme: synced correctly

Per-user slots (multi-account):
  ✓ users/alice/ — synced
  ✓ users/bob/ — not synced (run: dms greeter sync --profile)

✓ All checks passed! Greeter is properly configured.

Troubleshooting

If dms greeter status shows issues:

User not in greeter group:

dms greeter sync
# Then log out and log back in

Symlinks missing or broken:

dms greeter sync

Secondary user cannot run full sync (not in sudoers):

# Admin: Settings → Users → enable greeter access for that account
# Or: sudo usermod -aG greeter <username>
# User logs out/in, then:
dms greeter sync --profile

Per-user theme not showing in picker:

# Run on that user's account after group membership is active:
dms greeter sync --profile
# Log out to see the updated theme on the login screen

ACL permission issues (themes/wallpapers not appearing):

# Check if ACLs are set
getfacl ~ ~/.config ~/.local ~/.cache ~/.local/state | grep "user:greeter"

# If not, run sync again
dms greeter sync

Auto-login skips the greeter password after boot — similar to the auto-login option in SDDM or GDM — until you sign out. It uses greetd's native [initial_session], so:

After a reboot you land straight in your session without entering a password at the greeter.
Signing out returns you to the normal greeter, where a password is required.
Your lock screen is unaffected — unlocking always requires your password.

warning

Auto-login reduces physical security: anyone who powers on or reboots the machine reaches your session without a password. Only enable it on machines you physically trust, ideally with full-disk encryption.

Requirements

Auto-login needs to know which user and session to start, so it requires Remember last user and Remember last session (both enabled by default). The first login is always interactive — DMS remembers the user and session you pick, then auto-logs in on subsequent boots.

Enabling and disabling

From Settings (recommended): open Settings → Greeter and toggle Sign in automatically on startup. DMS updates greetd in the background and shows a confirmation; the change takes effect on your next reboot. Turn the same toggle off to require a password again.

From the login screen: on the password screen, tap the Auto-login chip before signing in. Auto-login is enabled once you reach your desktop.

If administrator access is needed and passwordless sudo isn't configured, DMS opens a terminal so you can enter your sudo password; it closes automatically when finished.

CLI

The toggles run a focused sync under the hood. You can also apply just the auto-login state from a terminal:

dms greeter sync --autologin

Unlike a full dms greeter sync, this updates only greetd's [initial_session] block — adding it (with your remembered user and session) when enabled, or removing it when disabled — and skips the theme, ACL, and permission steps. It reads the greeterAutoLogin setting from your DMS configuration, so run it after changing that setting if you ever need to re-apply greetd manually.

Manual Configuration

The greeter uses three main configuration files located in /var/cache/dms-greeter/. If you defined a custom directory, it will be in DMS_GREET_CFG_DIR. For NixOS users it is under /var/lib/dms-greeter/:

settings.json - Appearance, behavior, and widget settings
session.json - Wallpaper configuration
colors.json - Color scheme configuration

On multi-user systems, each account may also have a copied slot under /var/cache/dms-greeter/users/<username>/ with the same file names plus localized wallpapers and a profile.* image for the user picker. See Multi-user systems above.

note

These files are read-only by the greeter, not written or updated.

Colors

Colors can be configured in the exact same way described in DankMaterialShell Custom Themes

Settings

The settings.json file controls the greeter's appearance and behavior. Here's a complete reference:

Clock & Time

{
  "use24HourClock": true,
  "showSeconds": false,
  "lockDateFormat": ""
}

use24HourClock: Use 24-hour format (true) or 12-hour format (false)
showSeconds: Display seconds in the clock
lockDateFormat: Custom Qt date format string (empty = Locale.LongFormat)

Weather

{
  "weatherEnabled": true,
  "weatherLocation": "New York, NY",
  "weatherCoordinates": "40.7128,-74.0060",
  "useAutoLocation": false,
  "useFahrenheit": false
}

weatherEnabled: Show weather widget in top-right
weatherLocation: Display name for location
weatherCoordinates: "latitude,longitude" string
useAutoLocation: Auto-detect location via IP geolocation
useFahrenheit: Use Fahrenheit (true) or Celsius (false)

Appearance

{
  "currentThemeName": "blue",
  "customThemeFile": "",
  "matugenScheme": "scheme-tonal-spot",
  "iconTheme": "System Default",
  "fontFamily": "Inter Variable",
  "fontWeight": 400,
  "fontScale": 1.0,
  "cornerRadius": 12,
  "widgetBackgroundColor": "sch",
  "surfaceBase": "s",
  "animationSpeed": 2
}

currentThemeName: Built-in theme name ("blue", "red", "green", etc.)
customThemeFile: Path to custom matugen JSON theme file
matugenScheme: Matugen color scheme variant
iconTheme: Icon theme name for DankIcon fallbacks
fontFamily: Primary font family
fontWeight: Font weight (400 = normal, 700 = bold)
fontScale: Font size multiplier (1.0 = default)
cornerRadius: Corner radius in pixels for UI elements
widgetBackgroundColor: Widget background scheme ("sch", "s", "sv")
surfaceBase: Surface base color scheme ("s", "sv", "sb")
animationSpeed: Animation speed (0 = fastest, 4 = slowest, 2 = default)

Complete Example

/var/cache/dms-greeter/settings.json:

{
  "use24HourClock": true,
  "showSeconds": false,
  "lockDateFormat": "",
  "lockScreenShowPowerActions": true,
  "useFahrenheit": false,
  "weatherLocation": "New York, NY",
  "weatherCoordinates": "40.7128,-74.0060",
  "useAutoLocation": false,
  "weatherEnabled": true,
  "currentThemeName": "blue",
  "customThemeFile": "",
  "matugenScheme": "scheme-tonal-spot",
  "nightModeEnabled": false,
  "iconTheme": "System Default",
  "fontFamily": "Inter Variable",
  "fontWeight": 400,
  "fontScale": 1.0,
  "cornerRadius": 12,
  "widgetBackgroundColor": "sch",
  "surfaceBase": "s",
  "animationSpeed": 2
}

Wallpapers

The session.json file controls wallpaper settings.

Basic Configuration

{
  "wallpaperPath": "/path/to/wallpaper.jpg",
  "wallpaperFillMode": "PreserveAspectCrop"
}

wallpaperPath: Default wallpaper for all monitors
wallpaperFillMode: Qt fill mode
- "PreserveAspectCrop" - Crop to fill (default)
- "PreserveAspectFit" - Fit within bounds
- "Stretch" - Stretch to fill

Per-Monitor Wallpapers

{
  "wallpaperPath": "/path/to/default.jpg",
  "wallpaperFillMode": "PreserveAspectCrop",
  "monitorWallpapers": {
    "DP-1": "/path/to/monitor1-wallpaper.jpg",
    "DP-2": "/path/to/monitor2-wallpaper.jpg",
    "HDMI-A-1": "#1a1a1a"
  }
}

monitorWallpapers: Per-monitor wallpaper overrides
- Key: Monitor name from niri msg outputs or hyprctl monitors
- Value formats:
  - File paths: /path/to/image.jpg
  - Solid colors: #RRGGBB format
  - Wallpaper Engine: we:workshop_id format

Complete Example

/var/cache/dms-greeter/session.json:

{
  "wallpaperPath": "/usr/share/backgrounds/default.jpg",
  "wallpaperFillMode": "PreserveAspectCrop",
  "monitorWallpapers": {
    "DP-1": "/home/user/Pictures/wallpaper-main.png",
    "DP-2": "#2e3440",
    "HDMI-A-1": "/home/user/Pictures/wallpaper-side.jpg"
  }
}

Custom Compositor Configuration​

niri​

Hyprland​

Sway​

Mango​

Miracle WM​

Syncing with DMS​

Automatic Sync​

Multi-user systems​

Roles​

Adding users to the greeter group (admin)​

One-time setup (main admin)​

Per-user setup (everyone except the main admin)​

What gets stored per user​

Developer note: --local​

Not the same as Switch User​

Manual Sync​

Checking Sync Status​

Example Output​

Troubleshooting​

Auto-login on startup​

Requirements​

Enabling and disabling​

CLI​

Manual Configuration​

Colors​

Settings​

Clock & Time​

Weather​

Appearance​

Complete Example​

Wallpapers​

Basic Configuration​

Per-Monitor Wallpapers​

Complete Example​

Custom Compositor Configuration

niri

Hyprland

Sway

Mango

Miracle WM

Syncing with DMS

Automatic Sync

Multi-user systems

Roles

Adding users to the greeter group (admin)

One-time setup (main admin)

Per-user setup (everyone except the main admin)

What gets stored per user

Developer note: `--local`

Not the same as Switch User

Manual Sync

Checking Sync Status

Example Output

Troubleshooting

Auto-login on startup

Requirements

Enabling and disabling

CLI

Manual Configuration

Colors

Settings

Clock & Time

Weather

Appearance

Complete Example

Wallpapers

Basic Configuration

Per-Monitor Wallpapers

Complete Example